Lettuce addiction 'saved woman's life' after giving clue to cancer diagnosis

00:23 Lettuce addiction 'saved woman's life' after giving clue to cancer diagnosis 0 Comments

Elsie Campbell, 59-year-old mother-of-three, woke up one day with an unusual craving. She couldn't stop eating lettuce.
But after her cravings escalated to eating four whole lettuces a day, her husband Jim, who is a research scientist, suspected the addiction was her body signalling something was wrong.
"I woke up one day and suddenly fancied some lettuce," she told the Daily Mail.
"I’d always eaten it in salads, but suddenly, I just couldn’t get enough of it. I could eat three or four whole lettuces a day. I’d eat a whole iceberg lettuce at work, and sit on the bus on the way home thinking about eating more and more."
Mr Campbell looked at what his wife's body could be lacking and found that lettuce contains a nutrient that is often lacking in breast cancer sufferers.
He insisted she see a doctor, and after a small dimple appeared on her breast, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Following the early diagnosis, she had the lump removed and had months of treatment but has now been given the all-clear.
She said: "Strangely, since the lump was removed, I haven’t wanted to eat a single lettuce leaf – the craving’s completely vanished.
"I was so lucky Jim spotted the signs when he did – my lettuce addiction probably saved my life."
The couple have now set up information website questionmyhealth.com to help others who may be suffering from similar health oddities.