Controlling Crohn's Disease: The Natural Way (Paperback)

by Virginia Harper (Author)
Key Phrases: healing recipes, lifestyle practices, apple syrup, Controlling Crohn's Disease, Bill Spear, Healing Remedies (more...)

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Kensington; 1 edition (February 2, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1575668319
• ISBN-13: 978-1575668314
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #110,647 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Informative and inspirational, April 25, 2002

By	Sherry Lipp "Sher973" (Bothell) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a must read for anyone with Crohn's disease. Virginia Haper tells her personal story of living with Crohn's Disease for most of her life. Her experiences will be familiar to anyone who has dealth with this illness. Through her story the reader will find out how she was able to overcome the disease and live virtually symptom free for over twenty years. Her story proves a change in eating and living habits can help this disease. Her story and triumph are truly inspirational and bring hope to all those who suffer with Crohn's Disease.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Compelling personal story and dietary action plan, February 17, 2003

By A Customer

This is a compelling personal story of the author's battle with Crohn's disease, near-death experiences, and her triumph in finding a solution in macrobiotic food and lifestyle. While most of the painful and embarrassing experiences Harper shares are common to people suffering from IBD, I think it takes a lot to share this kind of personal information with unknown readers, and she deserves credit.

Harper finds health and happiness in a macrobiotic diet and a lifestyle that is less stressful. Most traditional doctors and specialists will say that `diet has nothing to do with Crohn's'. I agree with Harper's point that "most people who suffer from some form of IBD know in their heart [gut!] that food is a trigger and a likely cause of their illness". I also agree that beyond simply taking prescribed pills, the patient needs to take a greater role in one's own healing. Harper points out the power of positive visualization, and the joy she felt when the healthy image she envisioned years earlier was actually achieved. Beyond the macrobiotic diet she espouses, other key points include: the importance of chewing your food completely to aid in digestion, eating smaller meals (but more often), and the importance of a caring support structure. To anyone critical of the time commitment involved in any sort of natural self healing: it is an investment of time to feel well versus time spent seeing doctors and feeling poorly.

My disappointments with the book stem from the broad title and where the book leaves off. The title suggests the possibility of the discussion or comparison of more than one natural solution to dealing with IBD. For example, I follow the SCDiet, and would consider that to be natural as well (albeit quite different from the macrobiotic diet). Also, I was left wondering if Harper would be able to sustain her diet and lifestyle changes, as she deviated off the regimen, which resulted in a few flares.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A real solution for those with Crohn's Disease, February 15, 2002

By	sarto schickel (Philadelphia, PA United States) - See all my reviews

This book is a dramatic story of a young woman who moves from Chile as a teen and very soon suffers symptoms of
an unknown health problem. Through years of ups and downs and an eventual diagnosis of Crohn's Disease,
Virginia Haper must then suffer the side effects of prednisone. After much weight gain and a great deal of suffering, Virginia then finds hope. Her father discovers
a health counselor who guides Virginia on the path to
total recovery .... The latter half of the book
gives the natural healing recipes that Virginia used.
A powerful story of human triumph. But the best news of all
is that this program of natural healing and food can be used
by anyone willing to learn and apply the knowledge.