Healthy Gut=Improved Immune Function
This book review was published in the Park Rapids Enterprise in May 2020. Even though I will be featuring intestinal health topics in 2023, because COVID is still problematic, focusing on your gut health now will positively improve your immune function. In addition, your hormones are metabolized by your liver and gut microbiome, so any steps to fine tune your intestinal health should improve hormone harmony.
Mayo Clinic on Digestive Health: How to Prevent and Treat Common Stomach and Gut Problems
Approximately 70% of your immune system resides in your gut! In January 2020, Mayo Clinic published an updated fourth edition of Mayo Clinic on Digestive Health. Overall, I was impressed with this book. The format is very straightforward and logical--it almost reminds me of a modern middle school or high school science textbook and could probably be used as such for those who homeschool or for anyone who wishes to understand gastrointestinal anatomy, function, testing, and treatment options. It is a moderately sized paperback with pleasant photos and high-quality paper. Although the content of this resource is very conventional or allopathic (there are very few references to supplements with the rare mention of probiotics and supplemental fiber), I still recommend this reference book for its wealth and breadth of information.
The first section of the book covers “Digestive Health Basics” including a succinct glossary of medical terms related to gastroenterology. This initial part provides a chapter on guidelines for what to eat for healthy digestion (with which I mostly agree), contains another chapter on common conditions and simple treatment suggestions, and lastly provides a thorough, yet understandable explanation of diagnostic tests which might be ordered for different intestinal issues. Chapter two is devoted entirely to the emerging gut microbiome; the author uses a great analogy that compares the gut microbiome to an ecosystem. Within this chapter, he also devotes a page to a novel and fascinating treatment called fecal transplantation. Astonishingly in the second section “Digestive Diseases,” the first topic addressed is obesity which I found extremely progressive; the author explains earlier in the book: “considerable research has linked an unhealthy gut microbiome to the development of obesity in humans”(pg. 28).
The portion of the book which excites me the most is the FODMAP Eating Plan. This diet can be used for any type of dietary distress (bloating, gas, pain, diarrhea, constipation), but it is most frequently recommended for those people who suffer from IBS as up to 76% of people with IBS who implement this diet will experience symptom improvement. The author does emphasize that “this diet is not a diet for life. It’s a tool to help you learn which foods agree with you, and which don’t” (pg. 301). If you give this plan a try and it helps, I encourage you to investigate further as most people with IBS suffer from a disorder called SIBO, aka small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. www.siboinfo.com provides a tremendous wealth of valuable and reliable information on this complicated topic. This eleven page appendix is a hidden gem, a most concise yet thorough guide that walks you through the elimination, reintroduction, and maintenance phase of the low FODMAP diet and gives an extremely complete list of foods allowed and food to avoid. I have already recommended this section to several patients and anticipate I will continue to recommend this entire reference book when appropriate.
A special thank you to our beloved local Indie bookstore for loaning me this book for review.
Happy Reading!
Rachel Oppitz, ND
P.S.
Helping women go from chaotic to calm with compassion, creativity, and clarity.
Itasca Naturopathic Clinic
