The New People Not Patients - A Source Book for Living With IBD.
By the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA).

While this book includes medical and factual information, it has a much more personal approach to the problems of IBD.

Clearly set out with well-labelled diagrams and explanations, it includes information on those aspects of life that need special consideration in IBD such as relationships, sport, work and family. One excellent feature of the book is the short biographical stories from people who have IBD and how they have coped. This puts a human face on the problems rather than just being a medical condition.

The book provides information on symptoms, diagnostic procedures, and medications. The section on nutrition clearly explains the requirements of the different stages of the disease, on modifying the diet, and the vitamin content of different foods. Also included is a section on 'IBD and the Life Cycle', which contains chapters of the different stages of life, what to expect and how to manage.

Topics covered include genetics, going away to study, pregnancy, and IBD later in life. The chapter on children and IBD includes a short section on how to explain the illness to children. There are some chapters devoted to topics that relate to the personal aspects of living with IBD and deal with the emotional as well as the physical problems, such as living with an ostomy, which would be useful for those contemplating this surgery.

In the chapter on 'IBD and Your Self-Image' Audrey Kron, a psychotherapist who has experienced Crohn's disease for more than forty years, talks about IBD and answers some of the questions people ask most about IBD. Audrey covers some of the different emotions a person may experience, dealing with friends, partners and family, and sexual problems.

This book is useful not only because of the factual information it provides, but also because it deals with the personal difficulties that can accompany people with IBD. Throughout the book a positive approach is taken providing suggestions and solutions to problems.