In this Gutsy Learning Series seminar, Dr. Yasmin Nasser explored the gut-brain connection and how inflammation influences pain perception in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The session covered a range of pain management strategies, including medications, medical cannabis, psychological approaches, and dietary interventions. Speakers also discussed the importance of social support and lifestyle modifications in coping with chronic pain. Watch the recording to gain valuable insights and practical tips for improving your quality of life.
Expert speaker
Dr. Yasmin Nasser (MD, PhD, FRCPC)
University of Calgary
Dr. Yasmin Nasser is a gastroenterologist, clinician-scientist, and Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine. She specializes in gastrointestinal motility and pain mechanisms in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). After earning her MD/PhD in 2008, she completed her medical residency at the University of British Columbia and a gastroenterology fellowship at the University of Calgary. She further trained in Clinical GI Motility and conducted postdoctoral research on pain mechanisms in IBD at Queen’s Universit.
Dr. Nasser has received several prestigious awards, including the CAG/CIHR/CCC Fellowship and the John Alexander Stewart Fellowship. She co-leads the High-Risk IBD Clinic, where she treats patients with diarrhea and abdominal pain. Her research focuses on the role of the microbiome in chronic pain in IBD.
Speaker with lived experience
Alya Azar
Alya was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis 16 years ago at the age of 32. She has been a mentor at Crohn’s and Colitis Canada since 2020 and has supported people who have been diagnosed with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. She enjoys supporting people with IBD to the extent that she turned it into my career and became certified as a health coach in 2017. Her office is based in Montreal and her business is called Alya Wellness.