MEALTIME IS ONE OF LIFE’S JOYS. Your body needs fuel, that fuel is food, and nature ensures we get enough by making eating a multi-sensory pleasure. But food does us less good if the digestive tract can’t function properly.
Even the heartiest people find it difficult to go about their day when their stomach or intestines are rebelling. All manner of ills can afflict the gut—including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), an umbrella term for ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.
In this issue of TIME Health, we explore how to deal with one of IBD’s related conditions: fatigue. One study found that as many as 80% of IBD patients report experiencing fatigue when the disease is active, and 60% feel worn out even when they are in remission. So how do you cope?
For one thing, talk to friends, family, or other people with IBD about the emotional impact the disease can have. When your mind is at peace, physical fatigue can fade. Consider too experimenting with gentle movement, such as weight training or walking, which can have an energizing impact. Talk to your doctor about any of your medications—including those pre-scribed for IBD—that may carry a risk of fatigue. And talk to a nutritionist about making sure your diet includes plenty of iron, vitamin D, and zinc, as well as protein. Deficiencies in all of these can contribute to fatigue.
Also in this issue, we look at a problem that affects everyone—but especially people with IBD: the lack of clean, available public toilets. In the U.S., there are only eight public toilets per 100,000 people—an appallingly low number. Many corrective measures are being considered, including legislation that would require businesses to allow even non-customers to use their restroom facilities—especially people with conditions like IBD.
What you learn in these pages you can discuss with your doctor—and take with you when you leave
As in every issue of TIME Health, we dispense advice that can help you live a happier, healthier life. Want to know how to scale back on using social media? We provide five tips. If you find it hard to exercise, we look at how your brain is holding you back, and what you can do to push through.
We also explore developments across the landscape of health. New research finds that getting more education can actually help you live longer. And it turns out that Viagra may help lower the risk for Alzheimer’s disease.
TIME HEALTH IS delivered directly to the place you’re likeliest to be when health is foremost on your mind: your doctor’s waiting room. What you learn in these pages you can discuss with your doctor—and take with you when you leave. The stories you find in TIME Health are just a sampling of the health reporting you’ll find in TIME magazine and on TIME.com.
Our journalists have been covering science and medicine for 100 years. Good health is one of the most important aspects to living a full life, and we appreciate your time and trust in allowing us to help you reach that goal.