Although I had been previously diagnosed with celiac disease with dairy intolerance, this book made me consider that my ongoing symptoms were more than gluten or dairy contamination accidents. In simple, layman's language, Dr. Wangen explains the 'normal' digestive process and problems that can arise in that system (like diarrhea and constipation). Then he describes the common medical approaches ('Treating the Symptoms, Ignoring the Cause') for 'IBS' symptoms. That section describes the typical journey of misdiagnoses and dead ends, which many celiacs take before getting a correct celiac disease diagnosis. Next he discusses the common causes of 'IBS' symptoms, which include celiac disease, food allergies and 'bugs' (such as bacteria imbalances, yeast and parasites). Finally he tells how he determines what causes a patient's symptoms and the appropriate treatment to eliminate those symptoms.
This book convinced me to visit Dr. Wangen's IBS Treatment Center and test for food allergies and other `bugs'. After learning I had 2 additional food allergies and a bacterial imbalance, which caused my continuing symptoms, I followed Dr. Wangen's dietary guidelines to avoid painful allergy reactions and began treatment to restore natural bacterial balance. Although I'm still treating bacterial imbalance, my ongoing symptoms are slowly disappearing and I'm beginning to experience better digestion than I have in years.
If you have been diagnosed with `IBS', but still struggle with symptoms, read this book. If you're a diagnosed celiac, who has ongoing symptoms despite abstaining from gluten, read this book. If you're tired of doctors who dismiss your `gut' symptoms as `stress', read this book. This book HAS solutions for IBS.