Many East Tennessee patients with complex chronic conditions such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, or multiple sclerosis make the journey to into a larger city such as Knoxville, Chattanooga or Morristown regularly to receive biologic infusions. These infusions are typically given every 4-8 weeks, which means that patients not only spend more time in the car, but they often need to find dining options for breakfast, lunch or dinner before or after their infusion.
Our Favorite Knoxville, TN Restaurants for Patients with Crohn’s Disease or Ulcerative Colitis
Eating out is hard enough already for those who are immunocompromised, and its even tougher for those with an IBD condition such as Crohn’s or colitis. On these long infusion days, the last thing you want is to have to pull up Yelp or another app to try and find food options that will work for your diet.
The IVX Health team is always available to help make treatment days easier for our patients. Today, we’ll showcase some of our favorite local restaurants that can be found near our Bearden Hill or new Turkey Creek infusion center locations in Knoxville.
Choosing Meals as a Crohn’s Disease or Ulcerative Colitis Patient
One of the critical steps in your journey with either Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis is working with your doctor to help determine the best diet for your needs. When you have IBD, this isn’t always easy.
Generally, doctors recommend that patients with IBD eat four to six light meals a day. It’s a good idea to stay away from foods that can cause gas or are hard to digest, like insoluble fiber, lactose, and non-absorbable sugar (a category that covers both artificial sugar substitutes and the sugars found in certain fruits like pears and prunes). It’s also wise to stay away from foods that are high in sugar and fat, as well as alcoholic or highly caffeinated beverages.
Instead, doctors recommend that individuals with IBD should reframe their diet around:
- Lean proteins (fish, poultry, eggs)
- Refined grains (sourdough bread, oatmeal, white rice)
- Low-fiber fruit (melon, bananas)
- Cooked non-cruciferous veggies (potatoes, cucumbers, mushrooms)
Our 5 Favorite Healthy and Delicious Restaurants in the Knoxville Area
It can often be challenging to find something to eat in a restaurant if you’re trying to adhere to a healthy yet restricted diet. Fortunately, there are plenty of restaurants in the Knoxville area with healthy, organic foods that can offer a variety of options, even if you’re in a flare.
Here are some of our favorite local restaurants.
The Tomato Head
The Tomato Head has two locations in Knoxville – one downtown and another by the Gallery Shopping Center (near West Town Mall). They offer a variety of lunch and dinner dishes, including pizzas, sandwiches, and salads. Any of their sandwiches can be made on gluten-free bread or topped with non-dairy cheese, making them easier to digest for people with IBD. We love their vegetarian and vegan sandwiches, and both are made with flavorful marinated tofu.
Veggie sandwich with vegan, gluten free bread (courtesy of @thetomatohead)
Simpl
Located on Sevier Avenue in South Knoxville near downtown, Simpl offers a wide variety of delicious dishes made from primarily local ingredients. We love their veggie plate, which comes with roasted veggies dressed in zingy chimichurri sauce. Another excellent option for people with IBD is their mushroom flatbread, which is made with roasted mushrooms and goat cheese drizzled with balsamic.
Arugula & Kale salad w/ spiced chickpeas, burrata, tomato, cucumber, radish, cured salmon, & dill vinaigrette! (Courtesy of @simplonsevier)
Sunspot
Sunspot is another popular Knoxville restaurant specializing in hearty and delicious food with lots of options for every diet. The variety of their sandwiches is a huge neighborhood draw – they offer everything from fried green tomato sandwiches to classic burgers, all available on gluten-free buns. We love the tofu melt as an option for people with IBD. It’s topped with grilled onion and pepper and drizzled with pepper aioli.
Grilled Mahi Mahi over corn and pea salad, harissa, topped with a local micro green salad (courtesy of @sunspot_fresh)
Seasons
Seasons bills itself as an innovative bar and grille, and we think it really lives up to that name. They have a huge menu with great food all day, but their breakfast and brunch options are a particular stand-out. They offer delicious eggs benedict, served with country gravy and breakfast potatoes. Plus, it’s right next door to our Turkey Creek location, making it a great option for immediately before or after your therapy.
Wild Gulf Shrimp and the Summer Tomato Salad (courtesy of @seasonsturkeycreek)
Benefit Your Life Bakery
If you’re looking for a treat after your infusion day, we recommend picking up dessert at Benefit Your Life Bakery. They offer many different options, including delicious gluten free treats like cookies, cinnamon rolls, and even doughnuts. Whether you eat in or take out, there are lots of choices to help satisfy your sweet tooth.
Glazed and plain cinnamon rolls (courtesy of @benefit_your_life)
At every IVX Health infusion center, our priority is to ensure your comfort and well-being. If you have any questions about local food options or amenities the next time you come in for your Remicade or Entyvio infusion therapy, please reach out and ask.
Treatment at IVX Health
If biologics like Remicade, Actemra or Orencia are a part of your chronic illness treatment plan, then consider choosing IVX Health for your ongoing care needs. IVX Health makes it possible to receive your therapy in a comfortable, convenient, and private environment.
With a private suite for every patient, you can watch your favorite Netflix show or movie on the big screen TV in each room, use a laptop or other mobile device to surf the web, or simply hang out with family and friends. We always have chairs for guests, and each center has a family room that is spacious and private if you need to bring your kids to your treatment. We also offer flexible appointment scheduling – including evenings and Saturdays – at any of our convenient locations.
At IVX Health, we truly are invested in helping you live your best life. If you’re ready to experience a new kind of infusion clinic, click here to learn how to move your infusion or injection therapy to IVX Health.