[Summer2002]

There are some good posts going on right now with food allergies/insensitivities/intolerances, etc. causing some or most of our digestive problems (see Joe and Laney's posts). As an addition to these, I would like to recommend the least complex elimination diet book I've found to date, "The False Fat Diet" by Elson M. Haas, MD.I've been meaning to try it, got busy and forgot about until I_H8_IBS posted his site on a thread 4 or 5 days ago. I didn't realize he had a computer site. Anyway the premise of the book:1) Food intolerances, allergies, etc. contributes to many digestive problems.The most common 7 offenders being: dairy products, wheat, corn, eggs, soy, peanuts and sugar.2) He does an in-depth discussion of the problems and symptoms of eating these foods.3) The best of the book: He offers the simplest 7 day menus (3 main meals and 3 snacks) for a total elimination diet of these 7 offenders. These are simple food found in the grocery stores. There's not alot of new ingredients, hard to find foods, etc. In addition, he outlines a juice elimination diet (which I personally don't recommend), another 7 day of menus for a limited elimination diet, and then a 7 day of menus for mainenance once you've determined your sensitivities.4) Last, he includes the general vitamin supplement recommendations, good list of reactive food families, stress management, and more. I got the paperback for $6.99 at Barnes & Noble. Unfortunately, I haven't tried the diet yet,but for anybody looking for an easy diet plan I strongly recommend it.

 

[KLG]

Hey Summer2002,Funny you mention this. I haven't tried the diet yet but what I have read on his site and in the article in First magazine made me realize that milk may not just be the cause of my spasms, but a lot of the IBS I suffer from like C, bloating etc. I went to the health food store and bought Almond milk as suggested by some BB members in my thread "any tasty alternative to cow's milk". By now, I would be expereincing spasms, but everything is abnormally quiet. I wouldn't be surprised if mine is my body's response to intolerence(s). I always feel i retain a lot of water and my eyes are always red and irritated and as a child I suffered from chronic ear infections (which I can't remember where I read this, but it said that is a sign of intolerence) and I also had acne throughout my teens and early 20's that was resistant to antibiotics. This seems to make sense after what I've read on his site and on other sites.I really wonder. I am glad I found that website. In fact today where I bought the Almond Milk, I talked to the nice guy who works there and he was telling me there is an MD right down the street from here (my job) who focuses on intolerances as being the cause of many problems including digestive disorders and that he also tries to work with some herbals along with medication (if the meds are needed). I got his info. and within the next few weeks hope to get an appointment.good luck to you. I am going to get his book as well. Please keep us posted on how it works for you.Kari

 

[Mandylion]

Summer:I just came to the board to post this very topic! I just purchased the book and absolutely love it! I have tried a diet similar to this but never stuck to it. He really goes into detail telling you exactly what to do. I just can't live with these symptoms anymore. I think that I am going to take matters into my own hands and really try this. I really have a feeling that all the bloating, cramping, constipation, aches etc... are caused by an allergy to foods. He really goes into detail about when you eat the same foods all the time your body can not fight or break down the foods and you are flooding your body with this allergy. It's kinda funny because I was just reading a part about IBS and it said that people with IBS may lack Seritonin and then I asked the question, "well how to I put it back in my system" and then one line later it told me how. I really would like to know if anyone else buys the book and sticks to the diet. Good luck to everyone. I'll check back periodically! He answers some great questions regarding the false fat diet at this link - http://www.elsonhaas.com/q_and_a/qa_05.html Here is a link to find the cheapest book http://www.epinions.com/book_mu-3694254

 

[Mike NoLomotil]

Haas has some good topics in pretty plain english which can make this subject understandable to lay people, and works the laws of probability well such that it will not be surprising for a population of people to achieve symptom remission to various degrees.If you read it and are "hungry" to go a little deeper into the subject (food and chemical intolerance), this is another book which just "goes further""FOOD ALLERGIES AND FOOD INTOLERANCE: THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO THEIR IDENTIFICTION AND TREATMENT", Professor Jonathan Brostoff , M.D.. Allergy, Immunology and Environmental Medicine, Kings' College, London http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/089...6487508-3420903 and another book with some decnt instructions on integrative therapies in IBS including dietary intolerance management:IBS: A DOCTORS PLAN FOR CHRONIC DIGESTIVE TROUBLESBy Gerard Guillory, M.D.; Vanessa Ameen, M.D.; Paul Donovan, M.D.; Jack Martin, Ph.D. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-h...9085785-1742301 It's nice to see more and simple explanations of some of these phenomena making their way into consumer publications where they can help Betty Bowel get a better handle on dietary therapy in IBS.MNL

 

[eric]

Mandylion, serotonin is important in IBS. 95 percent of it is created in the gut.There are also two receptors in the gut important to IBS 5ht3 and 5ht 4 that the researchers are aware of and believe to be somehow malfunctioning.You maybe interested in reading these. http://www.ibsgroup.org/other/usnews000403.htm "Claims that it�s possible to regulate serotonin levels in the body through diet have not been proved scientifically. Asked if carbohydrates stimulate serotonin production, Dr. Mann says that�s �not really true. The levels of the amino acid L-tryptophan regulate serotonin synthesis. Other amino acids compete with tryptophan for entry into the brain. Carbohydrate intake may influence the transport of amino acids in general. Small increases in brain serotonin have been produced by taking huge amounts of tryptophan. Most over-the-counter preparations [of tryptophan] were withdrawn by the FDA due to toxic impurity.�" http://cpmcnet.columbia.edu/news/journal/a.../serotonin.html History of Functional Disorders http://www.med.unc.edu/medicine/fgidc/hist...aldisorders.htm

 

[Summer2002]

Eric, What a fascinating article, "Wisdom of the Gut". However, very scary and disturbing. To think that the same type of tissue damage in my colon is in my brain. This news has practically sent me into shock. It also makes me want to try and stop any additional damage I possibly can. I am happy for the people who can tolerate Lotronex.I am even happier that IBS is increasingly being referred to as a viable disease.

 

[eric]

Summer, did not mean to shock you, but IBS is of course a reality. The problem is more in the colon and the signalling process and its hard for them to pinpoint exactly and there is some major research going on in regards to it. For one very miscroscopic inflammation perhaps in some IBSers, and maybe in part it seems by prolonged stressors from the IBS.Its not tissue damage in the brain though, thats very important, it is more the signaling via neurottransmitters(and important one being serotonin) which is dysregulating between the 'brain in the the gut' or enteric nervous system as its called and the way the brain functions after receiving the signals.This is one the inflammation aspect for you. However were not talking here inflammation like the IBD diseases and so you know and don't worry, not brain tissue damage, just the way the brain is functioning.Basically the signal from the gut to the brain and the brain back to the gut, loop is malfucntioning via the way they talk to each other through chemicals.This will explain more somethings. http://www.med.unc.edu/medicine/fgidc/infl...rymediators.htm

 

[eric]

Summer each of what I posted there is part of the picture and therre are a lot of pictures to the puzzle, as all these systems intereact.This is good on the whole picture. http://www.ibsgroup.org/ubb/ultimatebb.php...c;f=10;t=000592

 

[Mike NoLomotil]

Add this to the mix as well, since as usual content on dietary therapeutic modalities, the basis and approach for maximal effectiveness, as well as known mechanisms is scant. When reading this additional article pay special attention to Figure 1 in the model...a schematic of all the interractive systems, not just some of them, hwich are sources of symptom generation in so called IBS. The now-deonstrable cell-mediated mechanisms are not clearly representated but can merelt be added to the mucosal immuocyte mechanisms shown.Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics Vol. 15 Issue 4 Page 439 April 2001 Food hypersensitivity and irritable bowel syndrome S. Zar, D. Kumar, M. J. Bensonhttp://www.blackwell-synergy.com/servlet/userag ent?func=synergy&synergyAction=showFullText&doi=10.1046/j.1365-2036.2001.00951.x[/URL]MNL