Home > Media > Books > Heather Van Vorous and Heather Van Vorous - The First Year - Ibs: (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed
Heather Van Vorous and Heather Van Vorous - The First Year - Ibs: (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed
Bijou's Full Review: Heather Van Vorous and Heather Van Vorous - The Fi...
Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a gastrointestinal disorder that affects one out of five American adults (according to the Mayo Clinic—see below). It is characterized by marked changes in one’s bowel function, and can include symptoms of diarrhea, constipation, bloating, gas, cramps, mucous in one’s stool, and abdominal pain. As you can imagine, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) isn’t a popular conversation topic—an unexpected side effect of suffering from IBS is feeling alone, isolated, confused, and embarrassed. Throughout my life, I have suffered with IBS symptoms, believing that my “bad stomach” was just something that I had to live with—however, over the last two years, my IBS became severe and debilitating. Several doctors and medications later, I still suffered a great deal with what seemed like unmanageable symptoms. My husband researched IBS online and discovered the website (see below) that is hosted by author (and IBS-sufferer) Heather Von Vorous. Her first book, Eating for IBS, features diet and lifestyle advice, as well as 175 recipes for IBS-friendly foods. In her follow-up effort, The First Year: Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Von Vorous presents a valuable reference for those suffering with IBS. Organized in a chronological fashion, The First Year: Irritable Bowel Syndrome offers readers what Von Vorous calls “a survivor’s manual.” Inside, the reader will discover dietary tips and guidelines, stress-reduction strategies, information about prescription medications and supplements, personal anecdotes and testimonials, recipes and more.
A Disorder
IBS is a common disorder—NOT a disease. Once a sufferer has been accurately diagnosed, he/she may find comfort in learning how to get this disorder under control. We learn in The First Year: Irritable Bowel Syndrome that Von Vorous has had IBS since she was nine years-old. Her recipes, tips about supplements, alternative therapies (such as hypnosis or acupuncture), are culled from her research and personal experiences. She admits that although her IBS is under control most of the time (by following her strategies), she still suffers flares and uses prescription medication to deal with them when needed. Van Vorous is not claiming that her tips and strategies are foolproof—instead, she explains that through careful management of one’s symptoms, flares become infrequent and temporary. For someone struggling with IBS, this insight is truly a beacon of hope.
The first section of the book, entitled Your First Week: Learning and Living Every Day, offers the reader an opportunity to acquaint him/herself further with information about IBS: symptoms, how your gastrointestinal tract works, key strategies for controlling and living with IBS, medical information (prescription drugs, doctor’s visits), alternative therapies, and managing stress. In each chapter there are personal anecdotes by IBS sufferers that reveal Van Vorous’ tips translate into personal successes.
I appreciate how the book is organized in a linear fashion; Van Vorous encourages readers to review the book’s contents in a personalized way. Need information about how yoga helps IBS? Check pages 56-63. Wondering how to eat at restaurants safely without triggering an attack? Read pages 144-151. When I first received this book, I had already read Van Vorous’ Eating For IBS and was looking for more in-depth discussion about stress management and alternative therapies. The table of contents directed me to the spots in which I was most interested.
What’s to Know?
The narrative in The First Year: Irritable Bowel Syndrome is clear, approachable, and jargon-free. For more technical terms and definitions, and for a variety of her points, footnotes indicate her research & source material. I learned a great deal about how my diet contributed to the severity and length of my attacks from her information. For example, I knew what “fiber” was—what I DID NOT know was how there are two classifications of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber, according to Van Vorous’ experience and research, “regulates the digestive tract…and normalizes bowel function.” What is soluble fiber? What is typically identified as “starchy” food—rice, pasta, oatmeal, yams, soy, etc. This is only one small example of the plentiful tips I learned from her book. Changing my diet to one where I consume soluble fiber at every meal has helped me manage my IBS. My doctors NEVER mentioned anything about my need of soluble fiber.
We learn in The First Year: Irritable Bowel Syndrome that there is no one particular food that triggers IBS. Van Vorous does identify categories of food that are known triggers: fatty foods (fried food), caffeine, carbonation, dairy products, eggs, olives, nuts and nut butters, red meat, oils, and more. It is SO HELPFUL to have a guide that gives some information about what to avoid eating, and what to substitute that is SAFE to eat. She also stresses that people with IBS need to pay attention to WHAT they eat as well as HOW they eat it—huge meals are taxing to the digestive system. Starving oneself (avoiding eating out of fear of an attack) causes a flare to perpetuate. She explains how she loves to eat solid chocolate (an IBS trigger) and so she treats herself to a snack-sized piece of chocolate every day after an IBS safe meal. It was so encouraging to learn that I didn’t have to abandon everything I liked to eat in order to find some physical comfort. Because the author is an IBS sufferer, she is speaking to her audience from a very personal platform. This makes her more accessible to readers who may feel depressed, confused, angry, or hopeless about their IBS.
Why I Recommend The Book
The rest of the book is arranged in monthly installments that feature thorough conversation about topics noted above. She also takes the time to address children with IBS and how caregivers can help children manage flares. The later chapters are devoted to encouraging the reader to return to living—many IBS sufferers are afraid to do things that other people take for granted, such as travel or enjoy a holiday dinner. Worrying about one’s bowels and possible abdominal pain certainly isn’t a cause for celebration! A reader will note how it IS possible, once IBS symptoms are under control, to re-enter life and stop being afraid. Van Vorous encourages people to keep a network of caring people in the loop, as well as to follow up with doctors concerning medical care. One chapter, entitled “You Are Not Alone,” features a “task list” at its beginning that reads:
1. Join or start an IBS support group.
2. Set aside specific times to plan and evaluate your ongoing strategies for dealing with IBS, and try not to dwell on the problem outside these times.
3. Make a habit of treating yourself to things that make you happy.
It’s clear that this book is doing a great deal—educating its reader, bolstering one’s confidence, and training the reader to deal with dietary issues. In fact, each chapter begins with a task list that summarizes the key points to follow.
I appreciate the “Let’s Get Cooking” section of the book—it is here that Van Vorous shares her “Quick Tips for Adapting Recipes to the IBS Kitchen” (such as “Replace all dairy milk with soy, rice, or oat milk;” and “Replace each whole egg with two egg whites.”). There are several recipes and a “Three Day Sample Menu for People Who Hate to Cook.” I actually like her recipes and feel confident making them because I know they won’t set off one of my IBS attacks. Readers will note that there are not a lot of recipes in this book—for more, her first work (Eating for IBS) is a fruitful source.
I absolutely recommend this book for anyone who is suffering with mild to severe IBS. Even after seeing doctors and having various tests, I did not find relief from my IBS. It was only after I was diagnosed and later read Van Vorous’ works that I discovered so many ways I could help myself that my doctors never mentioned. Her tips proved invaluable to me—whether it was that chamomile and peppermint tea are excellent natural antispasmodics, or that poor sleeping habits can perpetuate IBS attacks—and I am so thankful that I have a reference at hand when my IBS feels unmanageable.
If you suspect you have IBS, Van Vorous’ book is a way to inform yourself prior to visiting a doctor. If you have been diagnosed with IBS, this book is for you. If you, like my husband, love someone who suffers from IBS, read this book and give it to your loved one. Becoming educated is the only way to take the control back in your life when your body feels completely out of your control. The First Year: Irritable Bowel Syndrome, in conjunction with my doctor’s care, has helped me find proactive, healthy ways of dealing with my IBS.
The Mayo Clinic:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/irritable-bowel syndrome/DS00106
Heather Van Vorous’ IBS Site
http://www.helpforibs.com
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