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Crohn Disease and Ulcerative Colitis
Inflammatory bowel disease needs strong medical care. Alongside it, we support the microbiome, nutrition, the gut-brain axis, and the vagus nerve.
What you may be noticing
Urgent diarrhea, sometimes with blood or mucus. Abdominal pain and cramping, weight loss, fatigue, and fevers during flares. Joint pain, mouth ulcers, and skin or eye inflammation may come along. Planning your day around bathroom access can become the norm.
Why it is rarely one thing
Crohn disease and ulcerative colitis are forms of inflammatory bowel disease, in which the immune system drives chronic inflammation in the digestive tract. They can cause serious complications, so medical care from a gastroenterologist is essential, and I never ask anyone to stop a prescribed medication.
Research shows that IBD arises from an interaction of genetics, the immune system, the microbiome, and environment. The microbiome in IBD is typically less diverse, and the gut barrier is compromised. Diet, stress, smoking (which affects Crohn and colitis differently), antibiotics, and sleep all influence activity.
The vagus nerve has a recognized anti-inflammatory role in the gut, the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway, and vagus nerve stimulation has been studied in IBD. I regard the brain as the master system of the body, so the nervous system is a meaningful part of a comprehensive plan rather than an afterthought.
In my clinical model, the gut also sits inside a larger toxic burden picture: environmental chemicals, mold, and infections add load to an immune system that is already reactive. That model is a working hypothesis in IBD. It shapes how gently and in what order we work, and it never replaces medical treatment.
Patterns we look for
- Inflammatory markers: calprotectin, CRP, and ESR.
- Microbiome diversity and balance.
- Intestinal barrier integrity.
- Nutrient deficiencies: iron, B12, folate, vitamin D, zinc, and magnesium, especially with small bowel involvement or after surgery.
- Anemia.
- Vagal tone and autonomic balance.
- Stress and HPA axis output.
- Food triggers and ultra-processed food intake.
- Bone health, especially after steroid use.
- After surgery: pouch inflammation, bacterial or fungal overgrowth, and continence.
- Sleep quality, mood, and anxiety, which commonly accompany IBD and influence flares.
How I evaluate it
A comprehensive functional neurological exam assesses vagal function and autonomic balance, along with the brain regions involved in pain and gut regulation.
Functional labs, coordinated with your gastroenterologist, may include calprotectin, a complete blood count, ferritin and iron studies, B12, folate, vitamin D, zinc, inflammatory markers, comprehensive stool analysis, and bone health markers.
Seek urgent care for severe abdominal pain, heavy bleeding, high fever, signs of dehydration, or a swollen, tender abdomen. Never stop steroids suddenly; any change belongs with your prescriber.
How we address it
Regulation comes first, and eradication later. A reactive gut responds best to a calm, well-sequenced plan.
- Medical treatment first, with your gastroenterologist leading.
- Nervous system safety: breath, vagal exercises, circadian rhythm, and sleep.
- Nourish fully, correcting deficiencies and protecting muscle and bone.
- Use an anti-inflammatory food pattern built around your tolerances, with fewer ultra-processed foods.
- Follow my gut healing sequence, which moves from removing triggers to replacing digestive support, rebuilding the microbiome, repairing the lining, and restoring motility, adapted to your phase of illness.
- Support gentle drainage of the bowel and lymph, with no aggressive detoxification during active inflammation.
- Strengthen vagal tone and calm the stress axis with neurological rehabilitation.
Calm in the gut and calm in the nervous system grow together.
Book your Comprehensive Functional Medicine Eval/Neurological Exam today to discover what the contributing root causes are that are underlying your health concerns.