Introduction: I’m Graham from South East England, 40 years old and diagnosed with proctitis then UC over 10 years ago. I didn’t make the connection at the time but this illness made itself known to me shortly after quitting smoking. This story may sound hard to believe but I’ve had a massive breakthrough and I hope it works for you too…
Colitis Symptoms: I am almost symptom free for a whole year and still pinching myself!
I Never Really Thought It Could Work But It Did:
I was lead to research by reading a tiny article in the newspaper, though being a UC sufferer for 10 years made me very skeptical and so I didn’t do anything with this information for 3 months! Until recently, smoking was the only thing that seemed to kept me well but 1 year ago I developed a nasty cough so decided to go with the articles advice.
I quit smoking and ever since have taken 3 daily table/desert spoons of extra virgin olive oil! If you check out this link:
I used to smoke at least 4-5 a day, I gave up 4 or 5 times over 10 years but always resumed after 3-4 weeks when symptoms got so bad. Like many I am sure, I had become increasingly saddened by the lack of progress in treating UC and regularly frustrated by our NHS. So I resorted to doing my own internet based research, conducting my own crude trials.
In very simple terms I will explain the understanding of my Ulcerative Colitis and maybe why the olive oil seems to be so beneficial. Whenever I stopped smoking, I almost immediately felt bloated, suffered disgusting wind and within a few days would wake every morning with stomach pain. After 2 – 4 weeks the diarrhea/blood would start and I would have to resume smoking so that I could continue my driving job. During this period I noticed that in the first few days I had stopped going to the toilet (2’s) regularly and once the flare up really kicked in I then couldn’t stop going.
Some research says that smoking or nicotine produces mucus in the bowel, thus coating, lining and lubricating the bowel. This would also explain why removing nicotine seems to stop the regular “motions” and block everything. My longest success (previous to this one) lasted 6 weeks and was achieved using 15mg nicotine patches. At six weeks the symptoms were too much to tolerate and resumed smoking once again.
It has now been a whole year without any nicotine at all and no medication, just 3 table spoons of extra virgin olive oil per day. 1 first thing, 1 in the afternoon and 1 before bed. After all the previous attempts and the usual immediate problems, this level of progress was unthinkable to me. I have gained 20 pounds and no longer get called names associated with weight loss.
I am not suggesting this will cure me as I believe UC is always there and simply masked by smoking or other means of controlling the symptoms.
I know I have wandered off here slightly but that’s the short version of a long story which I sincerely hope will help others.
Where I’d like to be in 1 year:
Where I am now.
Colitis Medications:
If it also helps I have found that lactose free milk and a daily probiotic seem to help.
written by Graham
submitted in the colitis venting area
(*** Graham has since written an updated story all about EVOO here : https://www.ihaveuc.com/evoo-2/)
I’m from South Eastern England and I’ve been living with ulcerative colitis now for over 10 years.
