*the podcast will be changing to every other week during the COVID-19 outbreak due to my interviewees busy schedules*

Simone Withecomb is a clinical research coordinator in GI currently working on the IMAGINE study – which is looking at the interactions between the inflammation, microbiome, diet and mental health in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Through her personal struggles with IBS, she became passionate about how she could help patients who are diagnosed with gut disorders.

Simone and I talk about:

  • Hear her story about her IBS journey, and how she joined the IMAGINE study (Inflammation, Microbiome, and Alimentation: Gastro-Intestinal and Neuropsychiatric Effects)
  • How she uses story telling & sharing supports patients with digestive disorders
  • What the IMAGINE study is
  • Why this research is important to discover all the different factors that influence IBS & IBD symptoms and quality of life
  • How patients are getting involved in the IMAGINE study
  • How their study is looking at diet, probiotics & treatment options for IBS & IBD
  • The microbiota-gut-brain axis – the link between depression & the gut microbiota
  • Mental health and the gut microbiota – how fibre plays a role

Do you have IBS or IBD and live in Canada?

You can participate in the IMAGINE study! Get involved in the IMAGINE study at – imaginespor.com – there’s over 20 sites across Canada!

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