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Hello All,
Just wanted to pass along an AMAZING book for you to read! If you are anything like me, I really like to know what is going on with my body and why it is happening. On a suggestion from my sister, I picked up "IBS for Dummies" and started to read it. I think we all have accepted that IC is a disease stemming from dysfunction of the intestine, so I thought... what the heck.
I must say, it was the most amazing read ever. i could not put it down and in parts, I started to cry. Everything made perfect sense to me. All the weird symptoms that we all describe on this site like fibro, hip pain, eye twitching, hair falling out... EVERYTHING! Made sense. This book described why all of these things inlcluding our urgency, frequency, burning, etc happen, but in scientfic/biological terms. The book is not overwhelming, in my opinion, in terms of spouting off too many sciency terms (of course, this is coming from a science teacher)
If you are at all like me and need to understand things and why they are happening before you commit to doing something, you must read this book. I believe that most of what it says is in line with what Matia is doing. They do recommend some Western remedies, but for the most part, they absolutely stress key components to recovery: diet, stress elmination, herbal protocal in the hands of a loving/educated professional and exercise.
P.S.
Just wanted to also clarify that by making this post, I am simply saying that I really liked this book because for me, it explained WHY things were happening which is really important for me to know. The other really interesting thing they discuss is vaccinations and ALL sorts of possible causes of IBS/intestinal dysfunciton. Very interesting.
Great Suggestion
Jeanette, Great suggestion! I love the For Dummies books. One day, I would love to see one on IC.Sharon
Very similar
Although I am sure not identical, I truly believe that IBS is the fraternal twin of IC. The symptoms almost seemt to be identical (according to this book) and I love how the book very clearly outlines methods to deal with all aspects of this illness including family, spritual, psychological, physical, etc. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who has IC and/or IBS.
IBS Book
I was researching the IBS book and it looks like the older version from 2005 has an alternative medical focus. The newest book (published in 2008) has a different author and a western bent. The book is on Amazon.cim for $4 is you are interested.
Book recs
Thanks Jeanette for the recommendation, I will be buying this. Thanks Sharon for advising on edition differences.
yes, GREAT book
Thanks for the recommendation. I ran right out to my nearest Half Price Books and they had it. I'm reading an edition by Carolyn Dean and L. Christine Wheeler, and it's awesome. They talk SO much about yeast! And finally break the secret that yeast isn't just for the vagina, as so many of the doctor's I've been to seem to think. She even says that that is basically what dr's are taught in medical school.I like having an idea what the yeast looks like, there are several times where it is described what it starts out as (cute round buds) and turns into at invasive stage (thread-like tissue). That helps me to visualize the yeast being neutralized. It talks about how these thread-like creatures bore into the small intenstine, so that helps me realize how tenatious they are and probably one reason treatment is so slow and up and down. The book is also making me really concentrate more on my eating habits: chewing, diluding stomach enzymes too much by drinking too much water during meals, etc. The chapter on how our digestive system works is awesome, but I do think I'll need to read it many more times for it to sink in.Thank you again!!
Hi ALL.
Hi ALL.
I wanted to give this old post a bump. In Dr. B's dissertation, she mentions that IC is an evolution of sorts of the disease of IBS. In our struggles to understand and come to terms with this illness, this book (the OLDER addition) may be of some help. Also, it may help us explain our illness in a more sucint manner to others. I struggle with how to do this, and Ally had suggested that I say I have an autoimmune disorder, which people do understand on some level. I also sometimes say I have a version of IBS with painful bladder symptoms. People kind of get this. In any event, I know that it is helpful for us with a somewhat "hidden" chronic condition to be able to find the elevater version/description of IC. Sometimes I just say I am healing from a gut imbalance and working with a gifted alternative medicine doctor. That shuts people up quickly about the restricted diet. I often don't like to say I have IC, because then some of my friends do a search on the illness and come up with only horror stories, and that is not/will not be my story. I just bought this book for a reduced price on Amazon and have seen it on a 1/2 price book website as well. Just be sure to get the Dean/Wheeler version.
xo
If we don't excel at health, the only other option is disease.