1. Irritable Bowel Disease Slideshow
2. Ulcerative Colitis Slideshow Pictures
3. Take the Tummy Trouble Quiz

No known dietary or lifestyle change prevents the development of inflammatory bowel disease.

Dietary manipulation may help symptoms in persons with ulcerative colitis, and it actually may help reduce inflammation in Crohn's disease. However, there is no evidence that consuming or avoiding any particular food item causes or avoids flare-ups of IBD.

Smoking cessation is the only lifestyle change that may benefit persons with Crohn's disease. Smoking has been linked to increases in the number and severity of flare-ups of Crohn's disease. Smoking cessation occasionally is sufficient to make a person with refractory (not responding to treatment) Crohn's disease go into remission.

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