“I Was Sick of Flare-Ups Controlling My Life”: How a Highett Man Managed Ulcerative Colitis with Naturopathy

For years, Daniel*, a 34-year-old strategy consultant living in Highett*, navigated life with two identities. On the outside, he was the polished professional, flying between states, leading presentations, and juggling deadlines. But behind the scenes, he was a man constantly battling Ulcerative Colitis (UC), a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that left him exhausted, anxious, and always within range of a bathroom.

Living in Melbourne’s Bayside area, Daniel tried to keep things “normal.” But when your gut flares without warning, even a short drive to a client meeting in Southbank or a coffee catch-up in Brighton feels like a risk.

“People saw me as capable and calm. But the reality? I was always in some stage of a flare — recovering, bracing, or just pretending I was fine.”

His symptoms of urgency, abdominal pain, blood in the stool, and relentless fatigue began in his late 20s. Within a year, he was officially diagnosed with ulcerative colitis after a long and often disheartening round of tests, including endoscopies and multiple colonoscopies. The specialists prescribed a treatment plan centred around mesalamine and, during flare-ups, prednisone.

“The meds worked until they didn’t. Then I’d get worse, go back on Prednisone, get better for a while… and the whole thing would repeat.”

When Ulcerative Colitis Becomes a Life Rollercoaster

UC isn’t just about gut discomfort. It’s a chronic autoimmune condition where the immune system mistakenly attacks the lining of the colon, causing inflammation, ulcers, and bleeding. It affects approximately 1 in 250 Australians, though that number is growing.

Unlike Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), UC causes visible structural damage in the bowel, and for many, managing it becomes a life-long balancing act between symptoms, side effects, and uncertainty.

For Daniel, this rollercoaster became all-consuming. Despite spending thousands on specialist consultations, scopes, and dietitian appointments, he never felt stable for long.

“I’d feel OK for a few months, then suddenly things would crash and I’d be back in the flare cycle. It was exhausting mentally and physically.”

Beyond the physical toll, the condition strained his lifestyle. He stopped committing to social events, avoided dating, and found himself missing work trips or attending them under extreme stress, just trying to manage meals and symptoms in hotel rooms in unfamiliar cities.

Finding Olga Mandic Without Leaving His Laptop

It wasn’t until a colleague recommended Olga Mandic, a naturopath based in Bayside Melbourne, that Daniel considered a different approach. He was sceptical. He’d heard about “natural medicine” but didn’t think it could help with something as serious as UC. But the recommendation came with one big draw: Olga offered telehealth consultations, which meant he could fit them into his travel-heavy schedule from anywhere — hotel room, airport lounge, or home in Highett.

“It felt low-pressure. I could jump on a video call without disrupting my whole week. And from that very first consult, I knew Olga was different.”

Rather than focusing solely on the gut, Olga wanted to understand the full ecosystem of Daniel’s health like his stresses, sleep patterns, microbiome health, diet, medication history, emotional wellbeing, and even childhood immune function.

“She actually asked about my early antibiotic use, whether I was breastfed, how I felt after specific foods. These are things no one had ever asked me about in ten years of appointments.”

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A Naturopathic Strategy That Fit His Life

Olga explained that while medications like mesalamine and prednisone help control inflammation, naturopathic support can work alongside traditional treatment to reduce triggers, regulate immune function, and rebuild gut integrity, especially during periods of remission, when the body is most responsive to deeper healing.

Together, they created a telehealth-based plan that Daniel could stick to even while travelling:

An anti-inflammatory protocol using herbs like meadowsweet, boswellia, and aloe vera
Gut-repair nutrients, including L-glutamine, zinc gluconate, and omega-3s
Travel-friendly probiotics targeted to immune balance and gut flora diversity
Stress support via adaptogens, breathing techniques, and guided sleep hygiene
Practical, flexible food planning for airports, hotels, and erratic work hours

“Olga didn’t give me a one-size-fits-all diet. She gave me realistic strategies I could use on the road even when I was eating out or skipping meals.”

Within six months, Daniel noticed fewer flare-ups, steadier energy, and most importantly, predictability.

His symptoms no longer dictated his schedule or his confidence. He continued working with his gastroenterologist for routine checkups and scopes, but said he finally felt like a co-pilot, not a passenger, in his healthcare.

“Olga’s support gave me control again. For the first time in years, I felt like my condition wasn’t running the show.”

A Smarter, More Sustainable Way to Live with UC

For those living with ulcerative colitis, especially professionals who travel, work long hours, or feel let down by the limits of conventional care, there is another option.

Olga Mandic at My Natural Clinic offers telehealth naturopathy that works in sync with your lifestyle and your medical treatment. With clients across Melbourne and beyond, she provides science-backed, human-centred care for people dealing with gut conditions like IBD.

Whether you’re in Highett, on the road, or simply feeling stuck in the flare-and-crash cycle, expert support is closer than you think.

Book a free telehealth discovery consultation with Olga today and discover how tailored, integrative care can help you reclaim control and your quality of life.