Recent research shows that smoking can worsen inflammatory bowel disease. Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are the most common inflammatory bowel diseases. They are both autoimmune conditions, which means a person's immune system is responsible for the inflammatory damage to the intestines. Ulcerative colitis only affects the large intestine, whereas Crohn's disease can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract; typically the small and large intestine.

Studies have shown that smokers are at increased risk of these diseases, and experience higher rates of complications. Unfortunately, most people are unaware of this fact. They know that smoking is bad for their lungs and their throat, but don't realize the intestines can also be harmed.

Dr. Miguel Regueiro, who leads the inflammatory bowel disease clinical program at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine put it well when he said “People think of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis as ‘bowel only’ problems and cigarette smoking as causing ‘lung problems’ and look at them separately”. Smoking adversely affects the immune system in a way where autoimmune disease is more likely to occur in genetically susceptible individuals.

People who smoke have a higher requirement for certain antioxidant nutrients; particularly vitamin C and selenium. The inflammation and tissue damage to the intestines of people with inflammatory bowel disease can be helped with a grain and dairy free diet, as well as the healing and soothing nutrients in Gut Health powder.

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