Do you struggle to find a diet plan that suits your nutritional needs without triggering your symptoms of IBD? Are you looking to find out about a diet that may be beneficial for people with Crohn’s and colitis? Watch our Mediterranean Diet for Crohn's and Colitis webinar recording to hear about which foods are included and excluded in this diet and its anti-inflammatory benefits for people with Crohn’s and colitis. Our IBD experts will also discuss the latest scientific evidence on the Mediterranean diet and the impact of diet on the gut microbiome in IBD, including research that was funded by Crohn’s and Colitis Canada.
Dr. Deanna Gibson is a Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of British Columbia on the Okanagan campus. She studies the impact of environmental triggers, like diet, on the gut microbiome and how this influences immunometabolism and the gut-brain axis in IBD. Dr. Gibson was the 2017 recipient of the Crohn’s and Colitis Canada grant program examining how the Mediterranean diet pattern alters the gut microbiome, inflammation and disease symptoms in ulcerative colitis. She has created novel genetically modified microbial medicines and examining how they reduce colitis moving towards the commercialization pathway for novel drugs designed for IBD. She is the co-chair for the CCC Scientific and Medical Advisory Committee and sits of the board of directors for CCC. Dr. Natasha Haskey is a registered dietitian and a clinician-researcher whose work focuses on nutrition for IBD and the links between diet, inflammation and the gut microbiome. She completed her PhD in June 2022, under the supervision of Dr. Gibson. Dr. Haskey is continuing her research journey, working with Dr. Maitreyi Raman at the University of Calgary as a Post-doctoral fellow studying how intermittent fasting influences Crohn's disease. She has also been accepted into the TRIANGLE program which is a national training program aimed at transforming research and patient care in gastroenterology and liver, supported by Crohn’s and Colitis Canada. Jennifer Bennett is from Newfoundland, Canada, and has volunteered with Crohn’s and Colitis Canada for the past 17 years. She was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at 23, shortly after completing her Bachelor of Education. As a person living with IBD, she has undergone many treatments and surgeries in hopes of managing her disease. Despite all challenges, she has completed a Master’s in Counselling Psychology at Memorial University and became a Canadian Certified Counsellor. Her passion for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and the gut-brain connection grew during her 17 years of experience working with children, adolescents, and adults.