📱 Fathom is Now Live on the App Store
First, a big announcement:
We're officially live! Fathom is now available on the App Store to help IBD patients navigate daily life with personalized AI support, proactive insights, and comprehensive health tracking.
If you've been following along, you know this project started from personal experience. Living with Crohn's means managing symptoms, diet, stress, and medications every single day—but medical care only happens every few months. Fathom fills that gap.
What makes Fathom different:
Personalized AI companion that learns your unique patterns
Proactive insights before issues escalate
Full health profile tracking (symptoms, diet, meds, mood)
Built specifically for IBD, not generic health tracking
This is just the beginning. We're building the wellness platform IBD patients deserve—continuous support, personalized insights, and eventually, access to the products and resources you actually need. Tracking features are coming this month to help you spot patterns in your daily life.
If you know anyone in the IBD community who could benefit, please share this with them. And if you're willing to leave an App Store review, it makes a huge difference in helping us reach more patients who need this support.
🔬 What’s new
If you have a child with IBD who seems unusually selective about food, this might be more than typical picky eating. Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) is a real condition that can affect kids with digestive conditions, and recognizing the difference matters. Unlike normal food preferences, ARFID involves significant limitations that can impact nutrition and growth. This article helps parents and healthcare providers understand when to seek specialized support and how to ensure children get the nutrition they need while respecting their challenges with food.
Dr. Joshua B. Wechsler, a pediatric gastroenterologist, breaks down what families need to know about Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE) in children. If your child struggles with eating, gaining weight, or has trouble swallowing, this episode covers how to recognize EoE early, get an accurate diagnosis, and navigate treatment options. Dr. Wechsler also discusses practical strategies for helping kids manage EoE at school and in social situations—because childhood should still include birthday parties and sleepovers, even with digestive challenges.
Dr. Amitabh Chak, president of ASGE, shares exciting developments in gastroenterology innovation and what it means for the future of digestive health care. He discusses ASGE's upcoming Festival of Innovation and EndoScopic Technology (FIESTA) and how the organization is building infrastructure to support GI entrepreneurs. For anyone interested in where IBD care is headed—new technologies, better diagnostics, improved treatments—this conversation offers a glimpse into what's coming. Innovation in GI care means better options for all of us living with digestive conditions.
🌱 Living Well
Women with IBD face unique challenges—hormonal shifts, absorption issues, and the complex relationship between gut, muscle, and bone health. At the inaugural Cedars-Sinai IBD and Women's Health Conference, dietitian Neha Shah shared evidence-based strategies that go beyond generic nutrition advice. This comprehensive piece covers practical approaches including specific protein recommendations, fiber strategies that actually work, and calcium/vitamin D guidance tailored for different life stages. Whether you're managing menopause with IBD or trying to build strength while dealing with malabsorption, this article offers actionable insights.
Sean Lochran lives with IBD and an ileostomy—and he's a fitness coach. On the About IBD podcast, he shares practical advice for staying active even when IBD makes it challenging. Sean talks about the importance of personalization (what works for someone else might not work for you), hydration strategies, tracking your health data, and debunks common misconceptions about exercise with an ostomy. His approach is grounded in empathy and lived experience, not just fitness theory. If you've been wondering whether you can exercise with IBD or how to modify your routine on difficult days, this episode is for you.
Poor sleep and digestive problems create a vicious cycle, especially in children with GI conditions. This article explores how sleep quality directly impacts gut health—and vice versa. When kids with IBD don't sleep well, symptoms can worsen. But addressing sleep hygiene might actually improve overall digestive wellness. The piece provides practical strategies for parents to help their children establish healthy sleep patterns that support their gut health. Sometimes the answer to better symptom management isn't another medication—it's better sleep.
💭 Community Corner
Some days, just showing up is an act of courage. This moving piece from Girls With Guts acknowledges the invisible battles fought daily by people living with IBD—the mornings when getting out of bed feels impossible, the social events you push through despite symptoms, the work meetings you attend while managing pain. It honors the strength required to keep going when your body doesn't cooperate. This isn't the loud, dramatic bravery celebrated in movies. It's the quiet persistence of living your life despite chronic illness. If you've ever felt like you're not strong enough, this article reminds you that simply showing up, day after day, is one of the bravest things you can do.
Remember: Living well with IBD isn't about perfection. It's about finding what works for your body, honoring your limits, and celebrating the courage it takes to keep showing up.
This content is for general wellness information only and isn't medical advice. Always work with your healthcare team for treatment decisions.