“I’m cautiously optimistic that I’ve finally found the cause of my bowel irritation.”
72-year-old Ban Bowers, a retired precision engineer, had been dealing with chronic bowel pain for around two years. When his symptoms flared up, they were severe enough to leave him unable to function, often forcing him to stop everything and rest.
At its worst, the condition had a significant impact on his daily life. During flare-ups, Ban describes feeling “really ill,” with no option but to step back from normal activities and focus on recovery.
Initially, Ban sought help through his GP, where he was diagnosed with diverticulitis and treated with multiple courses of antibiotics. While this provided some direction, it didn’t fully resolve the issue, and the symptoms kept returning.
It was his son’s recommendation that led Ban to explore another route. After searching online, he discovered YorkTest and decided to take a food intolerance test to see whether diet could be playing a role. He had already suspected that certain foods, particularly chocolate, might be contributing to his symptoms.
The results revealed a milk protein intolerance, which aligned with his suspicions, as dairy is a key ingredient in chocolate. With this new understanding, Ban made the decision to move to a dairy-free diet.
The results have been very encouraging. Since removing dairy, Ban reports that he has had no recurrence of his bowel pain and feels generally fitter and healthier. It took a few weeks to notice an improvement in his overall fitness, but the absence of pain has made a significant difference to his quality of life.
He has also found the elimination process relatively straightforward. With a wide range of dairy-free alternatives now available in supermarkets, Ban was able to make the transition with ease, even finding new favourites, such as oat milk.
After more than twelve weeks on a dairy-free diet, he has begun cautiously reintroducing small amounts of cheese to test his tolerance. So far, he hasn’t noticed any immediate reaction, but he remains mindful and observant.
The nutritional consultation was very helpful, providing clear, informed guidance throughout the process.
For now, Ban says he is pain-free and feeling better overall. While he remains realistic – noting that he has previously gone several months without symptoms – he is hopeful that he has finally identified the root cause.
