Books of Interest
Here is a list of books, authored by knowledgable healthcare professionals, which provide trustworthy information about a variety of topics relating to gastrointestinal disorders and digestive health. These books are published by outside publishers – not by IFFGD.
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Title: Controlling IBS the Drug-Free Way: A 10-Step Plan for Symptom Relief
- Author: Jeffrey M. Lackner, Psy.D.
Publisher: STC Healthy Living (2007)
Pages: 256 (paperback)
ISBN: 978-158479-575-9 - For more than 10 years, Dr. Jeffrey M. Lackner has been helping patients gain control of their symptoms. In this book, Dr. Lackner offers IBS sufferers the same tools that have helped many patients control their bowel problems. Research shows that the techniques featured in this book can improve IBS patients’ conditions and help them reclaim lives lost to this common gastrointestinal problem. The book offers a step-by-step approach to reduce symptoms without drugs or professional help. User-friendly worksheets, interactive exercises, self-assessment checklists, and diaries for tracking symptoms and trigger foods are included to help readers master each skill. Also included are up-to-date overviews of medications and dietary strategies.
- Jeffrey Lackner is director of the Behavioral Medicine Clinic and Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine at the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Medicine. Available through booksellers.
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Title: Understanding Your Bowels
- Authors: George F. Longstreth, M.D. and Ken W. Heaton, M.D.
Publisher: Family Doctor Publications (2006)
Pages: 140 (paperback)
ISBN-10: 142850012X -
Here is a concise, easy to read book designed to help any reader understand how their bowels work, what can go wrong, and what can be done to fix the problems. Topics range from chronic symptoms such constipation, diarrhea, or bloating to disorders such as IBS or diverticulosis. An explanation of the physician visit and tests will help patients get the most out of their doctor visit. Originally published in Great Britain, the book has recently been re-published for U.S. readers.
Dr. Heaton and Dr. Longstreth are prolific writers and dedicated clinicians with many years of experience in the field of digestive health and illness. Dr. Longstreth is Chief of Gastroenterology with the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Plan and is Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine. Dr. Heaton was until recently Reader in Medicine at the University of Bristol, U.K. and Honorary Consultant Physician to the United Bristol Hospitals Trust. Together they have written this user-friendly volume. The book contains colorful and understandable illustrations, a list of useful resources, and a helpful glossary of terms. Recommended for anyone seeking to understand a bowel disorder and how to find help. Available through booksellers.
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Title: American Dietetic Association Guide to Better Digestion
- Author: Leslie Bonci, R.D., M.P.H.
Publisher: Wiley (2003)
Pages: 256 pages (paperback)
ISBN: 0471442232
- Leslie Bonci is the director of sports medicine nutrition for the Department of Orthopedic Surgery and the Center for Sports Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and is an adjunct assistant professor of nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. Backed by the American Dietetic Association, this user-friendly guide shows you how to analyze your eating habits so that you can map out a dietary plan to manage and reduce the uncomfortable symptoms of digestive disorders.
You’ll find practical recommendations for implementing changes in your lifestyle and advice on steering clear of common dietary mistakes. Your meals will be pleasurable and nourishing experiences – not painful ones – when you discover how to make the best and most comfortable food choices so you can embark on the road to digestive health. Available through booksellers.
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Title: Rome III: The Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders
- Senior Editor: Douglas A. Drossman, MD
Publisher: Degnon Associates (2006)
Pages: 1,048 pages (paperback)
ISBN: 096568376 (hardback); 0965683753 (paperback)
Five years in the making, Rome III is designed for “one stop” learning for health professionals. It serves is as a valuable resource to general and specialist physicians, mental health professionals, and basic and clinical investigators involved in the study and care of patients with functional GI disorders. The Rome teams of internationally recognized investigators and clinicians have again come together to produce a new standard for the evaluation and care of patients having these complex and prevalent disorders. Rome III provides the most up-to-date information on the epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of irritable bowel syndrome and over 20 more functional GI disorders commonly seen in clinical practice. -
This third edition is expanded with 17 chapters to address the needs of both investigators and clinicians. New chapters include pharmacology and pharmacokinetics, sociocultural influences relating to gender, age, and cultural influences, functional abdominal pain, and two chapters on pediatrics for the neonate/toddler and child/adolescent.
Includes “red flag” questions to aid the clinician in identifying symptoms and signs that would suggest further evaluation (to exclude other diagnoses) or when needed to make a referral. A table is included that compares the Rome II and new Rome III diagnostic criteria. Available online at www.romecriteria.org.
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Title: Conquering Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Author: Nicholas J. Talley, M.D.
Publisher: BC Decker Inc. (2005)
Pages: 198 (paperback)
ISBN: 1-896998-22-4
- In this book, Dr. Talley, professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, tells readers how to use evidence-based medicine to evaluate the options and find relief for IBS. In addition he includes information that explains symptoms and why they occur; how to work with a doctor to develop an effective treatment plan; alternative therapies; new medicines; research … and the hope it offers for the future. The book will help you understand and examine the validity and merits of treatment options and various management strategies ranging from diet to drugs. High-quality, easy-to-understand illustrations help clarify key concepts. Available through booksellers.
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Title: The Placebo Effect and Health: Combining Science and Compassionate Care
- Author: W. Grant Thompson, MD
Publisher: Prometheus Books (2005)
Pages: 350 (paperback)
ISBN: 1591022754
- The doctor-patient relationship has become increasingly impersonal and superficial. As medical technology and treatment have improved, and time constraints have become more demanding, the beneficial effects of meaningful doctor-patient interactions have too often been overlooked. Nonetheless, objective clinical trials have repeatedly shown that real, measurable benefits to the patient occur through the placebo effect, the positive effects of the doctor's presence and personality plus the patient's belief in the efficacy of the treatment. Dr. Thompson argues that understanding the placebo effect is important for the care of the ill, the design of clinical trials, and for healthcare policy planning. He contends that we should be using judiciously the best medical evidence, but even that can be undermined by insensitive delivery.
- Dr. Thompson is professor emeritus of medicine at the University of Ottawa where he served as Chief of Gastroenterology for 17 years. He has written an important, accessible, and interesting work that deepens our understanding of both the tangible and intangible factors that affect health. He convincingly demonstrates that patients need the best that science has to offer combined with kind and compassionate care giving by doctors in order for a treatment to be its most effective. Available through booksellers.
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Title: My Tummy Hurts: A Complete Guide to Understanding and Treating Your Child's Stomachaches
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Author: Joseph Levy, M.D.
Publisher: Fireside (2004)
Pages: 288 (paperback)
ISBN: 0743236068From a baby's colic to an older child's complaint of "my tummy hurts," abdominal distress is painful for kids and worrisome to parents, ranking second only to upper respiratory tract infections as the most common reason for non-routine visits to the pediatrician. In many cases, the discomfort is easily remedied and even prevented, but some kinds of pain indicate a more serious affliction. How can parents make the distinction?
Dr. Levy offers a guide, drawing from more than two decades of experience as a pediatric gastroenterologist. He is professor of clinical pediatrics at Columbia University Medical Center and director of the Children's Digestive Health Center at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. My Tummy Hurts is organized for easy reference, providing a handbook for parents and caregivers. Available through booksellers.