Living with ulcerative colitis (UC) can make working, maintaining relationships and juggling family responsibilities difficult. A global survey of 1,254 gastroenterologists and 2,100 adults with a self-reported history of UC revealed both men and women experienced the impact of UC on day-to day life, including emotional wellbeing.1

Now, with the added challenges of navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on emotional wellbeing is more important than ever.

Laurie Keefer, PhD, who is a psychologist with Mount Sinai Hospital’s IBD Center in New York City who specializes in the psychosocial care of patients with chronic digestive diseases, most notably Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis (UC). Allyson, who has a history of UC, to discuss the emotional impact of UC and share tips for those living with UC on how to have more effective conversations with their healthcare team. Both Dr. Keefer and Allyson have been compensated by Pfizer to appear in this interview today.

Before we start, it is important to note that results from the UC Narrative are not representative of all UC patients, and only reflect responses of those who took the survey. For more information about the survey limitations and methodology, visit talkinguc.com.

BIO: Dr Laurie Keefer is an academic health psychologist and the Director for Psychobehavioral Research within the Division of Gastroenterology. She specializes in the psychosocial care of patients with chronic digestive diseases, specifically inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis. Dr. Keefer came to Mount Sinai in January 2016 from Chicago, IL to lead a subspecialty medical home for inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD).

The Mount Sinai IBD medical home, known as GRITT-IBD(TM) focuses on gaining resilience through transitions as they occur across the lifespan of patients living with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Dr Keefer’s clinical and research interests are in the area of IBD disease self-management, gut-directed hypnotherapy, resilience, the psychosocial care needs of emerging adults with chronic disease and cognitive-behavior therapy. She is a sought after speaker and mentor. She chairs the Division of Psychogastroenterology within the Rome Foundation and is on the Council of the American Neurogastroenterology and Motility Society.

BIO

My name is Allyson and I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis (UC) in 2007 at the age of 29. In hindsight I am certain I had symptoms that went undiagnosed for years, if not back to childhood. My diagnosis and progression of my UC was quite rapid and debilitating, resulting in being bed ridden and hospitalized within less than a month. After 3 years of hospitalizations and a very poor quality of life, I made an emergent decision to have a 3-stage total colectomy. This process had profound impacts of my physical and emotional wellbeing, as well as self-image due to body changes, and I feel strongly about advocating for patients with UC. I feel I often went without a voice until I was able to learn to speak up for myself as I learned more about my UC. As there is no cure, I continue to manage my daily life in often challenging, or what would appear impossible situations to those without UC. I am resilient and strong in a way that I only learned through my UC journey. I live a fulfilling life that may require adjustments, and I am grateful for the opportunities to advocate.

Interview courtesy: Pfizer

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A New Study Reveals How to Fill a Vital Gap In Infant Gut Health
New research is showing that a specific probiotic bacteria is key to restoring a baby’s gut to its protective, natural state and providing a foundation for life-long optimal health.
When babies are born they begin to acquire a collection of bacteria called the microbiome –trillions of microorganisms that co-exist in our bodies and live all over us, on our skin, nose, mouth, eyes and gastrointestinal tract, or gut. Research shows that the infant gut microbiome plays a critical role in healthy immune and metabolic development, as well as meeting babies’ dietary needs.
The bacteria in a baby’s microbiome are passed down from their mom at birth. For generations, one strain called B. infantis dominated the infant gut. However, modern medical practices such as increased antibiotic use and C-sections have led to a microbial imbalance in the infant gut and a loss of this key bacteria. This imbalance has been associated with a range of chronic health issues including allergies, asthma, obesity, type 1 diabetes and a host of immunological disorders.
Now, recently published data shows for the first time that supplementation with activated B. infantis can completely transform the gut environment in babies that are fed breast milk. Along with restoring a healthy gut microbiome, the study results show that the supplementation significantly reduced levels of potentially harmful bacteria linked to disease in infants born either through natural or C-section delivery.
Mark Underwood, M.D., Chief Pediatric Neonatologist at UC Davis discussed the study results and explain how the activated form of this beneficial bacteria can be helpful for babies and about other ways to encourage the health of infants.

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