Living With Ulcerative Colitis: What Helped After 15 Years | Chloe Melas

Chloe Melas, an NBC News correspondent living with ulcerative colitis for 15 years, was 25 when she first saw blood on the toilet paper. She thought it was a hemorrhoid and ignored it. It took a second gastroenterologist and a full colonoscopy to name it. If you are hiding ulcerative colitis symptoms behind a face that looks fine, this one is for you. I asked Chloe why nobody asked what she was eating, what fiber and sleep have changed for her, why she believes rest kept her in remission for years, and why she says blood in your stool means seeing a gastroenterologist. Key Insights: ✅ Your Stool Is Your Daily Report Card ✅ Get a Second Opinion if Dismissed ✅ Psyllium Husk May Ease Colitis Symptoms ✅ Poor Sleep and Stress Can Trigger Flares ✅ Repeated Antibiotics May Disrupt Your Microbiome ✅ Ask Your Doctor Before Adding Fiber Chapters: 00:00 - Modern Life, IBD and the Blood She Ignored 03:54 - How Proctitis Became Left-Sided Ulcerative Colitis 06:00 - Why Is Nobody Talking About IBD? 08:30 - Freedom Meats (Sponsor) 09:06 - Why Gut Symptoms Feel Too Shameful to Mention 12:03 - What Happened When She Went Public With IBD 14:05 - Ulcerative Colitis Flares, Fiber and Sleep 18:11 - Can Working Moms Put Their Health First? 23:00 - How Rest May Have Kept Her in Remission 25:16 - What to Know When Newly Diagnosed With IBD 29:15 - When to See a Gastroenterologist 31:19 - The Ancestral Practice She Would Bring Back 👤 More From Chloe Melas Pre-order The Girl’s Guide to Guts https://thegirlsguidetoguts.com Website: https://www.chloemelas.com Follow Chloe on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chloemelas/ Follow Chloe on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@chloemelas Follow Chloe on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChloeMelasMazza/ 👇 More From James Barry 👇 🎁 Try Pluck Superfood Seasonings Get 15% off your first order with code EA15 at http://www.eatpluck.com — real flavor, real nutrients, no junk. 🎁 Get your FREE Freedom Meats Guide I created this free guide to make it easy to eat how we’re meant to—nutrient-dense, energizing, and deeply satisfying. Get it, read it, and enjoy REAL FOOD the ancestral way! https://shop.eatpluck.com/pages/freedom-meats-guide Follow James on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chefjamesbarry Follow Pluck on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatpluck This episode is for general information only and is not medical advice. Nothing here is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any condition. Talk to your doctor before making changes to your care. #ulcerativecolitis #livingwithibd #invisibleillness #everydayancestral #jamesbarry #chloemelas