You’ve followed every rule — the medications, the restricted diets, the flare management plans. And still, your gut feels unpredictable, your energy low, and your quality of life… fragile.

The urgency, bloating, cramping, and constant worry about where the nearest bathroom is — it’s exhausting. It can make you feel like your body’s working against you.

But here’s what most people don’t know: Ulcerative Colitis isn’t just inflammation in your colon — it’s an immune system that’s lost its balance. And when you help it find calm again, your body remembers how to heal.

Ulcerative Colitis is an autoimmune inflammatory disease that affects the lining of your large intestine (colon). The immune system overreacts to normal bacteria and triggers chronic inflammation, causing ulcers, bleeding, pain, and digestive distress.

Traditional treatment focuses on suppressing the inflammation through immuno-suppressants. Functional medicine looks deeper — at why the inflammation started in the first place.

When you restore balance in the gut, calm the immune system, and nourish the body, symptoms disappear.

Your colon isn’t the enemy — it’s the messenger. The inflammation is simply trying to get your attention.

UC isn’t caused by one thing — it’s the result of many small imbalances that, over time, build inflammation.

You don’t have to stop your medication to start feeling better. Functional medicine complements your medical plan by giving your body the resources it needs to heal.

Reduce inflammation through soothing, easy-to-digest foods.

• Choose warm, soft foods: soups, stews, steamed vegetables, bone broth.
  
• Avoid inflammatory triggers: gluten, dairy, caffeine, sugar, alcohol.
  
• Skip raw veggies and rough fiber during active flares — go gentle.
  

💡 Small step, big win: Swap one cold salad for a warm, blended veggie soup — it gives your gut nutrients without irritation.

The colon heals when the barrier is strong.

• Sip bone broth or collagen-rich drinks daily to repair tissue.
  
• Add L-glutamine, the amino acid that rebuilds gut cells.
  
• Eat foods rich in zinc (pumpkin seeds, eggs) and omega-3s (salmon, flaxseed).

💡 Small step, big win: Start your day with a mug of warm bone broth with a pinch of sea salt — it hydrates, nourishes, and gently seals the gut then grab a glass of GutShield+ with breakfast.

Your liver and colon are detox partners — if one’s inflamed, the other’s overloaded.

• Eat cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage (lightly cooked).
  
• Stay hydrated — aim for 2 L water per day.
  
• Move your body daily — even gentle walking improves detox flow.
  

💡 Small step, big win: Add ½ cup of lightly steamed broccoli to one meal each day to support detox and liver function.

Your gut lining and your nervous system are connected through the vagus nerve. Stress literally inflames your gut.

• Practice 5–10 minutes of deep breathing or meditation daily.
  
• Create a consistent sleep routine (7–9 hours).
  
• Step outside for 10 minutes of sunlight every morning.

💡 Small step, big win: Set a phone reminder twice a day to pause, breathe deeply for 60 seconds, and reset your nervous system.

Because UC causes nutrient loss through inflammation and poor absorption, replenishment is key.

• Eat protein at each meal — eggs, chicken, lentils, or fish.
  
• Include iron-rich foods (spinach, pumpkin seeds, organ meats if tolerated).
  
• Supplement vitamin D and zinc if levels are low.

• Include omega-3s (salmon, chia, flaxseed) for anti-inflammatory support.
• Consider doing a 3-5 day cold pressed juice cleanse to give your body a nutrient boost to begin the healing process
  

💡 Small step, big win: Start your morning with scrambled eggs and avocado — protein, healthy fats, and minerals to rebuild your gut lining.

Podcast A Functional Medicine Approach to Curing Crohn’s and Colitis” (The Doctor’s Farmacy, Ep. 68) — discusses root-cause strategies for IBD.
Read/Listen → Mark Hyman, MD
New targets for the treatment of ulcerative colitis: Gut microbiota and …” — published in ScienceDirect. Read the full paper → ScienceDirect

The role of the microbiome in the pathogenesis and treatment of ulcerative colitis” — review article summarizing gut-microbiome impact and functional interventions. Read the review → mdpi.com