The 2009 Get Your Guts in Gear charity bicycle rides for IBD have been announced. There are 3 rides this year to choose from: New York, Seattle, and Illinois/Wisconsin. These 2 day rides are open to patients, caregivers, friends, or anyone else who is interested in this supportive community.

More information is available here: http://www.ibdride.org/

Researchers at the Center for Psychosocial Research in IBD have found that social attitudes may impact IBD patient outcomes. The study was recently published in the journal Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, and found that over 80% of study participants with IBD reported experiencing some social stigma about having IBD. Stigma has been found to affect many different groups, including people with chronic illnesses such as HIV, psoriasis, epilepsy, and mental illness. This study is the first of its kind in examining the role that stigma may play in the quality of life of people with IBD. The next phase of this research is underway to better understand IBD stigma.

The article may be found here (login account required):
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/jour ... 1/abstract

Researchers report in the April issue of the journal Inflammatory Bowel Disease that binge drinking was reported more often among the research participants with IBD (26%) than the group of healthy control participants (15%). While these results are not conclusive, the researchers suggest that binge drinking may be a trigger for IBD.

The Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America has a live teleconference scheduled for Tuesday, May 6 from 8 to 9:45 pm (EST) on the topic titled, "Crohn's & Colitis Treatments: What's New and What's on the Way"

The segment features Dr. Ed Loftus, Jr., from Mayo Clinic.

See www.CCFA.org for more information...

People with Crohn's Disease may benefit from light exercise if their symptoms are mild or they are in remission, according to a new study from the University of Western Ontario. A study by Victor Ng evaluated 32 adults with Crohn's Disease for 3 months. All participants were either in remission or experiencing only mild symptoms. During the study, half of the participants walked for 30 minutes 3 days per week. The other half maintained their usual lifestyle. At the beginning and end of the study, everyone completed questionnaires about their symptoms, general well-being, and quality of life.

The findings of the study showed that participants who exercised reported improved symptoms and gave higher ratings for quality of life - compared to those in the "life as usual" or non-exercise group, who reported worsening of symptoms.

"Exercise benefits almost everyone and chronic disease patients are no exception," study co-author Dr. Wanda Millard told Reuters Health. However, Millard cautioned that this and other studies of exercise and Crohn's Disease have included only patients in remission or with mild symptoms."

If you would like more information, discuss the benefits of mild exercise with your gastroenterologist. As always, always check with your doctor beginning any exercise program.