Ashley and Rebecca from The Crohn's & Colitis Dietitians talk about all things IBD-related. On this episode we talk about interpreting nutrition recommendations, and why looking at "the how" and the rationale behind these recommendations is so important. We discuss what has improved our outcomes as Ulcerative Colitis patients and how things have changed for us since we were first diagnosed.  0-12:00: - we talk about the role of the dietitian and how they help patients with "the how" of implementing new recommendations -how dietitians can clarify terminology, interpretations and the rationale behind recommendations. -how beneficial plants are and their powerful properties -looking at our approach vs. the Mediterranean diet 12:00-18:00: -nutrition guidelines can be complex and dietitians can bridge the gap and interpret this information - maintaining a healthy relationship with food  - we don't want it to be just about restrictions but an overall good balance 18:00-27:00: - nutrition is very individualized -when looking at the Mediterranean diet and we see something recommended in "moderate" amounts- what does that even mean? We'd like to see more clear guidelines. -Ashley likes to understand "the why" of recommendations. She wants to understand the concept and degree of importance and impact on the individual. - We have fun and talk about how we would approach things if we were each others' dietitian. 27:00-32:00: -Ashley explains how someone can understand a concept but can only implement it to the degree that you understand the impact of it. -If we understand what is possible, we are more likely to make positive change and have trust in the process 32:00-38:00: - Rebecca discusses the process of researching Ulcerative Colitis, especially when she was first diagnosed.  -Rebecca talks about how implementing plant foods changed how she felt and improved her symptoms.  -Rebecca emphasizes how her family and support system, therapy and looking for ways to ground herself greatly improved her quality of life and improved her outcome as an Ulcerative Colitis patient.  38:00-41:00: - Ashley talks about what has helped her Ulcerative Colitis. She shares that her access to meds, a nutrition plan, connection with others and stability all have helped her tremendously. -Ashley still struggles sometimes with overdoing it, especially since she enjoys her work so much. She is aware that she surpasses her threshold at times. 41:00-48:00: -Rebecca discusses how things have changed since her Ulcerative Colitis diagnosis. She has a better awareness of her self and what she is able to handle. -Rebecca and Ashley explore their social capacity and honoring when they need a break. 48:00- 53:23:  -We talk about how it's not easy to be vulnerable and share all that we do on the podcast, but it is so meaningful to hear that it resonates with people and that is why we keep going!