nice to meet you!
MEET YOUR CROHN’S AND ULCERATIVE COLITIS DIETITIAN
I’M STACEY COLLINS, MA, RDN/LD
BEFORE I WAS EVER A CROHN’S & ULCERATIVE COLITIS DIETITIAN, I WAS A PATIENT FIRST.
DIAGNOSED WITH MODERATE-TO-SEVERE ULCERATIVE COLITIS IN 2012, I NEVER RECEIVED AN ANSWER TO THE QUESTION, “SO WHAT CAN I EAT?”
This left me feeling like my concerns didn’t matter, but hindsight really is 20/20, and I now understand that this happened for a couple of reasons:
1. LACK OF RESEARCH. Nutrition-focused research in Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis was only JUST starting to make waves, so there was no solid scientific guidance for patients.
2. ACCESSIBILITY. Where were the dietitians who knew anything at all about IBD beyond a faulty print-out? Who could doctors trust to provide highly-specific nutrition care for their patients? Could patients even afford nutrition services if they did exist?
These 2 deficits fueled me to take notes during every doctor’s visit; every infusion, and every surgical consult since 2012:
How can I help make nutrition research for IBD practical for real life?
What can I do to make nutrition counseling more collaborative and accessible for people with IBD?
AND THAT’S WHY I’M HERE!
Being a patient means that I speak the same first language as other patients, but we are all unique, and no person’s IBD nutrition or medication regimen looks identical to the next. This means you can expect me to understand and help move you into a place of action safely.
I know firsthand how malnutrition and anemias feel in my body...So let’s monitor your nutrition-related labs before anemia starts interfering with your quality of life, shall we?
I know how it feels to leave surgery, lost in a new body with little support, unsure of what to eat safely…So I will help you transition confidently into eating again with your new-found anatomy.
I know what it’s like to feel really good with ulcerative colitis, run multiple half-marathons, work full-time, and to still have no idea where to begin when it comes to nutrition…So I help you find an eating pattern that works best for you and your lifestyle.
I KNOW WHAT IT’S LIKE TO FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS OF A BROKEN HEALTHCARE SYSTEM, SO HERE’S A SAFE PLACE TO LAND, WHEREVER YOU ARE ON YOUR JOURNEY WITH CROHN’S OR ULCERATIVE COLITIS, YOU’RE WELCOME HERE!
MY VALUES
ACCESSIBILITY. People with IBD deserve access to quality nutrition knowledge, tools, and strategies to make nourishing food choices that support their overall health, wellbeing, and quality of life.
INDIVIDUALITY. Every body is unique and requires an individualized approach. I celebrate those differences by analyzing each patient’s unique nutrition-related labs, offering data-driven solutions, and tailoring each nutrition conversation to account for each person's needs, preferences, and cultural celebration.
CURIOSITY. I acknowledge the reality of a GI disease and that celebration surrounding the experience of eating cannot occur without curiosity first, which is why I encourage an exploratory approach toward food.
RESILIENCE. I stand by my patients throughout their IBD journey, offering nutrition-related support, reassurance, and applicable tools to navigate the complexities of IBD within our broken healthcare system.
COMPASSION. I empathize deeply with my patients and their unique health challenges. My approach is rooted in kindness, understanding, and non-judgement, creating a safe, nurturing environment for their wellness journey.
CREDENTIALS AND MORE
MA, RDN/LD - REGISTERED DIETITIAN NUTRITIONIST / LICENSED DIETITIAN
EDUCATION
Inaugural Cedars-Sinai IBD Nutrition RD Apprentice,
Los Angeles, CA, 2024
Cedars-Sinai Advanced Dietary IBD Education and Training (DIET) multidisciplinary program, 2024
The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center: M.A., Dietetics, with focused additional coursework in gastroenterology nutrition, 2020
The University of Texas at Austin: B.A., Sociology, 2013
LEADERSHIP
Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation: Volunteer: Team Challenge, Spin4, Day on The Hill, Crohn’s & Colitis Congress; National Scientific Advisory Committee Member, 2021-2024
Vice-Chair: Dietitians in Gluten and Gastrointestinal Disorders, The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
* Views are my own and are no way reflective or representative of the aforementioned organizations.
AUTHORSHIP AND CONTRIBUTIONS
Collins S, DIGID Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Workgroup. Iron in GI conditions. Patient.Gastro.org. ©2024. Accessed November 22, 2024. https://patient.gastro.org/iron-in-gi-conditions/
Collins S, Castelan VC, Wernick R, et al. Effects of nutrition status and perioperative nutrition supplement completion on postoperative outcomes in patients with inflammatory bowel disease undergoing surgery. “Gastroenterology”. 2024;166(3). doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2023.11.081
Collins S. Surgery and Nutrition. Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation. 2024. Accessed May 2, 2024. https://www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org/patientsandcaregivers/diet-and-nutrition/surgery-and-nutrition.
favorite things…
A FEW OF MY
