Mind Your Gut: The Science-Based, Whole-Body Guide to Living Well with IBS

More than 45 million people in the United States suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The condition is difficult to diagnose and treat since the symptoms are variable, and there is no cure. Gastroenterology specialist and dietician Scarlata (The Low-FODMAP Diet Step by Step) and health psychologist Riehl (director, GI Behavioral Health at Univ. of Michigan) provide an accessible IBS guide for patients. The authors explain the symptoms, their origins, the diagnosis, and the steps that patients and their health care practitioners can take to make living with IBS easier. These involve proper nutrition, self-care techniques (cognitive behavioral therapy; hypnotherapy), and a team-based approach to healing. The book discusses the role of certain foods and stress in triggering attacks, and it offers coping techniques, recipes, and meal plans. The authors tell readers that it’s essential to work with health care practitioners who specialize in treating IBS. It’s also important to eliminate other serious conditions that have similar symptoms. The book’s sidebars include myth busters, essential information lists, and nutrition tips. A series of appendixes provide recipes, resources, references, and a colonoscopy-coping prep kit.