We have suffered from digestive issues for ten years maybe, maybe longer, possibly fifteen years. We tried pretty much everything we could think of, read all sorts of books, we're talking mountains of books over many years & found our situation got progressively worse. It got so bad we stressed out about making it work on time, knowing where private bathrooms were, stressing that we'd embarrass ourselves at work or outside of the home. We went organic. We went Vegan. We went low fat. We ate a sh*t ton of fermented foods. We made our own sourdough breads. We started growing my own food & raising our own animals, to the point where we even now run our own Eco-farm rather than work for someone else, yet we got worse & worse until we read Digestive Health with REAL Food: A Practical Guide to an Anti-Inflammatory, Nutrient Dense Diet for IBS & Other Digestive Issues. We started to follow the most restrictive part of the plan & had instant positive results. And by instant we mean exactly that. All of our suffering was gone on the first day. We followed this plan for two years. It changed our lives. The biggest problem was boredom. We ate a very limited diet. We stumbled across The Complete Low-FODMAP Diet: A Revolutionary Plan for Managing IBS and Other Digestive Disorders for free on Kindle. We read it & bought the hard cover. We later purchased The Low-FODMAP Cookbook: 100 Delicious, Gut-Friendly Recipes for IBS and other Digestive Disorders which we think is a great follow up & has much better recipes (all of them have turned out delicious) plus is more up to date on which foods contain FODMAPs (not all foods have been tested).
Following a low FODMAP lifestyle has been wonderful. We learned a lot & were able to expand what foods we could eat. The problem is we noticed a slight regression. Nothing like the past, but not as good when we followed DHWRF. In this time we also read Gut: The Inside Story of Our Body's Most Underrated Organ. The author is funny & informative. The information provided is enlightening to say the least. We enjoyed this book so much we ordered the Audible version as well (if you haven't figured it out by now, we am obsessed with nutrition & find the newly explored microbiome fascinating). Now most recently we came across this book The Gut Makeover. You better believe we jumped at the chance to read it. We think the book is great. But for first time readers into the complex world of digestion, we strongly recommend you read the other books we linked to first. We know it's a lot of reading, but it is so worth it! The better you understand how your digestion works (and remember we are all different), the better able you will be to make decisions that are right for you. We have already started working towards trying this month long plan. We'd love to drop some weight & maybe, just maybe fix our digestive issues for good. Because we already follow a lifestyle similar to what is recommended in this book, we think we shouldn't have too big of a problem adjusting. For those of you who eat the typical American/western/developed countries type of diet, it will be tough. If you already follow a Paleo or Mediterranean style diet, you should find the plan similar to what you are used to (Note: it is neither of these, just similar). If you are Vegan, there are suggestions for you as well. It's only for a month, to let your microbiome heal & recover.
Think of it as a reset not only for your gut but for your entire body & mind.
Links to the books we've read & reviewed for your convenience!
- Breakfast The Most Important Book About The Best Meal Of The Day
- Complete Wellness Enjoy Long-Lasting Health and Well-Being
- The Sh!t No One Tells You About Pregnancy: A Guide to Surviving Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Beyond
- The Complete Guide To Adaptogens From Ashwagandaha to Rhodiola, Medicinal Herbs That Transform and Heal
- Beginning Beekeeping
- Before The Evolution and Future of Processed Food
- The Psychobiotic Revolution
- Simple & Natural Soapmaking: Create 100% Pure and Beautiful Soaps with The Nerdy Farm Wife’s Easy Recipes and Techniques
- The Flower Book
- The Essential Oils Complete Reference Guide: Over 250 Recipes for Natural Wholesome Aromatherapy
- The Gut Makeover: 4 Weeks to Nourish Your Gut, Revolutionize Your Health, and Lose Weight
- The Field Guide To Pregnancy
- 101 Easy Homemade Products for Your Skin, Health & Home: A Nerdy Farm Wife's All-Natural DIY Projects Using Commonly Found Herbs, Flowers & Other Plants
- The Chicken Health Handbook
- Chickens In Your Backyard: A Beginners Guide
- The Moosewood Restaurant Cooking for Health: More Than 200 New Vegetarian and Vegan Recipes for Delicious and Nutrient-Rich Dishes
- The Joy of Jams, Jellies, and Other Sweet Preserves: 200 Classic and Contemporary Recipes Showcasing the Fabulous Flavors of Fresh Fruits
- The Raw Milk Revolution: Behind America's Emerging Battle over Food Rights
- The Joy of Pickling: 250 Flavor-Packed Recipes for Vegetables and More from Garden or Market
- Style, Naturally: The Savvy Shopping Guide to Sustainable Fashion and Beauty
- The Gort Cloud: The Invisible Force Powering Today's Most Visible Green Brands
- Feed Your Skin, Starve Your Wrinkles
- Sleeping Naked Is Green
- Naturally Thin: Unleash Your SkinnyGirl and Free Yourself from a Lifetime of Dieting
- Ecological Intelligence: How Knowing the Hidden Impacts of What We Buy Can Change Everything
- Beef: The Untold Story of How Milk, Meat, and Muscle Shaped the World
- Fortify Your Life: Your Guide to Vitamins, Minerals, and More
- Healing Herbs: A Beginner's Guide To Identifying, Foraging, and Using Medicinal Plants
- The How Can It Be Gluten Free Cookbook
- The Virgin Diet Cookbook: 150 Easy and Delicious Recipes to Lose Weight and Feel Better Fast
- Flip Dolls & Other Toys That Zip, Stack, Hide, Grab & Go
- Healthy at Home: Get Well and Stay Well Without Prescriptions
- Cows Save the Planet: And Other Improbable Ways of Restoring Soil to Heal the Earth
- Integrative Wellness Rules: A Simple Guide to Healthy Living
- Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us
- How Stella Saved the Farm: A Tale About Making Innovation Happen
- The Virgin Diet: Drop 7 Foods, Lose 7 Pounds, Just 7 Days
- The Easy Organizer: 365 Tips for Conquering Clutter
- The Seed Underground: A Growing Revolution to Save Food
- Probiotics For Dummies
- Beyond Sugar Shock: The 6-Week Plan to Break Free of Your Sugar Addiction & Get Slimmer, Sexier & Sweeter
- Small Business For Dummies
- Starting An Etsy Business For Dummies
- Snip, Burn, Solder, Shred: Seriously Geeky Stuff to Make with Your Kids
- The Beauty Detox Solution: Eat Your Way to Radiant Skin, Renewed Energy and the Body You've Always Wanted
- A Woman's Guide to a Healthy Stomach: Taking Control of Your Digestive Health
- Holy Shit: Managing Manure to Save Mankind
- Diet for a Hot Planet: The Climate Crisis at the End of Your Fork and What You Can Do About It
- Terra Madre: Forging a New Global Network of Sustainable Food Communities
- The Hundred Year Diet: America's Voracious Appetite For Losing Weight
- Twelve by Twelve: A One-Room Cabin Off the Grid and Beyond the American Dream
- Felties: How to Make 18 Cute and Fuzzy Friends from Felt
- Bread Matters: The State of Modern Bread and a Definitive Guide to Baking Your Own
- Luxury Yarn One-Skein Wonders: 101 Small Indulgences