A Hitchin man is one of five men recognised as a health hero in the latest issue of a national magazine.

Jonathan Benson, above, was picked to be a Men’s Health magazine Health Hero from a shortlist of 150 people after telling of his battle against Crohn’s Disease.

He said: “At the age of 20 I decided to turn my life around. I stopped smoking 20 a day and playing video games – and instead started cycling to work, eating healthily and training hard.

“As I was getting into good shape I was diagnosed with Crohn’s, a debilitating condition of the digestive and auto-immune systems.

“There’s no cure and sufferers lose days and weeks to fever and pain. But instead of taking the drugs recommended by doctors I found the specific carbohydrate diet. I’ve avoided having part of my colon removed, and I go to the gym six times a week.”

Read the full feature in the October issue of Men’s Health, on sale from today.