What are the symptoms of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis? Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis have similar symptoms such as chronic diarrhea, abdominal pain, blood in the stool, fever, and weight loss. Both diseases can be associated with extra-intestinal manifestations such as rash, mouth ulcers, joint pain and swelling, and even liver damage can occur. Can inflammatory bowel disease be inherited? Inflammatory bowel disease runs in families. According to research data, about 15-20% of people with inflammatory bowel disease have other people with inflammatory bowel disease in their close relatives. However, it is not certain that inflammatory bowel disease has a definite family heritability. What are the causes of inflammatory bowel disease? The cause of inflammatory bowel disease is still unclear, but hereditary qualities that lead to an unregulated intestinal immune response to external environmental, dietary, and infectious factors may be related to the cause of the disease. Inflammatory bowel disease is not contagious. Can I participate in sports? Yes. Young patients should exercise as much as possible when the disease is well controlled. However, some intense and strenuous exercises may lead to fatigue, increased abdominal pain, arthritis, etc. These exercises should be appropriately limited. On the other hand, long-term hormone therapy can lead to osteoporosis, which can easily lead to fractures in some contact sports (soccer, wrestling), and these sports should be controlled appropriately. Can patients with inflammatory bowel disease live a normal life? Although Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are more serious chronic diseases, they are generally not life-threatening. Although many patients require long-term medication or even occasional hospitalization, the vast majority of people with inflammatory bowel disease can lead normal lives. There is no cure for inflammatory bowel disease, although to date there is no way to cure it. By following some of our recommendations, patients with inflammatory bowel disease can improve their quality of life and can live a normal life. Dietary recommendations When the disease is active, eating often leads to abdominal discomfort. The following are some ways to reduce these symptoms: 1. Eat less and more meals Eat every 3-4 hours, about 5 meals a day, each time the amount can be a little less than the usual 3 meals a day. 2.Reduce the intake of fatty and fried foods If you are lactose intolerant, you should reduce the intake of milk and dairy products. 3.Limit the intake of high-fiber foods, such as nuts, corn, and some vegetables. High-fiber foods promote intestinal peristalsis, which can lead to diarrhea if not completely digested in the small intestine. Therefore, it is generally recommended to low-fiber, less slag diet as appropriate. 4, the diet should supply sufficient amount of calories and high-quality protein, inorganic salts, vitamins, avoid stimulating food (such as chili, wine, cold drinks, etc.). 5, IBD patients are mostly deficient in folic acid, vitamin A, B6, D, K, calcium, iron and other nutrients, should eat food rich in the above nutrients.