Meir, a 24-year-old newlywed, began experiencing digestive issues out of the blue just six months after his wedding. At first, he chalked it up to stress. But as his loose stools and constant bathroom trips worsened, they began to interfere with his daily life — eventually landing him in a GI doctor’s office.

A colonoscopy confirmed mild ulcerative colitis. His doctor prescribed mesalamine, a common medication to reduce colitis-related inflammation. Yet three months later, Meir’s symptoms persisted. That’s when he came to see me, searching for a more root-cause approach to his gut health.

Initial Assessment: Diet, Lifestyle, and Labs

Diet: Meir followed a classic Standard American Diet (SAD) — high in processed foods, meat, dairy, and sugary snacks. Pastries and coffee-room junk food were staples. Though his GI doctor dismissed any link between diet and ulcerative colitis, Meir trusted his gut that food mattered. His symptoms had already forced him to eat less, leading to an unintentional 20-pound weight loss.

Lifestyle: Meir described himself as high-strung. Stress clearly worsened his flares, yet his condition itself caused stress — a frustrating cycle he couldn’t break.

Lab Work:

• Fecal calprotectin and CRP (inflammation markers): High
• Vitamin D: Low

Other Findings: A long history of antibiotic use (due to recurrent strep infections as a child/teen), which likely impacted his gut microbiome.

Motivation: Meir wanted to feel better, prevent disease progression, and avoid stronger medications. He was ready to make major nutrition changes.

The Functional Nutrition Plan for Ulcerative Colitis

Because Meir still had active bleeding and loose stools, we started with a modified elimination approach. For the first 4–6 weeks:

• Restricted raw, unblended fruits/veggies, whole nuts, and seeds (to allow the gut to heal).
• Focused on incorporating anti-inflammatory, gut-healing foods even within those restrictions.

Key Diet Changes

• Protein: Limited animal fats from red meat and dark chicken to twice weekly. Prioritized white chicken, fish, and beans.
• Anti-inflammatory foods: Daily turmeric-carrot-ginger juice; breakfast smoothie with pomegranate juice, chia seeds, kale, avocado, strawberries, and cherries. Used greens powders when needed.
• Cooking: Olive oil and avocado oil only. All processed oils eliminated.
• Herbs & spices: His wife incorporated turmeric, garlic, and fresh herbs into meals.
• Dairy: Allowed only A1-protein–free yogurt/cheese (linked to less gut inflammation).
• Grains: Chose organic wheat, oats, and corn when possible to reduce glyphosate exposure, which may worsen IBD.
• Healing foods: Bone broth, soups, and fermented foods to support gut lining repair and microbiome balance.

Supplements

• Curcumin
• High-dose probiotics
• L-glutamine
• Vitamin D

Sample Daily Ulcerative Colitis Meal Plan

Breakfast

• Oatmeal with almond milk + honey
• Smoothie (as above)
• Oatmeal-almond flour muffin with eggs

Snacks

• Oatmeal-flax-peanut butter energy balls
• Almond butter on rice cakes
• A1-free yogurt
• Stewed fruit compote (anti-inflammatory)

Lunch

• Whole grain bread with nut butter or eggs
• Lentil pasta with sauce + A1-free cheese
• Leftover fish with quinoa or sweet potato
• Bean or split pea soup with almond flour crackers
• Cooked veggies/soups until raw produce could be tolerated again

Dinner

• White chicken or fish with quinoa, potato, sweet potato, squash, or corn
• Bean chili with rice + cooked vegetables
• Meatballs (½ beef, ½ chicken) with whole wheat or lentil pasta
• Homemade pizza with organic flour
• Lentil/bean-based soups

Results: Achieving Remission Naturally

• 6 weeks: Completely symptom-free
• 2 months: Reintroduced raw produce and whole nuts successfully, tapered supplements
• 3 months: Bloodwork and stool tests showed normal inflammation markers; began weaning off mesalamine
• 6 months: Liberalized diet to allow occasional treats (≈5% of the time)
• 1 year: In full remission, energetic, and thriving with a sustainable anti-inflammatory lifestyle

Lessons from Meir’s Case

Removing dietary triggers that drive inflammation and replacing them with gut-healing, plant-based foods often produces dramatic improvement in ulcerative colitis. In Meir’s case, markers normalized quickly, symptoms resolved, and medication was no longer necessary.

Based on both evidence and my experience, I’ve found that most people with ulcerative colitis or IBD can expect at least significant improvement — and often full remission — through a functional nutrition approach.

Healing the gut is not just about what you take out of your diet. It’s equally about what you put in.