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Books that Deal with Crohn's Disease, Ulcerative Colitis and IBD

mikeyarmo

Co-Founder
I would first like to remind everyone that Crohn's Forum has its own Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis Bookstore. Purchases from there will have a portion of the revenue donated to fund IBD research. The bookstore can be found at: http://astore.amazon.com/crohnsforum-20

This forum is a place to read and give your own reviews of books that deal with Inflammatory Bowel Disease. They can be purely scientific (like a medical overview of the disease), deal with the emotional aspect, the diet aspect, or any other aspect of the disease.

Each review should provide some general information about the book and should also provide either a personal summary of what was in the book, actual listing of some information (facts) from the book and any other information you may deem important.

It is my hope that people can use this section to learn more about their disease based on the information found in the many books that deal with topics that affect our disease in some way. Since there is so much information out there, I hope that this place can summarize a lot of it to allow everyone to really easily learn a lot about managing this disease. This is no substitute for these books, but hopefully it can allow you to determine which books may be the best for your goals in controlling IBD.

Here is a list of the books I will be adding in the future:
  • The Angry Gut: Coping With Colitis and Crohn's Disease
  • Bowel Continence Nursing
  • Breaking the Vicious Cycle: Intestinal Health Through Diet
  • Care of Gastrointestinal Problems in the Older Adult (Springer Series on Geriatric Nursing)
  • Coping with Crohn's Disease: Manage Your Physical Symptoms and Overcome the Emotional Challenges
  • Crohn's Disease & Ulcerative Colitis (Your Personal Health Series)
  • The Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis Fact Book
  • Current Diagnosis & Treatment in Gastroenterology
  • Diet for a New America: How Your Food Choices Affect Your Health, Happiness and the Future of Life on Earth
  • The First Year---Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis: An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed
  • Fit for Life: Not Fat for Life
  • Gastroenterology Nursing: A Core Curriculum
  • Gastrointestinal Nursing
  • The Good Gut Guide
  • Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Clinical Gastroenterology)
  • Inflammatory Bowel Diseases
  • The Maker's Diet: The 40 Day Health Experience That Will Change Your Life Forever
  • Management of Chrohn's Disease
  • The New Eating Right for a Bad Gut : The Complete Nutritional Guide to Ileitis, Colitis, Crohn's Disease, and Inflammatory Bowel Diseaese
  • The Ostomy Book: Living Comfortably With Colostomies, Ileostomies, and Urostomies
  • Positive Options for Crohn's Disease: Self-Help and Treatment
  • Stoma Care And Rehabilitation
  • What Your Doctor Hasn't Told You and the Health Store Clerk Doesn't Know
  • What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Autoimmune Disorders:
 
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stephrena

Guest
I have read a few of these books....Got 4 at the library last weekend, found lots of good info....Sometimes, reading stuff can be overwhelming because it is so much info to digest. I am a newbie, and I feel overwhelmed, stressed, and frustrated, but reading some of those books have helped, that is for sure.
 
D

deanhp

Guest
I have a few of those books. the most recent one I picked up was the makers diet by jordin s rubin. A friend at work told me about the book. She said her friend went on the diet and was cured completely of chrohns desease. That gave me inspiration and I just got the book. So Im reading it now. I cant wait to try out the diet.
 
H

HDGirl

Guest
it can be overwhelming

Yes, I agree many of those books can be overwhelming and depressing. It is important to not feel doomed after reading them. They are there to help and for newbies it may make you feel like your life is over. Let's face it, we only search for info when we need it. When we are in remission, we don't need to read about Crohn's. Take the info as help, not as your life's bio. Take the info to make you stronger. The more you know and expect the better prepared you are.
 
Breaking the Vicious Cycle by Elaine Gottschall is an excellent book, so far her diet is working great for me!
 
The makers diet, jordin rubin or something like it...it's a good read, the diet definitely helps alot, but I haven't gotten a full cure, but then I haven't been taking probiotics or any of the stuff they try to sell. Just generrally follow the book's recommendations in regards to diet.
 
Well, I have ordered What To Eat With Ibd: A Comprehensive Nutrition and Recipe Guide for Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis

I'll see how it goes, and let others know.
 
Joe,

I have been following the advice in that book as well as the advice in The New eating right for a bad gut by James Scala since the beginning of July. The advice is virtually the same in both books. I have been doing very well since religiously following their nutritional guidelines. I also took a round of Sedacrohn when I started the diet, which I think has played a real role in me regaining my health. Your mileage may vary.
 
I really liked James Scala's book. Helped me narrow down what might be problematic...I really had no idea as to what things can cause intestinal distress.

Another book that I got that deals with autoimmune diseases in general has helped me too...interesting since many of the diseases seem to be interrelated and you are more likely to get others once having one.

Living Well With Autoimmune Disease: What your doctor doesn't tell you...what you need to know

By: Mary J. Shomon

You can get it on Amazon.com along with the book I mentioned earlier that I finally got and began reading it is:

The Autoimmune Epidemic: Bodies Gone Haywire in a World Out of Balance-and the Cutting Edge Science That Promises Hope

By: Donna Jackson Nakazawa
 
I just read the "Breaking the Vicious Cycle" book explaining the Specific Carbohydrate diet. I started this diet about a week ago and i feel it's making me feel better with much less pain.

I suggest if you want to go on this diet to read the book, and also chekc the online sites baout it as some are very helpful in defing what you can and can't eat, as well as recipes.
 
Anybody know of any non-medical books? It's easy to get mentally wrecked from this disease, it would be nice to read something written by a psychologist or someone like this.
 
Some non medical books Ive read-

Learning Sickness- A year with Crohn's disease Author: James M. Lang
GREAT READ!

It Takes more than guts Author: Phillip Van Hooser

Just Fine- Unmasking concealed crohnic illness & Pain Author: Carol Sveilich, MA
the last one is not all about crohn's disease but is a great read with stories from real people about there struggles with crohnic conditions.

Get to know your gut- Everything you wanted to know about burping, bloating, candida, constipation, food allergies, farting, and poo but were afraid to ask. Author: Joan Sauers
The last one is a interesting read lol I keep it by the toilet people seem to get a kick out of it. and it does have interesting stuff in it.

Here are some medical ones though that were worth reading:

Straight from the gut: Living with crohn's disease & UC
This one is a great book. It talks about dealing with Prednisone, Dealing with insurance and employment, finding emotional support, and resources, and about finding state of the art treatment. its definetly one every one should own.

Crohn's disease & UC- Everything you needed to know Author: Fred Saibil, M.D.
also a medical book, but a good resource
 
Almost forgot- I just picked up a book that's not really a book but It's been working great for me. I use it to track everything I eat like a food diary. It just makes it kind of fun, Yes I'm a dork but I always forgot to write it all down before. But it's got a weight tracker in it. and it helps remind me to take my supplements. and you can track my hunger/fullness as well. If you can't tell i'm still excited about this one. lol

The Ultimate Diet Log Author: Suzanne Schlosberg & Cynthia Sass
 
I am looking for a book light on diet and psychiatric/emotional advice and heavy on what scientific studies have shown works at keeping Chrohn's disease or its symptoms in check. Can anyone suggest something along that line?

(It makes sense that diet would make a difference but what I eat doesn't appear to affect my symptoms one way or the other.)
 
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I have found quite a bit on the web. I guess I was looking for the magic book. The problem is there are soooo many different ways Crohn's can attack you, so there's a lot of advice that won't apply to many of us with the disease. So I'm picking my way through the reviews and looking for tips on regulating my Crohn's wherever I can get it.
 
How about Dr. Joel Furhmans book called Eat to Live
And Dr, Herbert Shelton Fasting can save your life
Dr. Neal Barnard Fodd for Life
Diet for a new America by John Robbins
 
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