This content is created by Healthgrades and brought to you by an advertising sponsor. More I’ve lived with Crohn’s disease for almost 18 years, and in this time (and through many ups and downs), I’ve learned a few things about how to live my best life, even with Crohn’s along for the ride. One of …
The Morning and Night Routines That Help Me Maintain My Health with IBD – Healthgrades
This content is created by Healthgrades and brought to you by an advertising sponsor. More
I’ve lived with Crohn’s disease for almost 18 years, and in this time (and through many ups and downs), I’ve learned a few things about how to live my best life, even with Crohn’s along for the ride. One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is to focus on what I can control. While I cannot control having an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) diagnosis, I can control so much more that influences how I feel.
Tailoring my daily habits in two important parts of my day, mornings and nights, has been especially helpful for maintaining IBD health.
My morning routine is about preparing my body and mind for a day of productivity and creativity and digesting all my food.
The right nutrition and supplements are a key part of my well-being and are the nonnegotiables of my morning routine, even if something else gets dropped. I wake up hungry, ready to cook and fuel after my overnight fast. I opt for a filling breakfast with protein, fat, fiber, and carbohydrates, which keeps me full until late morning or even lunchtime. The foods on my breakfast plate are “safe” foods I know my system can tolerate, so my gut is as pleased as my taste buds.
A typical breakfast for me looks like this:
By focusing on whole foods, I know I’m getting the most nutrition from bite to bite to support my immune system, digestive function, energy, and more.
Alongside my breakfast are my supplements. These are the “tools” I use to support my diet, which sends concentrated amounts of micronutrients, herbs, and other healing aids to my gut. A few of my go-to supplements include a probiotic, digestive enzyme, and anti-inflammatory herbs like turmeric and boswellia. Sometimes, my needs change, so I stay in tune with what I’m feeling and adjust accordingly.
After my nutritious and IBD-friendly breakfast and supplements, I feel like a superwoman ready to take on the day.
Not only do I have my most productive days and best creative thoughts when I exercise in the morning, but movement supports my gut health as well. Just like my muscles wake up, physical movement helps to wake up digestion and prepare it to receive and break down my food.
I may go for a walk, move through a slow yoga flow, or complete a circuit workout. Movement is also a key piece to maintaining my emotional and mental health.
Movement reminds me that I’m strong and capable of difficult things. It’s a time I can focus on my breath and my body and not everything else I have going on. Unmanaged stress can create chaos for IBD since it can contribute to chronic inflammation, so moving my body in healthy ways is like an antidote to that.
I also benefit from starting the day with some zen through mindfulness practice. This part of my morning routine changes depending on what I feel like doing or what my body needs, but it’s often journaling, meditation, or breath work.
I like to do gratitude journaling, where I write out a big list of things I’m grateful for and why. I feel the emotion of gratitude while I’m writing. I’m reminded of the wonderful things in my life, especially if I’m going through a challenge. I also like to write about my day ahead as if it already happened. I envision a day feeling healthy and positive things unfolding. This part of my routine is good for my spirit.
My night routine is focused on winding down from the day, nourishing my gut and body, and getting in the zone for productive sleep. Interrupted or low quality sleep can cause an uptick in gut activity and inflammation, which is why my night routine and focus on sleep are important for my overall IBD health.
I begin my night routine with my last meal of the day — a nourishing dinner. Like breakfast, I aim to include protein, fat, carbohydrates, and fiber. My body and gut feel best when I check all those boxes. My gut typically prefers warm foods over cold, so dinner is usually a protein with roasted or sauteed veggies and rice. I keep my meals simple so that I am not stressing over a complicated meal every night. I like to change up herbs and spices and switch out different veggies. If I start to get bored with what I’m eating, I’ll try a recipe from a favorite blogger.
Breath work is my go-to to wind down from the day, get in relaxation mode, and tell my nervous system that I am safe. Breath work helps strengthen the communication from my gut to my brain and vice versa. Over time, I’ve found it to be impactful to breathe with intention and bring my body and mind into a calm unison.
I like to practice simple but calming breath work techniques, such as 4-7-8 breathing, in which you inhale for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 7 seconds, and exhale for 8 seconds. I also often turn to box breathing, in which you inhale, hold, and exhale for the same amount of time, typically 4 to 5 seconds each.
Within a couple of rounds of breath work, I can feel my body relax and tension start to disappear. I call breath work my built-in, self-regulating tool. It’s always there for me.
A simple but cozy cup of peppermint, chamomile, or ginger tea is a regular part of my nighttime routine. The warmth of tea helps me feel relaxed so I can fall asleep with ease. Plus, many herbs are anti-inflammatory and soothing to the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Sipping on these herbal teas with honey might sound overly simplistic, but it’s my favorite part of the evening.
Being consistent with these routines has helped them become normal parts of my day that I don’t really need to think about. I know they make me feel good and keep IBD happy, so they’re a privilege more than a task I have to check off my list. I believe the morning and evening hours are powerful when you utilize that time to support your goals. I know my IBD is better for it!
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