4 Weeks to Healthy Digestion

It has been estimated that half the adult United States population has either transient or persistent gastrointestinal symptoms. Some of the most common symptoms include heartburn, gas, bloating, and abdominal distention, diarrhea, constipation, and irregular bowel habits. In this regard, over 60 million Americans have symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) characterized by recurrent heartburn, as well as other symptoms. Similarly, between 10 to 20 percent of the adult population, or roughly 45 million people, have symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. Further, at least five percent of the adult population has persistent and troublesome constipation. Each year over 100 billion dollars is spent for prescription medications or over-the-counter medications to deal with these symptoms which are often quite destructive.

It is not generally appreciated that diet is a factor that contributes significantly to all of the above symptoms. What we eat, when we eat, and how we eat can significantly influence gastrointestinal symptoms.

The major purpose of this book is to alert healthy individuals to the key role that diet plays in the development of gastrointestinal symptoms. The book also provides a rational explanation for the development of the above symptoms, allowing the reader to understand the reason for their symptoms. Further, we provide a diet and symptom log to allow patients to understand how specific foods can influence the development of gastrointestinal symptoms. The bottom line is that many gastrointestinal symptoms can be favorably modified by the relatively simple expedient of paying attention to one’s diet.

It is known that diabetes affects over 25 million Americans and up to 80 percent of patients with diabetes develop gastrointestinal symptoms, including but not limited to abdominal bloating and distention, diarrhea and constipation. Accordingly, a chapter is devoted to diabetes and gastrointestinal symptoms.

Celiac disease, also known as nontropical sprue, is also a very common condition affecting primarily individuals of northern European extraction.  Diet plays a key role in controlling symptoms in patients with celiac sprue and a chapter is devoted to this important disorder.

It is not generally appreciated that the menstrual cycle profoundly affects gastrointestinal function in women. Women who have irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, and endometriosis, to name just a few conditions often experience exacerbation of their symptoms during the menstrual period. Further, they may also experience more in the way of heartburn and gas and bloating as well.

The four-week plan for healthy digestion that we outline in this book is designed to allow individuals to catalog their symptoms and correlate them with specific foods in their diet. The first week involves starting a symptom log and noting the adverse effects of any punitive foods. The second week provides suggestions as to how changing your eating habits may influence your symptoms. The third week allows one to eliminate the problem foods and note the effects of such an elimination diet on their symptoms. The fourth week allows individuals to reintroduce foods into their diet to confirm that they have been a cause of their symptoms. Individuals that have a specific gastrointestinal problem can go directly to the chapter or chapters that describe their problems more specifically, and each chapter has its four-week plan clearly outlined.

The important feature of this book is that the suggestions that are put forth do not cost anything. In essence, it provides “free therapy” in that no recommendation for medications or pharmaceutical products is offered.