I thought smoking would only have negative side effects on ulcerative colitis but after a bit of research and to my surprise, it actually can have a positive influence on some symptoms.
Nicotine is a naturally occurring substance in tobacco that has a complex effect on many organs and systems in the body. Being highly addictive, many people who smoke cigarettes have difficulty quitting despite the serious health risks. The benefits of nicotine on ulcerative colitis sufferers who currently smoke is unclear, however symptoms of the disease have actually deteriorated when the sufferer stops smoking.
Regardless, the long term and irreversible side effects and diseases caused by smoking such as lung disease, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, stroke, and others are far outweigh any possible benefits for an ulcerative colitis sufferer. In the event that your ulcerative colitis symptoms get worse when you quit smoking, seek for safer alternatives such as diet modification or natural remedies such as AloeElite that help with inflammation to reduce symptoms. Make sure you notify your doctor that you want to quit smoking so he can modify your medications according to any symptomatic changes you might experience.
