# Book that has saved me



## julesishere (Jun 20, 2003)

Eating for IBS by Heather VanVorous has been a lifesaver for me. She thoroughly details a low-fat vegetarian (xcept for chicken and seafood) diet that will stabilize the digestive system. www.eatingforibs.com.


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## carmen (Jan 29, 2001)

What would be your daily menu on this diet?Thanks


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## Purple_Jewel_Gurl (Sep 6, 2003)

Is that diet for both IBS-C and D? I am IBS-C and wondering would it help me?...Jewel


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## Lexi_Con (Aug 18, 2003)

I have just finished reading "IBS, The First Year" by Heather Van Vorous.I wish I had found it when my IBS got really bad 2 years ago!I had been doing trial-and-error of foods and keeping track, because that just seemed to make sense. It took me 2 years to come up with a fairly comprehensive list.Then I read the book, and discovered that Heather's diet is virtually the same!Could have saved me 2 years of grief if I had seen it before.The diet is for IBS, whether you have D or C.She also gives ideas for lifestyle modifications, and there are even tips for dining out!I have IBS D with GERD (and MSG sensitivity)Take care . . . from Lexi


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## Lexi_Con (Aug 18, 2003)

To Carmen and Purple_Jewel_Gurl,If you want the answers to your questions, check out the website listed above in the first posting.That website is run by Heather Van Vorous, and she does answer other questions there.Hope this helps!







Take care . . . from Lexi


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## Heather Van Vorous (Oct 2, 2001)

Hi - there's actually a new URL for the Eating for IBS site. Check ../diet/ Best,Heather


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## j425g (Jan 24, 2004)

To HeatherI was just diagnosed (but have suffered for many years) and with the help of this web site was directed to your web site. I ordered both books. Thanks so much for posting so much great advice on your site.Jill


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## 23394 (Jul 14, 2006)

I see Heather is now on ibs.org; well i tried her 'diet' and was followed her 'rules' of dieting for IBS for over 2 months and the only thing that it gave me was more gas, and weight-gain. Her diet is high in starches and high and carb. Her diet consist of white flour, white rice, white pasta, french bread. If you look at this stuff there is barely any fiber so she 'pushes' her products. As I was told by my GI Doctor how has been very supportive of the way i have been treating my IBS, stay away from websites selling products, they are a business and nothing else.


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## 23394 (Jul 14, 2006)

Why is it every praises Heather? She is a business women running a business to make money. She is a so called "patient-expert" what is that? I too can be a "patient-expert" because her diet doesn't work. I know I bought her book and followed it for over 2 months. I finaly tossed it!


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

No one diet, drug, herb, treatment, etc works for everyone. Just because something doesn't work for you doesn't mean it is worthless for every person.It seems her diet does work for a lot of people. Nothing works for everyone. I hope you find what works for you.K.


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## Starr (Oct 14, 2006)

Yes, I have this book too, and I have some real reservations with her book-she uses artificial sweeteners, and as another poster mentioned, white flour, white rice, and a whole slew of foods which are major trigger foods for many of us including fructose. I can't see how this is such a "lifesaver," although I am glad for anyone who is being helped here. *BUT* anyone who is using nutrasweet or saccarine, which are advocated in the copy of her book that I have, is asking for more problems--try stevia, or honey, PLEASE. Starrno not a doctor but I am a certified herbologist.


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## 22771 (Aug 27, 2006)

This IBS is weird because some diet, drug, herb etc. is not working for other people but for other people it does. What is the explanation for this?


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## Heather Van Vorous (Oct 2, 2001)

Just FYI, I do NOT use any artificial sweeteners in Eating for IBS or any of my other books. There's a whole article about artificial sweeteners and the trouble they can cause for IBS here ../news/newsletter/...html#askheather- Heather


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## Nanobug (Nov 7, 2006)

> quote:BUT anyone who is using nutrasweet or saccarine, which are advocated in the copy of her book that I have, is asking for more problems--try stevia, or honey, PLEASE.


Honey is *VERY BAD* given that it is 100% fructose. Aspartame appears to be fine because it doesn't feed the bacteria.


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## Mary:::))) (Oct 23, 2006)

Ok....now I am really really confused...I have researched artificial sweetners before I was even diagnosed and found them to be bad....but honey? I am confused because wouldn't that be a beneficial bacteria just like probiotics???? Why would something completely natural be bad....not to sound ignorant...ok I am because I am really confused now...........


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## Nanobug (Nov 7, 2006)

> quote:but honey?


Yeap, because honey is (the sugar content) 100% fructose. And many, many people have trouble with fructose. Let's look at typical symptoms of fructose malabsorption:# bloating# diarrhea and/or constipation# flatulence# stomach painDo you see any similarities with IBS?


> quote:Why would something completely natural be bad?


Well, the flu virus is completely natural too!


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## blondie443 (Feb 7, 2009)

In my situation, I cannot eat any vegetables, fruit or most beans...really anything that has high fiber. Since taking those foods out of my diet, that leaves dairy (which I am not intolerant too, thank goodness), breads, pastas, rice or meat. Sometimes I will still get an episode of diarrhea which I can usually explain (like I ate two bites of salad while at a restaurant...which I KNOW I'll pay for but I miss salad so much). Sometimes I can't explain why i have an "episode" which drives me batty. Obviously, diet is not the CURE for Ibs, it's only a means to relieve symptoms. I told my GI doctor that I will not live the rest of my life without veggies and fruits so she'd better fix the problem, not just try to relieve symptoms. My doc has suggested that I take fructose out of my diet as that may be triggering me, just like eating fruit would. Except fruit has fiber and fructose. But I don't really see a difference there. I eat regular sugar and in some things, I do get substitutes (like crystal light instead of kool aid, since I can't have real juice). Like someone else said, everyone is different. The only book I recommend is written by a doctor that had IBS himself and cured himself. He has a clinic in Seattle that is the only IBS clinic in this country (haven't heard of any outside the US either...)www.ibstreatmentcenter.com


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