The IBD Remission Diet
by Jini Patel Thompson

Anyone ill with IBD and searching to find that different treatment approach that isn't bordering on the absurd or puts one's health at further risk, then this book is a must for you. It's also an essential addition to the author's previous book - Listen to Your Gut: Natural Healing and Dealing with Inflammatory Bowel Disease & Irritable Bowel Syndrome'.

This book contains a sensibly put together dietary and supplementation plan that not only aims to induce remission and help restore the health of the gut and immune system, but also offers advice on the ongoing care of the body to maintain optimum health.

The IBD Remission Diet opens with a brief introduction on the story behind the book and then moves on to a whole chapter about getting started with an elemental diet (a pre-digested liquid form of food). The elemental diet formula that is recommended was devised by the author and consists of natural ingredients that help the bowel to rest and heal while providing all the nutrients and calories the body requires. Information on certain allowable forms of each nutrient, why they are needed and how to make the elemental diet shakes and calculate the daily requirements are fully explained. Guidelines on the length of time to stay on the elemental diet are tailored to meet the varying state of illness and whether there are any other problems such as bleeding, malnutrition and fistulas.

The supplementation plan in the following chapter outlines specific supplements that can be added to the elemental diet shakes to improve the health of the immune and digestive system. Shake recipes are provided along with recipes for natural organic vegetable and meat based broths that can be taken in between the shakes to give added nutrition and variety. There is also information on how to make and administer an herbal based enema (for colonic bleeding) and how to help fistula healing (including the use of products derived from the Australian tea tree and a herbal suppository).

After achieving the desired effect from being on the elemental diet the next step outlines the gradual re-introduction of solid foods. To assist with this process, a food re-introduction chart lists in which order foods are to be introduced and at what stage. Instructions are given on what intolerances or reactions to watch for and how these can be overcome.

In a chapter that deals with the ongoing care and health of the body, the author (who was diagnosed with Crohn's disease several years ago) writes about the need for probiotic supplementation when starting back on solid foods. This follows with advice on adopting a maintenance diet which involves making those lifestyle adjustments that concern the consumption of foods or taking in of substances not agreeable to good health and the positives of ensuring care for emotional well-being and exercising for good health.

A checklist and step by step action plan in the closing pages is a useful guide in helping put into effect the whole IBD Remission Diet plan. Provision for taking down relevant notes has been included throughout the book and a product supplier list, other recommended reading and testimonials are listed at the back of the book.

For anyone seriously interested in following the dietary and supplementation plan and other advice in this book, it will require a lot of self discipline and time. It may also be quite difficult or impractical for some to source many of the ingredients and products outside of Canada and the U.S., while the monetary cost involved could put some people off as well. None the less and knowing how frustratingly difficult IBD can be, there are many who understandably reach desperation point and are quite prepared to give anything a go. At least this is a plan that has some merit in what it sets out to achieve, despite many of the impracticalities.

Order 'The IBD Remission Diet' online at Caramal Publishing Inc. Canada.

A publication entitled ‘Listen To Your Gut’, written by the same author, is also available for purchase at Caramal Publishing Inc.