6 Ways to Treat Your Body Better if You Have Ulcerative Colitis
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6 Ways to Be Kinder to Your Body if You Have Ulcerative Colitis

6 Ways to Be Kinder to Your Body if You Have Ulcerative Colitis
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Updated on January 30, 2026
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Everyone struggles to love their body at some time or another. But, for some people with ulcerative colitis (UC) — including those who may be dealing with bloating, skin rashes, or weight fluctuations — accepting their bodies as they are can be especially difficult.

Feeling dissatisfied with your body is fairly common among people who have an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) such as UC or Crohn’s disease, especially women and younger adults, according to research.

The symptoms of the disease can be to blame. Not only can UC cause bowel urgency, abdominal pain, and diarrhea, but it can also cause both rapid weight loss and weight gain, which are two things that can leave people “feeling sick and looking sick,” says Florence-Damilola Odufalu, MD, a gastroenterologist at Keck Medicine of the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.

What’s more, a poor body image isn’t harmless. Research has also found that dissatisfaction with one’s body is also linked to an increased likelihood of depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts.

When you have UC, it’s important to cultivate a healthy relationship with your body. Here are a few suggestions that may help you feel more comfortable in your own skin.

1. Shore Up Your Nutrition

For some people, UC can cause rapid weight changes. During a flare, you might lose weight due to an inability to meet your body’s increased calorie needs, but if you’re taking steroids, you may gain weight. If these changes are concerning, you may want to meet with a dietitian. They can work with you to develop a plan to help you maintain a healthy weight to the best of your ability.

Sowmya Sharma, MD, a gastroenterologist and assistant professor of medicine at the Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut, says she conducts nutrition screenings with her patients, which includes discussing any weight changes in the past six months.

If you’re under your desired weight, you may want to supplement your diet with a nutritional shake that contains extra calories, fat, and protein, says Dr. Sharma. Experts recommend gaining weight slowly by consuming an extra 300 to 500 nutrient-dense calories per day by eating calorie-dense whole foods or consuming meal replacement drinks recommended by your healthcare team. Formulating a plan to lose weight can be more nuanced, she says, and depends on your specific needs.

2. Increase Your Physical Activity — but Go Easy

It’s not always easy to be physically active with UC, especially if you find yourself needing the bathroom fairly often. But even low-intensity exercise, done consistently — like taking walks in your neighborhood or in public places like a park or the mall, where you’ll have access to a restroom — can benefit both your body and your mind. In fact, one study found that taking 30-minute walks three times a week improved quality of life in people with IBD.

But make sure you’re engaging in physical activity for the right reasons: Research has connected working out to lose weight or improve one’s appearance with worsened mental health and negative exercise experiences. Instead, focus on moving in a way that feels good, to connect more directly with your body.

Regular physical activity is generally connected with increased self-confidence and improved mood. What’s important is that you’re physically active in a way that feels sustainable. That alone will go a long way toward keeping you healthy and happy.

3. Seek Counseling or Therapy

“I recommend that most of my patients see a therapist, not only for their current illness, but for their overall well-being,” says Dr. Odufalu. In therapy, you can learn ways to cope with stress, which can be extremely beneficial for people with UC whose condition is triggered by stress.

You can also talk with a counselor or therapist about any body image issues you have and the reasons you may feel that way. If you want to consider using medication to help treat conditions like depression or an anxiety disorder, they can also refer you to a psychiatrist.

“A lot of times, people will start taking medication for anxiety or depression and notice that they have a healthier relationship with food and improvement in body image issues,” says Sharma. “Many people with UC experience less worry about how to eat and how to live a normal life, despite this diagnosis.”

4. Learn More About UC Treatments

The more you learn about UC, including how to treat it, the more control you may feel you have over the disease, says Odufalu. This can go a long way in reducing your stress levels. The good news is that there are many ways to treat UC, including medications and surgery, if necessary.

Research supports this idea. One study with 31 people with IBD found that education on IBD helped lessen psychological distress while increasing the ability to self-manage and cope with the condition.

 Another study including 40 people with IBD found that combining empowerment education — which informs and also encourages self-management of a condition — with mindfulness meditation led not only to increased knowledge of IBD but to an enhanced ability to regulate emotions, a reduction in negative emotions, and improved quality of life.

“I always encourage patients to get more knowledge about their disease and treatment, so that they feel comfortable with their treatment plan,” says Odufalu. This may help you focus less on the negative impact of UC on your body and more on the steps you and your doctor can take to help you regain some measure of control.

5. Be Thoughtful About Social Media

Social media can be a blessing or a curse — it all depends on how you use it. If you find yourself stressed after scrolling through Instagram, comparing yourself to all the other people you see, consider taking a social media “vacation.”

Research suggests that self-esteem and body image are both negatively impacted by social media, in part due to making such comparisons, and that taking a weeklong break leads to better mental health, generally speaking. One small study found that young women who took a seven-day break saw positive effects on both self-esteem and body image.

If, on the other hand, you use social media to connect with others, you may not want to log out just yet. “Social media, in general, creates more anxiety for some people, but I think it can be a really good tool to connect people who are going through similar issues,” says Odufalu. “And it can connect people to reliable patient resources. So, I don’t think people should shy away from it, unless it’s giving them anxiety.”

Research backs up this idea, too. The authors of one paper noted that social media can provide emotional support, networking opportunities, and information that can encourage empowerment and psychological well-being in people with IBD.

6. Keep an Eye on the Future

If you’re feeling down about your body, try to remember that this, too, will pass, says Odufalu.

She has found that body image problems often improve once a person with UC experiences lasting remission. “People are feeling well, and they’re able to be active and eat foods that they like and that they can tolerate,” she says.

What you shouldn’t do is ignore your feelings; not everyone’s body image issues will get better, even with long-term remission. Talk to your therapist or your doctor about any body image problems you may be having so you can take the necessary steps to address and improve them. Don’t wait for them to bring it up, Odufalu says. Body image issues may not be visible, but that doesn’t mean they’re not important.

The Takeaway

  • Body image dissatisfaction is common in people with ulcerative colitis (UC). It can affect people greatly, but there are ways to manage it and come to a place of acceptance.
  • Maintaining a healthy diet, moving your body, and seeking therapy can all help ease issues with body image, according to expert advice and research.
  • Educating yourself about UC to better manage your condition and using social media wisely can also help you cope with negative feelings about your body.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
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Ira Daniel Breite, MD

Medical Reviewer
Castle Connolly Top Doctor

Ira Daniel Breite, MD, is a board-certified internist and gastroenterologist. He is an associate professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, where he also sees patients and helps run an ambulatory surgery center.

Dr. Breite divides his time between technical procedures, reading about new topics, and helping patients with some of their most intimate problems. He finds the deepest fulfillment in the long-term relationships he develops and is thrilled when a patient with irritable bowel syndrome or inflammatory bowel disease improves on the regimen he worked with them to create.

Breite went to Albert Einstein College of Medicine for medical school, followed by a residency at NYU and Bellevue Hospital and a gastroenterology fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Working in city hospitals helped him become resourceful and taught him how to interact with people from different backgrounds.

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A freelance health writer and editor based in Wisconsin, Quinn Phillips has a degree in government from Harvard University. He writes on a variety of topics, but is especially interested in the intersection of health and public policy. Phillips has written for various publications and websites, such as Diabetes Self-Management, Practical Diabetology, and Gluten-Free Living, among others.

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