One of the big topics to come of this past year was self-care. The act of focusing on yourself to better manage mental, physical, and spiritual health. One way you can practice self care is with good gut health! Understanding your gut has been suggested by some medical professionals as a way to potentially relieve some of the symptoms of IBS – Irritable Bowel Syndrome. April is IBS Awareness Month & this blog will point you to some of CCPL’s catalog materials that can help you with recipes and more information!

Take a peek at some of our titles!

The IBS Elimination Diet and Cookbook by Patsy Catsos

From the book jacket:

The complete guide for overcoming IBS by discovering your triggers and building a personalized, doable, and fulfilling diet around nutritious, delicious foods that let you finally feel your best.

Patsy Catsos, MS, RDN, LD, pioneered the use of the low-FODMAP diet to find your unique FODMAP fingerprint when she self-published IBS–Free at Last!, ushering in a new era of treating IBS through diet instead of medication. Written for at-home use, her book quickly established itself among doctors and other specialists as an invaluable tool for anyone suffering from IBS, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, SIBO, and gluten sensitivity.

This new, definitive edition offers the theory along with a program that walks you through eliminating FODMAPs (difficult-to-digest carbohydrates found in a variety of otherwise healthy foods) and adding them back one by one–the most usable, thorough program available. And its 56 delicious recipes, 24 full-color photos, and comprehensive guides to high- and low-FODMAP foods make this the bible of the low-FODMAP lifestyle. Here is your plan for eating well while finally feeling great.

The Complete IBS Health & Diet Guide by Dr. Maitreyi Raman

From the book jacket: 

As many as one in five Americans have symptoms of IBS.

Living with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a tremendous challenge, and understanding the disease is key to developing management strategies that will reduce discomfort. This comprehensive yet accessible book provides all the current information on the disorder’s possible underlying causes as well as its symptoms, clinical features and effective treatments and therapies, including both complementary and non-drug therapies.

The authors also recognize that, although there is no cure for IBS, there are many options to treat the symptoms. One of the most effective therapies is changing the person’s diet, as the pain and discomfort usually worsen after eating certain foods. Specific dietary changes are imperative for those managing IBS, and this book provides a detailed nutritional plan, suggestions for implementing that plan and information on vitamin and mineral supplements. It also includes a list of foods that are known to aggravate IBS and a detailed list of food items that are regarded by experts as safe alternatives, also known as the Fodmap Diet.

Comprehensive in its scope, the book features more than 100 delicious recipes (with accompanying nutritional analysis) that have been specially created to help manage IBS. The recipes cover virtually every meal, from breakfast and snacks to main meal options and entrées, including vegan and vegetarian selections.

The 28-Day Plan for IBS Relief by Audrey Inouye

From the book jacket:

Soothe your symptoms, enjoy your life―a meal plan for IBS relief

If IBS has diminished your love of food, there’s good news―it doesn’t have to be that way. Satisfy your palate and relieve your symptoms with The 28-Day Plan for IBS Relief. More than just creative recipes, this one-month plan takes a low-FODMAP diet approach to accommodating your specific food tolerances so you can thrive with a personalized diet.

You’ll start with understanding the science behind how your gut works through informative lessons about personal thresholds and serving sizes. Then you’ll take advantage of the helpful charts and tables that make shopping for FODMAP-friendly groceries and preparing yummy meals for your new IBS diet, fast and delicious.

The 28-Day Plan for IBS Relief includes:

  • Plan it out―A thorough, 4-week guide takes the stress out of every meal with no more guessing which foods might trigger IBS symptoms.
  • Read up―Learn how to quickly scan labels for high FODMAP ingredients so you know exactly what you’re eating.
  • Track progress―Use dedicated journaling space to make notes on what you love, or jot down any recipe tweaks for future reference.