If you have Crohn’s disease, your gastroenterologist may recommend treatment with biologic medications. These medicines are made from proteins or other living components and target specific parts of your immune system.

Their goal is to lower inflammation in the gut, control flares, and help keep the disease in remission.

The following tips can help you get the most out of your biologic treatment for Crohn’s disease.

If you miss a dose, biologic treatment may not work as well. To stay consistent, set reminders for each dose on your phone.

Biologic medications come in the form of shots you can give yourself at home. They can also be given through IV at specialized centers. Keeping a calendar where you write the dates of your appointments or shots can help you stay on track with your treatment.

Keeping track of how you feel will help your doctor figure out whether the treatment is working.

Before starting treatment: Make a list of your symptoms and assign an intensity level to each one. This will help you compare them after each shot.

After starting treatment: Write down any changes in your bowel movements, skin, or breathing, as well as any new symptoms. Share this information with your doctor.

You can improve the results of your treatment with biologics if you avoid foods that can trigger inflammation. Some common ones include:

• Dairy products
• High-fiber foods
• Carbonated beverages
• Caffeinated drinks
• Spicy foods

Keeping a food diary can help you better track what you eat.

If you smoke, quitting may help you get better results from your biologic treatment. Tobacco use raises your chances of Crohn’s disease flares.

Studies show that people with Crohn’s who stop smoking for more than a year tend to have a more favorable disease progression.

Talk to your primary care doctor about options that can help you quit or cut back on nicotine safely.

Biologic medications can ease the physical symptoms of Crohn’s disease, but they don’t always address emotional symptoms.

People with Crohn’s have higher rates of depression than those without the disease.

Talk to your doctor if you have five or more of the following symptoms for more than two weeks:

• Sadness or anxiety
• Hopelessness or negative thoughts
• Loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed
• Low energy or fatigue
• Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
• Lack of appetite or overeating
• Irritability or restlessness

Crohn’s symptom flares — even the fear that one may happen in the future — can cause stress.

The following habits can help you manage stress while receiving treatment with biologics:

• Doing yoga
• Meditating every day
• Walking regularly
• Getting enough sleep
• Staying connected with others
• Seeking therapy or counseling

Take a few minutes at the end of the day to step away from work or household tasks and recharge your mental energy.

One possible side effect of biologic medications is a higher risk of infections. This usually does not happen because of the medication itself, but because biologics can affect how your immune system works.

There are different types of infections, including bacterial (such as tuberculosis and pneumonia), fungal (such as yeast infections), and viral (such as the flu).

Talk with your doctor if you have new or ongoing symptoms. Your doctor may decide to change your medication.

These foods may help lower inflammation in the gut:

• Soft fruits: bananas, raspberries, applesauce, and blended fruits
• Cooked vegetables: squash, carrots, and green beans
• Omega-3 fats: fatty fish (salmon, tuna), nut butters, chia seeds, and flaxseed oil or ground flaxseeds
• Cooked starches: potatoes, corn, white rice, and oats
• Leafy greens: boiled or blended into smoothies

Biologic therapy, along with an anti-inflammatory diet and proper hydration, plays an important role in keeping your colon healthy.

Biologic medications work well for treating Crohn’s disease, but they can be expensive. To expand treatment options, the FDA has approved biosimilars. These medications work similarly to biologics and often cost less.

Studies show that biosimilars meet comparable standards for safety and effectiveness.

Your doctor can help you decide if a biosimilar medication is a good option for treating your Crohn’s.