Ashley and Rebecca from The Crohn's & Colitis Dietitians talk about all things IBD-related. In this episode Ashley and Rebecca discuss how IBD affects every facet of life including basic necessities such as sleeping and eating. We talk about what good quality of life means to us and that often the goal is that IBD is not at the forefront of every single thing so we can have some ease in our day to day lives. We think that the answer to what good quality of life means will change because IBD is unpredictable. In a flare, we may just want to feel better and get through the tough moments.  We discuss how there is an increased rate of anxiety in IBD patients and it is reported that 1 in 3 IBD patients have anxiety. We discuss root causes of anxiety and some strategies for dealing with anxiety such as having a team to rely on, acknowledging our fears and choosing to take care of ourselves even when it feels difficult.  Having providers who we trust and can give us answers, guidance and a plan can also alleviate the stress of googling and confusion over what information to trust.  We talk about the black and white claims we sometimes see made by health gurus or popular influencers online and how sometimes people can be misled and not see the whole picture. Sometimes the dramatic story or eye catching claim can grab our attention and we talk about how our brains gravitate toward certainty and that looking at a more balanced view doesn't always seem as interesting. We talk about how research can have a lot of gray area because of the multiple factors involved and it can be good to allow ourselves to be comfortable with that.  We end this podcast by coming back to a point that we bring up a lot. That we all want to be seen, heard and feel connected. Ashley discusses her connections with people on Instagram and how meaningful those are to her. She truly enjoys helping others figure out the next step, especially when they feel alone and are confused about how to proceed. You don't have to suffer alone! You can reach out to us anytime and share your struggles and concerns; we welcome that connection and are here for you!