Customer Reviews

The New Eating Right for a Bad Gut : The Complete Nutritional Guide to Ileitis, Colitis, Crohn's Disease, and Inflammatory Bowel Disease

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

When I was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease I became very upset. I didn't know if there was anything I could do to help take care of the situation. Right away after the initial dianosis I ordered several books. This book just happened to be one of them. When I got this book in the mail I was amazed with all the information it offered. My favorite thing it had was a diet plan and helpful nutritional information. With this information I re-learned how to eat. I feel that the dietary advice that Scala gives in this book is one of the main reasons why I am now doing so much better. This book breaks all the important aspects of nutrition down in an easy to read book. I learned how to eat, what to eat, and why it is ok to eat certain foods and not others--and when I followed Scala's plan I immediately began to feel better.

Also, this book has information on both stomach and intestinal problems. This book was one of the few books that taught me more about my Crohn's Disease in a very easy to read and understandable approach. Also, the book greatly helped me open up communication with my doctor by helping me better understand my disease. This book was without a doubt the book that I found most helpful in all of the books that I read on the subject. I would recommend this book to anyone who is suffering because it will help you.

Some of the questions that IBD patients have are "What can I eat? Which foods will promote intestinal healing? Are there any supplements or vitamins that I should be taking?" Dr Scala answers these questions and more. He says that many doctors dispense pills to get you through the current "flare-up," but are not personally well informed on good nutrition, fitness, and preventative care. He even says that many medical schools simply do not teach about diet, nutrition and fitness.

While he resists the notion that good eating habits and nutrition alone will cure Colitis and Crohn's disease (he reminds readers that these diseases are chronic illnesses), he does suggest that 70% of the time, it can get you through a flare up without having to resort to taking steroids. That should perk up the ears of those who are sick and tired of all the nasty side effects associated with steroid use.

Dr. Scala strongly encourages the IBD patient to stay away from foods high in saturated fats and to eat lots of rice, potatoes, fish (for the omega 3 fatty acids that the IBD patient needs to promote healing in the colon), chicken, turkey, vegetables, and fruit without the skin on it. During the initial stages of a flareup, he recommends a liquid supplement to solid food, such as Encare.

The book is handy, helpful, and practical. I especially recommend it for the IBD patient, but it is also a good book for those who are simply interested in good nutrition.

A comprehensive book with a well thought out strategy for those who suffer with this chronic disease. Depending on drugs is necessary for periods of flare ups, however because we live contiually with this disease we need to have a lifelong strategy and Dr. Scala is a knowledgeable source. I read his original and this updated version is better than the original. People who do not have this disease do not realize how hard it is facing every day without knowing what may and may not cause discomfort or flare ups. Unfortuneately society has made eating more than the necessary maintenance of life. If you think of any milestone of life, there is an emphasis on food consumption somewhere. In today's day and age there are more choices than ever of what we consume into our systems. Some foods are deceiving choices. We who have this disease can benefit on the proven knowledge of Dr. James Scala's advice not for a meal at a time but for a lifetime. This book is recommended for those who have one of these diseases or are supporting someone who does.

I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease when I was 12 years old. I went through the sulfa drugs, the prednisone, the sick-days. Figuring out the right foods was some trial-and-error. This book reduces the learning curve for eating habits for IBD. I learned things the hard way and just avioded what hurt, this book tells you WHY certain foods do things. It also tells you what foods can help reduce flare-ups and the runs. From my own 12 years of living with Crohn's this is the best resource I have found yet that keeps it simple and realistic. If you have had IBD for years you'll probably still learn something. If you were recently diagnosed, first I'd like to say I'm sorry, but next I'd add that taking care of yourself physically and mentally is KEY. Diet can play a suprisingly big role in both. Good luck, and read this book.

Dr. Scala's book opens with the quote, "Let thy food be thy medicine", and suggests diet and lifestyle habits that are least likely to cause flare-ups.

For me, some of the things I liked most about Scala's book included: Discussion of the nutritional challenges for people with IBD (vitamins, minerals..); Listings of foods that typically cause problems (including processed foods, sugar, corn, whole nuts, many dairy products...); A lot of information about dark skinned cold-water fish (like salmon) and the therapeutic benefits of their essential oils; The suggestion to keep a food diary to help one confirm what is/is not working, but also to document more than just food (emotions, stress, etc.), serving sizes, environmental factors; "End Of Day" self evaluation - How well did I do today? (a self-critique of food and lifestyle choices).

As someone who follows the SCDiet, many of the foods Scala suggests are contrary to what I follow (i.e., he suggests oatmeal, cornflakes, branflakes as foods that don't cause flare-ups; he suggests these for their low-residue/irritation characteristics but I would not eat them because of the complex carbs they contain and the flare-ups that might result from digesting them) but I choose to recognize this book as very useful nonetheless. One can certainly make one's own adjustments to Scala's suggestions, taking a patient-centric approach to healing. We're all different, and what works for one patient may require modification in another.

I especially agree with Scala's insights into whole-body aspects of IBD, and the way outlook, exercise, stress, love, etc. can play a role in one's condition. If you're going to read his book and consider the realistic concept of achieving intestinal health through diet I'd also suggest Elaine Gottschall's "Breaking The Vicious Cycle", Patel-Thompson's "Listen To Your Gut", and Trenev's "Probiotics: Nature's Internal Healers" as complementary reading.

I have been suffering with ulcerative colitis for several years. I would have a flareup about once a year and had to take prednisone. I know nerves have something to do with my condition but I also thought what I ate had something to do with it. I asked the doctor who said "if it bothers you don't eat it again". Right after my last flareup I bought this book. It explains what not to eat and the reason why. I have been doing exactly what dr. Scala recomends and it's working like a charm. It's knowing what not to eat that made the difference for me. I haven't had a flareup in almost 2 years. I'm forever grateful to my mother-in-law who gave me a gift certificate to Amazon.com

My daughter, 29 yrs. old has just been diagnosed with severe ulcerated colitis. I was so confused by what she could and couldnt eat and she was not given a list by her conventional doctor on what and what not to eat while this condition was in a flare stage. I felt so helpless as I searched the web looking for information and receipes on what to feed her. She was on prednisone and this made her very hungry all the time. I came across this book on the website and immediately knew this was what I needed to nourish her body and heal it. Thankfully I found the book and it has been a blessing to finally know which foods are good and which are bad for her condition. I am eternally grateful to James Scala for writing such a great book. It is the only one on the market that covers IBD so thoroughly.

When I was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease I wanted to know exactly what I was facing. Initially I met with frustration, as my doctor could not give me straight answers about the disease itself or the medications that might help me.

Purchasing this book was an integral step in my self-education about this disease. This book gave me the answers I was looking for. In layman's terms it details the mechanics of the digestive system. It suggests what to eat and what not to eat, yet it reminds the reader that every person is an individual and therefore each diet will require slight modifications depending on food tolerances.

This book is not a panacea for IBD, however it can help a patient manage his/her condition and improve the quality of life dramatically. It can also help lower the need for medications. I wholeheartedly give this book my highest recommendation.

This should be the second book you buy after you get a good overview book on IBD (I recommend Cliff Kalibjian's). Once you know the details of your disease, you want to know what you should and shouldn't eat, which supplements you should take, etc. and this book addresses those questions. It discusses why you should still be eating vegetables (just make sure they're well-cooked!), avoiding red meat, and eating plenty of fish. Also make sure you are getting your soluble fiber.

I like how he makes it clear that changing your diet won't "cure" your condition (anyone who says otherwise is a quack), but that you can ameliorate many of your symptoms. And he provides references to studies and research that verify his statements.

An important addition to any IBD patient's bookshelf.

My daughter was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease five years ago and needless to say I have done a lot of research. I found The New Eating Right for a Bad Gut very informative and helpful, but what I like most about the book is the author's positive attitude toward the disease. I have read many books about IBD that left me depressed and with a feeling of hopelessness. This book leaves you with the feeling that you can help yourself and that you do have some control over your body. Also, you don't have to be a doctor to understand it. I highly recommend it.