Customer Reviews

IBS Relief: A Complete Approach to Managing Irritable Bowel Syndrome

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This is the second edition of the same named book first published in 1999. The book seems to be written primarily from a dietitian's and psychologist's perspective so there are at times what I consider murky medical advice given, such as Healthy Eating and the concept of MyPyramid. The concept is that if you "stick" to your diet then you will be in control of your symptoms. I only wish! There are some good insights as to how powerful cognitive restructuring can be. One statement that made the book for me was "We recently did a study of the pain experienced by IBS sufferers versus Crohn's sufferers. We found that the pain of those with IBS was every bit as severe as the pain experienced by those with Crohn's disease. The difference between the two groups is: social support. Crohn's disease has more social support". This tells the authors and the readers that suffering with IBS can actually be greater than Crohn's because of the lack of support. To this end, the book does offer some valuable advice to talking to your doctor and learning to take control of your own health.

I'm writing about the second edition of this book. I found this book to be a really decent read. It's gives really detailed information on how your body works and how it is thought IBS affects your whole digestive system. There is in depth information on your symptoms, and a variety of diet modifications to follow based on your IBS symptoms. The MyPyramid section is helpful but at the same time as the writer stated in the book you can eat a food one time and it won't bother your IBS and then a next time you can possibly have symptoms. I know from personal experience dairy wreaks havoc on my system. I also too have an allergy to milk so i just stay away from dairy all together. This has seriously helped my stomach pains greatly. I do this modification though under the supervision of a doctor to make sure I'm getting enough nutrients. I also like the section explaining treatment options to help manage pain. It explains as to why most medications aren't effective and you really need to find ways to deal with the discomfort and find distraction to take your mind off of it. This book gives you coping strategies and makes me feel better about managing my symptoms.