Also, this book has information on both stomach and intestinal problems. This book was one of the few books that taught me more about my Crohn's Disease in a very easy to read and understandable approach. Also, the book greatly helped me open up communication with my doctor by helping me better understand my disease. This book was without a doubt the book that I found most helpful in all of the books that I read on the subject. I would recommend this book to anyone who is suffering because it will help you.

109 of 111 found the following review helpful:


Very sound practical advice for IBD patients  Feb 21, 2002 By Dr. Marc Axelrod "PM"
Some of the questions that IBD patients have are "What can I eat? Which foods will promote intestinal healing? Are there any supplements or vitamins that I should be taking?" Dr Scala answers these questions and more. He says that many doctors dispense pills to get you through the current "flare-up," but are not personally well informed on good nutrition, fitness, and preventative care. He even says that many medical schools simply do not teach about diet, nutrition and fitness.

While he resists the notion that good eating habits and nutrition alone will cure Colitis and Crohn's disease (he reminds readers that these diseases are chronic illnesses), he does suggest that 70% of the time, it can get you through a flare up without having to resort to taking steroids. That should perk up the ears of those who are sick and tired of all the nasty side effects associated with steroid use.

Dr. Scala strongly encourages the IBD patient to stay away from foods high in saturated fats and to eat lots of rice, potatoes, fish (for the omega 3 fatty acids that the IBD patient needs to promote healing in the colon), chicken, turkey, vegetables, and fruit without the skin on it. During the initial stages of a flareup, he recommends a liquid supplement to solid food, such as Encare.

The book is handy, helpful, and practical. I especially recommend it for the IBD patient, but it is also a good book for those who are simply interested in good nutrition.

97 of 102 found the following review helpful:


"Good Gut" feel for "Bad Gut" book.  Mar 28, 2000
A comprehensive book with a well thought out strategy for those who suffer with this chronic disease. Depending on drugs is necessary for periods of flare ups, however because we live contiually with this disease we need to have a lifelong strategy and Dr. Scala is a knowledgeable source. I read his original and this updated version is better than the original. People who do not have this disease do not realize how hard it is facing every day without knowing what may and may not cause discomfort or flare ups. Unfortuneately society has made eating more than the necessary maintenance of life. If you think of any milestone of life, there is an emphasis on food consumption somewhere. In today's day and age there are more choices than ever of what we consume into our systems. Some foods are deceiving choices. We who have this disease can benefit on the proven knowledge of Dr. James Scala's advice not for a meal at a time but for a lifetime. This book is recommended for those who have one of these diseases or are supporting someone who does.

64 of 66 found the following review helpful:


Good Advice, realistic, very informative  Nov 29, 2000 By S. Lorenzen
I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease when I was 12 years old. I went through the sulfa drugs, the prednisone, the sick-days. Figuring out the right foods was some trial-and-error. This book reduces the learning curve for eating habits for IBD. I learned things the hard way and just avioded what hurt, this book tells you WHY certain foods do things. It also tells you what foods can help reduce flare-ups and the runs. From my own 12 years of living with Crohn's this is the best resource I have found yet that keeps it simple and realistic. If you have had IBD for years you'll probably still learn something. If you were recently diagnosed, first I'd like to say I'm sorry, but next I'd add that taking care of yourself physically and mentally is KEY. Diet can play a suprisingly big role in both. Good luck, and read this book.

77 of 81 found the following review helpful:


Good concepts  Feb 17, 2003
Dr. Scala's book opens with the quote, "Let thy food be thy medicine", and suggests diet and lifestyle habits that are least likely to cause flare-ups.

For me, some of the things I liked most about Scala's book included: Discussion of the nutritional challenges for people with IBD (vitamins, minerals..); Listings of foods that typically cause problems (including processed foods, sugar, corn, whole nuts, many dairy products...); A lot of information about dark skinned cold-water fish (like salmon) and the therapeutic benefits of their essential oils; The suggestion to keep a food diary to help one confirm what is/is not working, but also to document more than just food (emotions, stress, etc.), serving sizes, environmental factors; "End Of Day" self evaluation - How well did I do today? (a self-critique of food and lifestyle choices).

As someone who follows the SCDiet, many of the foods Scala suggests are contrary to what I follow (i.e., he suggests oatmeal, cornflakes, branflakes as foods that don't cause flare-ups; he suggests these for their low-residue/irritation characteristics but I would not eat them because of the complex carbs they contain and the flare-ups that might result from digesting them) but I choose to recognize this book as very useful nonetheless. One can certainly make one's own adjustments to Scala's suggestions, taking a patient-centric approach to healing. We're all different, and what works for one patient may require modification in another.

I especially agree with Scala's insights into whole-body aspects of IBD, and the way outlook, exercise, stress, love, etc. can play a role in one's condition. If you're going to read his book and consider the realistic concept of achieving intestinal health through diet I'd also suggest Elaine Gottschall's "Breaking The Vicious Cycle", Patel-Thompson's "Listen To Your Gut", and Trenev's "Probiotics: Nature's Internal Healers" as complementary reading.

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