Book Description

Every day, in magazines and books, on TV and the radio, we are flooded with advice on what foods to eat. Some of this advice is nonsense--trendy weight-loss regimes, which can actually be harmful--and some is contradictory, as even scientists will vacillate on such subjects as animal versus nonanimal fat, saturated versus unsaturated fatty acids. There are a few good books that cover nutrition in general and even some that tackle specific health goals, such as eating for a healthy heart. But there's no book available on the area of the body most immediately affected by the food we eat--the gastrointestinal tract. Now, Henry Janowitz, M.D., author of the best-selling Your Gut Feelings and Indigestion, provides a thorough guide to healthful eating, one tailored especially for those who suffer from--or have a family history of--heartburn, peptic ulcers, gallstones, gastritis, colitis, cancer of the colon, or other gastrointestinal disorders. Good Food for Bad Stomachs begins with the elements of a realistic, reasonable diet. Dr. Janowitz suggests that most of us need to increase our intake of fiber dramatically (up to 30 grams or more a day), and this is especially true for people with most gastrointestinal disorders. We should also lower our consumption of fat, avoid obesity at all costs, reduce our reliance on caffeine, alcohol and tobacco, and supplement our daily diet with vitamins. The book then turns to specific gastrointestinal disorders. Dr. Janowitz examines the major disorders one by one, covering the full spectrum of gastrointestinal ailments from esophagitis and swallowing disorders to cancer of the colon and rectum, describing symptoms and causes, recommending food we should eat to avoid the disorder, and outlining both dietary and medical approaches to treatment. He talks about inflammation and ulcers of the stomach and duodenum, peptic ulcers, gastritis, gallstones, pancreatitis and liver diseases; discusses dietary allergies and food intolerance, and the problems associated with aging; deals with such pedestrian complaints as intestinal gas, travelers diarrhea, and constipation; and gives special attention to the inflammatory bowel diseases, including ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, on which he is a renowned expert. Covering everything from low-fat cookbooks to the fiber content of common foods, this information-packed book is filled with easy-to-follow charts and tables to help you plan a healthy diet. Good Food for Bad Stomachs is a dependable guide to healthy eating written by one of the most respected experts in gastroenterology today. Dr. Janowitz explains everything in clear laymen's language spiced with humor, humanity, and the insights of a master clinician with over 50 years of experience.