NBC News correspondent Chloe Melas joins me to share her experience living with ulcerative colitis for 15 years, a journey she kept private until releasing her new book, The Girl's Guide to Guts, co-written with Judy Batalion. We talk about the differences between IBD and IBS, what blood in the stool might mean, and why one study found that women waited more than twice as long as men to get a diagnosis. Chloe explains her flare plan, how she manages fiber with apples and psyllium, and what it was like to go over ten years without a normal bowel movement. We also discuss colon cancer in adults under 50, celiac disease, diverticulitis, colonoscopy prep, and traveling when your gut is unpredictable. I also explain how essential amino acids help feed the cells that produce the gut's protective mucus. If you’re dealing with bloating, urgency, or bleeding, this conversation can help you recognize when it’s time to call a GI doctor.
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Chapters:
00:47 - Meet Chloe Melas and The Girl's Guide to Guts
03:36 - IBD vs IBS: ulcerative colitis, Crohn's and how they differ
05:30 - Blood, tenesmus and a decade of laxatives
07:30 - What a normal stool looks like
08:31 - Colon cancer in adults under 50
10:00 - Why Chloe decided to share her story
13:04 - IBS symptoms, elimination diets and when to see a GI
16:37 - Colonoscopies, medication and finding the right doctor
19:18 - Shame, silence and women's health
20:52 - Why women wait longer for a diagnosis
22:00 - Chloe's flare plan: sleep, protein and less alcohol
23:40 - Fiber: how much you need and the apple math
28:53 - Psyllium, inulin, guar gum and other fibers
33:13 - What may trigger IBD: antibiotics, environment and genetics
35:58 - Menstrual cycles and other causes behind IBS-like symptoms
37:39 - Celiac disease and why you cannot self-diagnose
41:19 - Celiac in children and early screening
43:28 - Diverticulitis
44:22 - Gut habits to start in your 20s
45:38 - Essential amino acids, threonine and mucin
46:37 - Sleep, hydration and at-home stool tests
49:09 - Raising kids with strong guts
53:17 - Colonoscopy prep that works
55:09 - The white pants story
58:33 - Travel strategies for a sensitive gut
1:00:58 - Judy Batalion and the J pouch
1:03:00 - How ulcerative colitis was once called psychosomatic
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Disclaimers: This episode includes paid sponsorships.
The Dr. Gabrielle Lyon Podcast and YouTube are for general information purposes only and do not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, or other professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice, and no doctor/patient relationship is formed. The use of information on this podcast, YouTube, or materials linked from this podcast or YouTube is at the user's own risk. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their health care professional for any such conditions.