When I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis, I was overwhelmed about the amount of information on the internet about what I should and shouldn’t do.

Even with a background in medicine, navigating the contradictory information available to just figure out how to best take care of myself felt impossible and overwhelming. The one common trend the internet kept telling me was: diet matters. I came across Romanwell's website while looking for nutritional resources for Ulcerative Colitis and could not be more thankful that I did.

Everything from the design of their program to the pre-created educational content was incredibly helpful. At the beginning of the program, my dietitian conducted a holistic review, including everything from previous lab work, medications and supplements, sleep and stress habits, and reviews them in detail. She caught low vitamin levels my doctor had not addressed and was able to help me navigate the sea of supplement options to find brands without inflammatory ingredients.

During our weekly meetings, she also helped me set specific and obtainable goals that I continued to work through the whole session. Together we worked on addressing my comfort navigating a menu, how to eat better while at work, and how to make small adjustments to my regular cooking to make healthier decisions.

This doesn’t sound like much but when you add in the crazy lifestyle that comes with being a surgical resident, she handled my circumstances with incredible thoughtfulness. She continued to find creative, practical suggestions that could fit without an unreasonable amount of effort into my life.

She went above and beyond to help me reach these goals throughout the process- she often made personalized videos reviewing the menus of restaurants I was going to and would break down ingredients and general rules to go by based on the genre.

She was always accessible through a chat feature to answer questions throughout the process or help navigate new changes in my symptoms. She taught me enough knowledge that it wasn’t just following her “this is good, this is bad dogma” but that she gave me the information to apply to future situations and continue to make good decisions independently.

She does a great job holding you accountable during your meetings each week by reviewing both smaller weekly and progress towards larger program goals. My dietitian also did an excellent job of tailoring the knowledge to meet me where I was at. She has also taken the time to create a large vault of basic information/videos that was incredibly helpful to work my way through on my own for my benefit.

I think the other thing my dietitian excelled at through the program is the support she provides. You could tell she really cares and that this is not just a job to her. She would often go out of her way to help work around my chaotic schedule because she wanted me to succeed, not just meet the checkboxes of our business agreement.

From my experience I feel so much more prepared for the life ahead with this disease and the things I can do to help myself. I am so thankful for the knowledge, skills, and comfort she provided me during such a scary time of adjustment in my life that I really don’t know where I would be had I not done this program. I cannot speak highly enough about my experience with Romanwell and, if you’re in a place of uncertainty about how to help yourself when it comes to the complex world of diet and disease, I have zero reservation about recommending them. When you sign up for their program, you are making a long-term investment in yourself and will continue to benefit long after your sessions end!