Although some health conditions are spoken about with more nuance and understanding than in the past, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) hasn’t seemed to make that list yet, even though the condition affects between 2.4 and 3.1 million people in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] Because flare-ups can involve frequent diarrhea, and severe cases may require surgical placement of an ostomy bag, IBD (which is the umbrella term for two conditions: Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis) can often feel embarrassing and isolating, particularly if flares happen often or if others around you—from family members to coworkers—don’t understand the extent of the disease.