Q. Thank you for writing about coconut for treating ulcerative colitis. I was diagnosed with colitis in 1980, and had three feet of my colon removed. My condition was moderate to severe and I was taking eight tablets of sulfasalazine every day to control it, along with Rowasa enemas daily.
I started ingesting shredded coconut twice a day after reading your article, though I had no expectation it would help. Within a few weeks my symptoms had lessened and in about a month I had gone into complete remission. A year later I had a colonoscopy showing a healthy colon.
I gradually cut back my medication and have not taken anything for the condition for five years. I feel well and have had no GI problems. I read that coconut has anti-inflammatory and anti-viral properties and think it must be true.
A. We have heard from others who suffered from severe diarrhea associated with inflammatory bowel disease that coconut macaroon cookies or shredded coconut alone can be helpful. We doubt that many people with ulcerative colitis would respond as dramatically as you have, but we certainly are delighted to learn that this remedy was beneficial for such a serious condition.
