Freedom from Digestive Distress: Medicine-Free Relief from Heartburn, Gas, Bloating, and Irritable Bowel Syndrome [Paperback]

Gary Gitnick (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 14, 2000

"You Mean I Don't Have to Take Medicine for That?"

If you're one of the millions plagued by such annoying, embarrassing
gastrointestinal conditions as heartburn, gas, bloating, stomach pain, acid reflux, and irritable bowel syndrome, here's a proven program that spells relief -- without the need for expensive medicine.

Gary Gitnick, M.D., one of the country's most renowned gastroenterologists, offers the first comprehensive guide to help you discover which foods hurt and which foods heal; exercise GI distress away; cope with the stress that triggers discomfort; and more. Features include:
How to determine whether medication is really necessary
How to ferret out the dietary culprits causing you distress
How to create a personalized food guide pyramid
The vital connection between exercise and GI health

Complete with a resource section as well as Dr. Gitnick's ten rules to "get your gut out of that rut," Freedom From Digestive Distress will help you save money, put you in charge of your health and wellness, and put you on the road to a more confident, comfortable, and healthful future.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

"You Mean I Don't Have to Take Medicine for That?"

If you're one of the millions plagued by such annoying, embarrassing
gastrointestinal conditions as heartburn, gas, bloating, stomach pain, acid reflux, and irritable bowel syndrome, here's a proven program that spells relief -- without the need for expensive medicine.

Gary Gitnick, M.D., one of the country's most renowned gastroenterologists, offers the first comprehensive guide to help you discover which foods hurt and which foods heal; exercise GI distress away; cope with the stress that triggers discomfort; and more. Features include:
How to determine whether medication is really necessary
How to ferret out the dietary culprits causing you distress
How to create a personalized food guide pyramid
The vital connection between exercise and GI health

Complete with a resource section as well as Dr. Gitnick's ten rules to "get your gut out of that rut," Freedom From Digestive Distress will help you save money, put you in charge of your health and wellness, and put you on the road to a more confident, comfortable, and healthful future.

About the Author

Gary Gitnick, M.D., is professor of medicine and chief of the Division of Digestive Diseases at UCLA School of Medicine, the largest gastroenterology division in the world. A former research associate at the National Institutes of Health, he has authored more than 300 professional publications and written or edited 62 academic books. He lives in Encino, California.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Three Rivers Press; 1 edition (November 14, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812932625
• ISBN-13: 978-0812932621
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,035,949 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #76 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Disorders & Diseases > Irritable Bowel Syndrome

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A decent self-help book, April 30, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Freedom from Digestive Distress: Medicine-Free Relief from Heartburn, Gas, Bloating, and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (Paperback)

It is great to find a book by a practicing gastroenterologist who promotes a medicine-free healing plan! Gitnick's book reminds us all of the importance of a complete healing program, including exercise, stress reduction, positive attitude, eating those foods which don't bother us, and seeking support from others. The author discusses scenarios when it may be necessary to combine medicine with these success factors and how they can work together to promote healing. This book contains many case studies and patient anecdotes, and is written in a positive, uplifting way. The book may draw criticism in that is does not dictate specific solutions or provide explicit answers; instead, it gives the reader information and tools (like a suggested food journal) which the reader can use to answer their own questions.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars information to help you solve your digestive problems, June 10, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Freedom from Digestive Distress: Medicine-Free Relief from Heartburn, Gas, Bloating, and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (Paperback)

I found the book very helpful. I don't think there are easy answers to digestive problems because there are so many factors affecting each person at once. The author shows you how to keep a food journal (which my doctor has been telling me to do for years) which not only has columns for what you ate or drank, but also what else you were doing, who was with you, where you were and how you were feeling, because your digestive problems can be a combination of what you eat, how stressed out you are, how rushed you are, etc. I found a lot of useful information in the book, but it still comes down to the fact that you have to make the effort to find your personal digestive problems and solutions.

10 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars It's Just a Lot of Hot Air!, February 8, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Freedom from Digestive Distress: Medicine-Free Relief from Heartburn, Gas, Bloating, and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (Paperback)

Well intentioned but regrettably lacking in any real practical advise for those of us who suffer from this very dibilatating syndrome, "Freedom from Digestive Distress : Medicine-Free Relief from Heartburn, Gas, Bloating, and Irritable Bowel Syndrome" was a disappointing read. There is virtually no information on dealing with the embarrassing and often painful situations that are a part of our daily lives. I was looking for answers and got very few: What is the best approach for avoiding problems in a crowded movie theatre after a Mexican dinner? How does one excuse oneself from a staff meeting without arousing suspicions? What is the best way to avoid blame for unpleasant odors in an elevator or a car? How do I explain to my children that "Mommy's gas is involuntary"? How will they learn that passing wind at the dinner table is NOT a joke? These questions are left unanswered, and the reader is left feeling bloated.