Customer Reviews

Gastrointestinal Health : A Self-Help Nutritional Program to Prevent, Cure, or Alleviate Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Ulcers, Heartburn, Gas, Constipation

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is very useful for a wide constituency of physicians
and patients . It is helpful for gastrointestinal, neurologic
and rhematological problems. The author treats the nutritional
dimension of our health. For instance, milk may harm ulcers
and exacerbate other problems in the GI tract. Spicy foods may
aggravate inflammations. The author explains that the small
intestine digests proteins and splits amino acids and enzymes.
The digestive system interacts with the circulatory system.
Nutrients travel to the liver which secretes bile and removes
toxins from injested foods. With the exception of fats, all
nutrients enter the bloodstream via the liver. Undigested
fiber evacuates. White bread, chocolate and pastas clog the
digestive system. Spasms aggravate existing digestive disorders.
These spasms may take the form of abdomenal discomfort,
IBS, Crohns Disease and diverticulosis. Pancreatitis is a
steady increase in abdomenal discomfort aggravated by alcohol.

Sandostatin treats pancreatitis. Certain foods contain gluten.
The gluten can aggravate existing gastrointestinal conditions.
Eliminating wheat, rye and sweets helps to alleviate symptoms.
Stress is an aggravating factor with regard to the GI tract.
An increase in fiber helps the tract operate better. In addition,
the GI tract needs micronutrients and vitamins to aid in
the digestive process. This book is excellent as a health
maintenance tool.

I read the earlier edition of this book and have the new edition. I thought it was good enough to buy the second edition.

If you ever watch the commercials on TV during the evening news you would think pretty much everyone in the United States has something wrong with their stomach. That is not too far off.

I've seen tv commercials encouraging teenagers to start taking laxatives.

This book is good because it gives real life examples and doesn't try to tell anyone to always eat pefectly which is basically impossible and even if it is possible the person would die of monotony probably. For example I used to eat 3 or 4 pork chops at one meal but the book says meat should not be as significant a part of the diet. This causes you to lose weight also in a safe way.

The biggest thing I think is the part about exercise. The book says go for a long walk every night.

If you do this and also identify things you may not be able to digest such as milk you shouldn't have too many stomach problems. There's milk out now called 'Lactaid' which has the lactose enzyme added in.

Those who don't do these things will ultimately try to treat their problems with over the counter or prescription drugs rather than attack the problems at the source.

Updated 12/23/07
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Since I read this book and wrote the original review I have learned more about diet. The hell that I went through with my stomach was mainly caused by flooding my system with white sugar and other refined sweeteners such as high fructose corn syrup. White sugar is basically a poison for the body. The soft drink and candy companies are poisoning America and the the entire world really with this crap.

White sugar attacks and weakens the immune system. When I removed it from my diet I lost my allergies for trees, grasses, molds, and ragweed.

But you have to beware of so called 'sugar free' candy and other things also. These contain the sugar alcohols which are even worse than white sugar.

What you should look for is raw (not necessarily organic) sugar.

An emerging discovery in the area of natural health is maintaing the proper Ph level in the body's chemistry.

Jeff Marzano

Sugar in the Raw Raw Sugar, 24-Ounce Bags (Pack of 12)

Alkalize or Die

The Acid-Alkaline Diet for Optimum Health: Restore Your Health by Creating Balance in Your Diet

McCann's Steel Cut Oatmeal, Traditional, 28-Ounce Tins (Pack of 4)

I suffered for a year before this book came to my rescue. Once I started having stabbing pains after I ate, a friend let me borrow her copy to seek some relief. After an endoscopy and a trip to the emergency room with excrutiating pain, I finally consulted the book and learned that my problem may go further than acid reflux. At my second trip to the ER I insisted on having my gallbladder tested. The ER doctor was not interested in going that direction, but he placated me and let me have an ultrasound. That revealed that I had an enlarged gallbladder and gallstones. I had surgery the next day to remove the gallbladder. Had I not read the book and become informed, there is no telling how much longer I would have had to suffer (the ER docs were content with medicating me and sending me home and not trying to figure out what was wrong). It helps to educate yourself when you know something is not right with your body, because doctors do not know everything. I had seen two doctors previously, and neither had an inkling that my gallbladder might have been my problem. I highly recommend this book to anyone that has digestive problems.

I have been under a doctor's care for an ulcer for over 6 months. Perscription drugs to control acid production were helpful but I developed a sensitivity to the medicine. I have been following the diet in this book for a month and am pain-free! The best part about the author's recommendations is that he includes recipes that provide specific guidelines for what to eat. AND, the food actually tastes good!

If you could purchase one book on GI issues, this should be it. My copy is filled with notes and highights and I have recommended it to many of my friends. I found the technical jargon to be quite easy to comprehend (yes, I know I am also a Dr., but trust me -- we appreciate the simplified lanauge as well). The author also integrates a nutritional aspect, although some of the info can be quite contradictory (check out the cooking section...). Overall, I LOVE this book and I have brought it on many a Dr's visit. Its quite impressive.

This book was a great addition to add to my collection of health books. It offered sound wisdom and advice to prevent, avoid, correct and treat varies medical condition cause by gastrointestinal problems.

I finally understand after reading this how all the organs in my digestive system work. And it's not as gross as you might think. It's interesting to read how different foods and drugs you ingest each affect each organ differently, as well as potentially causing pain to those who are sensitive, or who have different conditions. A must read for those with persistent IBS, heartburn, gas, or other digestive issues.

An excellent book for any gastrointestinal disorder. While presented simply, this book has vast and important implications for people with gastrointestinal disorders. Deemed to be: A self-help nutritional program to prevent, cure, or alleviate Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Ulcers, Heartburn, Gas, Constipation, and many other digestive disorders. The diet is a high-fiber, low-fat, totally balanced diet that works in hamrony with your digestive tract. It takes into account your appetite and your cravings for "comfort" foods. It also regulates the delicate biochemical balance between the brain and the digestive system so that you feel satisfied and gratified. It recognizes that foods are chemicals and that certain ratios must be maintained to soothe the digestive system, satisfy hunger, and meet nutritional needs.

This book is not specific to IBD and covers a lot of information about the process of digestion and how it works as well as a how to figure out what part of the digestive system is giving you symptoms. Includes a prescribed diet with recipes that is low protein, low fat, high fibre and low in sugar and refined foods. This diet is claimed to correct many digestive disorders from IBS to acid problems to diverticulosis, but although it may improve IBD, he never claims a cure and suggests checking with your doctor to make sure you can tolerate the high fibre.

This book has and the dietary program offered here has been of interest to folks with IBS and IBD. Dr. Peikin presents a self-help program which is a high-fiber, low-fat, balanced diet that helps your digestive tract. People with IBS will like it, but those with IBD may find the high-fiber difficult to stomach, so to speak. If you are looking for alternative dietary remedies, you might see if this works for you.