Eating for IBS : 175 Delicious, Nutritious, Low-Fat, Low-Residue Recipes to Stabilize the Touchiest Tummy 

by Heather Van Vorous

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
BUY THIS BOOK RIGHT NOW!!!!!, January 19, 2001 
Reviewer: Abra Carroll Nardo (see more about me) from Bloomington, IN USA
If you have IBS, you MUST get this book. I have had IBS for 15 of my 31 years. I have spent time and effort reading about IBS, making food diaries charting how different foods make me feel. Most of the conclusions that have taken me years to find out on my own are in this book. I wish it had been given to me when I was 16. Most books give vague suggestions that don't help. IBS is treatable, but only with diet. Nothing else I've tried has worked. And I've tried everything. I always felt like I had some psychological problem that made me have these reactions to food, but it's clear I don't. I still experience stress, but nothing gives me an attack quicker than a glass of milk or a large plate of fried food. All of the suggestions that she makes are right in line with what it took me years to find out. I knew that I couldn't drink orange juice on an empty stomach, but I thought that was only relevant to me! To think, there are millions of others who could have benefited from this same bit of knowledge. The diet is perfect for me. There are only a few other things that are different for me. First, I am able to eat yogurt (except not frozen yogurt) without added fruit without any problems. Second, I am very allergic to MSG ..., which means I have lots of trouble with soups (because of the MSG in the broth), frozen foods, salad dressings, many veggie burgers, and the like. Lastly, caffeine causes me no trouble in small quantities. Through the use of this book as a starting off point, a person with IBS can quickly find a new way of eating that will change their life for the better. I HIGHLY, HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend this book. I am so happy it's been written. Hooray! 

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
Mealtime dining that will please even the gourmet palate, January 15, 2001 
Reviewer: Midwest Book Review (see more about me) from Oregon, WI USA
Heather Van Vorous draws upon her experience as one suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) for more than 20 years and who has gradually learned to control her symptoms through dietary modifications in Eating For IBS. Heather showcases 175 delicious, nutritious, low-fat, low-residue recipes that combine the taste and satisfaction of homestyle cooking with the dietary necessities imposed by this discomforting condition. From Fresh Mint-Leaf Lemonade, Brown Sugar Banana Bread, and Chinese Sweet Corn and Crab Velvet Soup, to Tandoori Spiced Mango Shrimp, Garden Veggie Lo Mein, and Brer Rabbit Carrot Cake, Eating For IBS is a "must" for all IBS sufferers, and offer mealtime dining that will please even the most dedicated gourmet palate. 

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
The DELICIOUS answer to my prayers!!!, November 24, 2000 
Reviewer: Teddi (see more about me) 
If you have IBS you MUST get this book. It will open your eyes, believe me. Finally I have a clear, logical, rational explanation of exactly HOW and WHY foods affect IBS. I would like to meet the author so that I could thank her in person. She has probably saved my life and definitely my sanity. I have been so sick for so many years and no one has ever helped me. Finally I now know why I get sick from certain foods, and I know how to avoid them. Even better, I know which foods I can eat safely. Why didn't my doctors ever explain to me how foods affect IBS? WHY do I feel like this information been kept in the dark? How come no one ever told me the things that are in this book? I have looked for help with my IBS for years and no one ever knew anything, not doctors or other self help books. Sometimes their advice even made me worse. NOW I KNOW!!! 

Reading this book was amazing because I felt like it was written especially for me. Suddenly I had the answers to things I have been searching for for years. And best of all the recipes are totally delicious! I just made Thanksgiving dinner with these recipes and not only did my family love them (the stuffing and that sweet potatoe pecan pie is heaven!) but for the first time in as long as I can remember I did not have to spend my holiday in agony after eating. I truly think that my IBS will now be in the past. I have given copies of this book to my friends and family so they know what I'm dealing with. And I am actually looking forward to eating now instead of dreading it. So far I have made banana bread, Italian tomato and bread salad, lemongrass chicken, barbecued salmon, rice pudding, and mandarin chocolate cake. It would be enough to just eat again without getting sick, but this food was WONDERFUL. And I still have hundreds of other recipes to make! I am so grateful to have found this book. Thank you thank you thank you! 

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
Common sense advice for IBS sufferers, November 22, 2000 
Reviewer: A reader from Lockport, NY USA
I found this book to be very informative and helpful. The recipes I have tried so far have been delicious and I haven't had to buy any "weird" ingredients. I highly recommend this book. 

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
a book that teaches you what and when to eat food for IBS, November 9, 2000 
Reviewer: lycia77 (see more about me) from New Orleans, LA United States
Anyone who has IBS knows that controlling your diet can be very difficult. This book helps address the issue of diet and foods for those with IBS. Eating for IBS is written in a simple and easy to understand way that makes it a pleasure to read. Also, the information in the book is not from a doctor it is from someone WHO HAS SUFFERED FROM IBS...this is what helps makes this book so good and honest.

The book itself has two main sections. The first is an overview of what IBS is and what foods work with and against your colon. Some of the great parts of this section are a list of trigger foods (and why they are trigger foods), an explanation of the different types of fiber and fiber foods, IBS kitchen essentials, and many other great tips.

The other part of the book is recipes. These are low residue recipes that work with a sensitive stomach. The categories of recipes listed are wide and include: beverages, appetizers and snacks, breakfasts, breads, side dishes and salads, soups and sanwiches, main dishes and desserts. The recipe section also contains a menu at-a-glance feature. The recipes in this book are great. They include flavor, great taste, and variety. The author of the book, Heather Van Vorous, uses many substitutes to make recipes that were normally unthinkable great for people with IBS. Also, the recipes included generally are easy to make. Another great feature is that each recipe has a very detailed nutrient analysis directly under it on the page. 

The one downfall of this book is that many of the recipes require ingredients that aren't normally found on your local grocery store shelves. However, Vorous does respond to this problem by having a directory of resources in the back that includes phone numbers and web address of places where these items may be purchased. Another downfall of the book is that some of the recipes just seem to elaborate for an everyday meal--a few of them just seem so fancy they should be served at a dinner party.

Overall, this book is really fantastic. Although it has a few problems, as noted above, this book is well worth the cost. It can help people who suffer from both mild and severe IBS. The advice and recipes contained within the book help people with IBS realize that they don't have to give up great tasting food. This is a really good buy for anyone who suffers with IBS.

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
The only book on IBS written by an IBS sufferer..., November 8, 2000 
Reviewer: xinamine (see more about me) from Boston, MA USA
If you have IBS, you already know how frustrating and debilitating this disorder can be. It affects and often controls your whole life, and consumes time and money as you go from doctor to doctor, medication to medication, explore alternative healing modalities. Heather Von Vorous's book is the best $17 you will ever spend in an effort to learn to control your IBS symptoms. This is the only book on IBS written by a fellow IBS sufferer. Ms. Von Vorous is a sympathetic and understanding writer. Personally, I suffered from severe IBS and found no relief until I found Ms. Von Vorous's website..., which she has turned into her book, Eating for IBS. I followed her reccomendations and recipes to the letter for two months, and began to see my IBS in a whole new light. Not only did I greatly improve my IBS symptoms, but I discovered through this book a healthy, wholesome way to eat and enjoy food again. Ms. Von Vorous strongly believes that having IBS should not mean deprivation as far as food is concerned, but simply substitution. And her recipes deliver. Did you ever think you would be able to enjoy wonderful cakes and sweet breads without paying for it later with stomach pain and discomfort? Or eat gelato or Thai stir-fry without any consequences? Well, believe it! This book literally saved my life. Before I found this book, I weighed 87 pounds, could not tolerate any foods, and had IBS symptoms so severe I had to quit my job. Now I am gaining back my lost weight, can enjoy a tremendous variety of foods, and can live a normal, full live again. If you are ready to start managing your IBS and can open your mind to the suggestions and diet modifications that Ms. Von Vorous presents, you will be amazed at the results. As an IBS sufferer, I have infinite sympathy for others like myself who suffer from this awful condition for which there is no medical cure. This book does not propose a miracle "cure" for IBS, but it will aid you tremendously in managing it, so you can be in control of your life again! Heather Von Vorous' thorough, detailed and compassionate information and recipes are better than any pills, potions, or doctor's advice on this disease that I have come across.