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Happy Gut: The Cleansing Program to Help You Lose Weight, Gain Energy, and Eliminate Pain
Following the success of the bestselling Clean Gut and Wheat Belly comes this essential guide to improving digestive health from an expert in functional medicine—who reveals why everything that ails us, from fatigue to weight gain to bloating and bad skin, can be traced back to the gut, and shares his cleansing plan to help us reclaim our health. Dr. Vincent Pedre understands gut problems firsthand. He suffered from IBS for years before becoming an expert in functional medicine and learning how to heal his body from the inside. Dr. Pedre used his own experience to develop The Gut C.A.R.E. Program—an approach that draws from both Western and Eastern methodologies, combining integrative and functional medicine—that has a proven success record in his private practice in New York. Now, for the first time, Dr. Pedre makes his revolutionary plan for health and wellness available to everyone. Happy Gut takes readers step-by-step through Gut C.A.R.E.—Cleanse, Activate, Restore, and Enhance—which eliminates food triggers, clears the gut of unfriendly pathogens, and replaces them with healthy probiotics and nutrients that repair and heal the gut. Rather than masking symptoms with medication, he shows us how to address the problem at its core to restore the gastrointestinal system to its proper functioning state. By fixing problems in the gut, followers of Dr. Pedre’s program have found that their other health woes are also cured and have lost weight, gained energy, and improved seemingly unrelated issues, such as seasonal allergies, in addition to eliminating their chronic muscle and abdominal pain. Complete with recipes and meal plans including gluten-free, low-fat, and vegetarian options, a 28-day gut cleanse, yoga postures to help digestion, and testimonials from many of his patients, Happy Gut will help you feel better and eliminate gut issues for life.
432 pages, Paperback
First published March 10, 2015
4534 people are currently reading
1871 people want to read
About the author
Vincent Pedre
9 books26 followersFor over a decade Dr. Pedre, founder of Happy Gut Life, has devoted his career as a medical doctor to helping patients improve their well-being and quality of life by building the foundation of gut health that supports total physical and mental wellness. He believes that healing begins in the kitchen through the foods we eat. His teachings, products, and gut-boosting programs have transformed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people, allowing them to regain the quality of life they were seeking. With them, he inspires people to make the changes that will have a lasting, positive impact on their health and the health of their community.
Dr. Pedre has been a leader in the gut space since the success of his first book. His latest book, The GutSMART Protocol, is the culmination of his 20+ years of clinical experience and research as a functional gut expert. And unlike most one-size-fits-all prescriptive health books on the market, this book offers a personalized plan for each reader by first having them take the GutSMART Quiz, finding out their GutSMART Score, then using it to individualize their choice of meal plans and foods they can either enjoy eating or should avoid. Through it, learn how true wellness is achieved by the power of the gut-body-mind-spirit connection.
Dr. Pedre has been a leader in the gut space since the success of his first book. His latest book, The GutSMART Protocol, is the culmination of his 20+ years of clinical experience and research as a functional gut expert. And unlike most one-size-fits-all prescriptive health books on the market, this book offers a personalized plan for each reader by first having them take the GutSMART Quiz, finding out their GutSMART Score, then using it to individualize their choice of meal plans and foods they can either enjoy eating or should avoid. Through it, learn how true wellness is achieved by the power of the gut-body-mind-spirit connection.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
September 26, 2017
Early this summer, I was getting to the point where I was afraid to eat anything because I didn’t know how my stomach would react. An innocuous-seeming salad would suddenly make me double over in pain, or bloat up like a really pregnant woman, or both. That’s why I picked up Happy Gut, by Vincent Pedre. Subtitled “The Cleansing Program to Help You Lose Weight, Gain Energy, and Eliminate Pain,” the book promised to fix all my digestive issues with a step-by-step program.
Did it work? Sort of. Here's my full review.
Did it work? Sort of. Here's my full review.
November 22, 2018
I bought this book when it first came out in 2015 and am glad that I did to use as a reference for all the great lists it includes, as well as the self-test questions for assessing the source of your gut problems and its symptom guides. I have written all in this book in many blank spots here and there and keep it as a way to organize some of my own research on gut health, so in this way I have also turned it into a personal workbook/journal. I can't say enough for its organization and simplicity of use! In the last three years a great deal has been learned about the gut and its part in our health, but even so this book is consistent for the most part with recent science.
Martha Char Love,
Author of What's Behind Your Belly Button? A Psychological Perspective of the Intelligence of Human Nature and Gut Instinct https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
Martha Char Love,
Author of What's Behind Your Belly Button? A Psychological Perspective of the Intelligence of Human Nature and Gut Instinct https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
May 19, 2018
Way too much pseudoscience, not enough real science
November 14, 2021
Ta książka to doskonały przewodnik po jelitach, który nie pozwala czytelnikowi na ani chwilę niepewności. Wszystko wyjaśnione krok po kroku, a ja po przeczytaniu nie czuję, że muszę sprawdzić zaproponowane rozwiązania metodą prób i błędów, bo dr Pedre przeprowadza nas przez cały 28-dniowy program naprawy jelit jak dziecko za rękę. Polecam każdemu, bo wielu z nas nie zdaje sobie sprawy, jak ważne dla samopoczucia i ogólnego stanu zdrowa są jelita.
July 12, 2018
Do not let me rating deter you from reading this book if it is a topic that you wish to learn about. As a person who is already fairly knowledgeable with eating healthy and the benefits of eating certain foods I didn't really read much in this book that I didn't already know. I skimmed through a lot and bypassed most of the scientific mumbo jumbo that I'm not interested in.
All in all.
Maybe it's inappropriate to only give this book 3 stars because I think a person who looks into this for first time will walk away with some valuable, potentially, dare I say, life saving, information. In my opinion, healthy eating should be more of a focus in our individual lives because there is a lot of crap out there that we put in our bodies.
All in all.
Maybe it's inappropriate to only give this book 3 stars because I think a person who looks into this for first time will walk away with some valuable, potentially, dare I say, life saving, information. In my opinion, healthy eating should be more of a focus in our individual lives because there is a lot of crap out there that we put in our bodies.
May 25, 2020
So excited to do this gut health plan in june! I'll be following his 28 day plan, and I'm hoping that helps alleviate some of my belly problems. I love the way this book is outlined, and I think his 28 day plan is easy to follow for those that are new.
October 13, 2017
Schwierig zu beurteilen. (Rezension in der Wiederherstellungsphase nach dem Detox Monat verfasst)
Dr. Pedre hat hier ein interessantes Konzept vorgestellt. Ich habe es ausprobiert und vereinzelte Verbesserungen festgestellt - doch es trat weder eine "Heilung" ein (wie er verspricht), noch fühlte ich mich besser/fitter/jünger/ wie auch immer. Im Gegenteil. Ich war selten so platt und müde und meine Haut selten so schlecht. Auch das Abnehmen, um was es mir zwar nicht ging, das er aber alle 3 Zeilen groß bewirbt, gab es bei mir nicht, obwohl ich mich brav an seinen Plan gehalten habe.
Das "Happy Darm Programm" besteht aus 28 Tagen extremem Detox: Keinen Zucker oder andere Süßungsmittel, keine Zusatzstoffe, keine Milchprodukte (auch nicht laktosefreie), kein Soja, keine Gluten, kein Mais, keine Kartoffeln, keine Hülsenfrüchte, keine Erdnüsse, nicht fettes Essen, keine Eier, kein weißer Reis, nichts was evtl Spuren von allem genannten enthalten könnte. Wenn Fleisch oder Fisch, dann nur super-bio-freiland und sie dürfen nie Getreide gegessen haben oder gezüchtet worden sein.
Das fiel mir vor allem in den ersten 2 Wochen extrem schwer - danach ging es irgendwie, es war aber dennoch extrem anstrengend. Einkaufen dauerte ewig und war schweineteuer - für einen Privatarzt wie ihn mag dieser Lebensstil erschwinglich sein. Für mich als Pleite-Studentin war es quasi nicht machbar - es gab einen Moment, wo ich tatsächlich mit Tränen in den Augen im Supermarkt stand, weil ich nicht wusste, wie ich Quinoa und andere Ersatzprodukte usw länger als eine Woche bezahlen sollte. Auch war es schwierig, weil ich nicht "Mal eben kurz" was essen konnte, weil Gemüse-Rohkost leider einfach kein Teil meines Speiseplans ist und es wohl auch nie sein wird. Alles andere war aufwendig und teuer.
Teilweise waren die Vorschriften auch absolut lächerlich: Als Ersatz für Zuchtfisch und normales Fleisch schlug er "Bio-Bisonfleisch" und ähnliches vor. Auch standen viele Dinge auf der "roten Listen", die für mich keinen Sinn ergaben, rote Äpfel zum Beispiel. An solche Regeln habe ich mich tatsächlich nicht gehalten, weil es so schon schwierig und teuer genug war. Zumal dieses Programm mich dazu verleitet hat, viel mehr Fleisch zu essen als sonst - da Fleisch etwas ist, was ich normalerweise nur sehr selten konsumiere (ich gehöre zu den Reduzariern), war das ebenfalls kostspielig und mit meinem Gewissen auch nicht mehr wirklich vereinbar - egal wie Bio das Hühnchen war.
Auch war diese Essensregelung mit dem vielen Kochen und seinem Tageplan für mich nicht umsetzbar. Nicht nur finanziell, sondern auch weil mein Körper anders funktioniert. Ein Smoothie am Morgen reicht mir einfach nicht. Und kein Schwein hat Zeit, sich so oft am Tag in die Küche zu stellen. Oh und hatte ich erwähnt, dass man auch keine beschichteten Pfannen und Edelstahltöpfe benutzen sollte? Haha. Ha. Fuck Off.
Im vergangenen Monat habe ich mich dank des Happy Darm Programm intensivst mit Lebensmitteln und Verzicht beschäftigt. Das hatte ein paar positive Aspekte (zB dass ich einen kalten Entzug bei meiner Zuckersucht gewagt habe; dass ich nun ohne Probleme im Supermarkt an Chips und Co vorbeigehen kann; dass ich mehr kreativ gekocht habe; dass mir bewusst geworden sind wie viel Scheiße in unseren Supermarkt-Lebensmitteln steckt und nicht zuletzt, dass ich stolz darauf bin, es durchgezogen zu haben), aber auch viele negative. Ich war regelmäßig verzweifelt, hungrig, platt, müde und - dank Zuckerentzug - die ersten 2 Wochen auch extrem reizbar und mies gelaunt. Angeblich würden Entzugsymptome, laut Dr Pedre, nach wenigen Tagen abklingen. Ich hatte auch nach 3 Wochen regelmäßig Träume von Pizza, Pasta, Brot oder einfach ganz normalem Essen, über das ich mir nicht den Kopf zerbrechen musste. Oft stellte ich mir vor, was ich alles essen würde, wenn dieses Programm vorbei war. Hallo, Jojo-Effekt, sage ich da nur. Ich habe so viel darüber nachdenken müssen, was ich alles NICHT darf, dass ich genau das alles unbedingt wollte. Ich habe so oft in der Küche gestanden und mich gefragt, was zur Hölle ich jetzt in 30min kochen und essen könnte, so oft im Supermarkt an der Kasse gezittert, dass ich es nicht mehr abwarten konnte, bis es vorbei war und die Pasta im Schrank oder ein Müsli oder ein belegtes Brötchen wieder eine Option wurden.
Ich bin kein Problempatient - ich bin jung und habe kein schweres Übergewicht (ich bin jetzt nicht superschlank aber dick ist auch etwas anderes). Ich ernähre mich relativ abwechslungsreich, esse Fast Food nur in Form von eigener Pasta oder Pizza im Lokal (nicht bei McD o.ä.) und snacke zwar gerne und weiß von meiner Zuckersucht, aber es ist jetzt auch kein Übermaß. Eigentlich hätte dieses Programm bei mir also nur positiv anschlagen sollen. Hat es leider nicht. Es hat mich emotional und finanziell extrem belastet - ich bin weder gesünder, noch schlanker, noch fitter geworden (im Gegenteil), noch habe ich - wie es Dr Pedre immer wieder prophezeit - diesen Lebensstil als den einen richtigen erkannt.
Es war dennoch ein interessantes Experiment, von dem ich einiges mitnehmen konnte. Vor allem Wissen und die Erfahrung extremen Verzichts. Aber auch, dass dieses Programm absolut nichts für mich ist.
Dr. Pedre hat hier ein interessantes Konzept vorgestellt. Ich habe es ausprobiert und vereinzelte Verbesserungen festgestellt - doch es trat weder eine "Heilung" ein (wie er verspricht), noch fühlte ich mich besser/fitter/jünger/ wie auch immer. Im Gegenteil. Ich war selten so platt und müde und meine Haut selten so schlecht. Auch das Abnehmen, um was es mir zwar nicht ging, das er aber alle 3 Zeilen groß bewirbt, gab es bei mir nicht, obwohl ich mich brav an seinen Plan gehalten habe.
Das "Happy Darm Programm" besteht aus 28 Tagen extremem Detox: Keinen Zucker oder andere Süßungsmittel, keine Zusatzstoffe, keine Milchprodukte (auch nicht laktosefreie), kein Soja, keine Gluten, kein Mais, keine Kartoffeln, keine Hülsenfrüchte, keine Erdnüsse, nicht fettes Essen, keine Eier, kein weißer Reis, nichts was evtl Spuren von allem genannten enthalten könnte. Wenn Fleisch oder Fisch, dann nur super-bio-freiland und sie dürfen nie Getreide gegessen haben oder gezüchtet worden sein.
Das fiel mir vor allem in den ersten 2 Wochen extrem schwer - danach ging es irgendwie, es war aber dennoch extrem anstrengend. Einkaufen dauerte ewig und war schweineteuer - für einen Privatarzt wie ihn mag dieser Lebensstil erschwinglich sein. Für mich als Pleite-Studentin war es quasi nicht machbar - es gab einen Moment, wo ich tatsächlich mit Tränen in den Augen im Supermarkt stand, weil ich nicht wusste, wie ich Quinoa und andere Ersatzprodukte usw länger als eine Woche bezahlen sollte. Auch war es schwierig, weil ich nicht "Mal eben kurz" was essen konnte, weil Gemüse-Rohkost leider einfach kein Teil meines Speiseplans ist und es wohl auch nie sein wird. Alles andere war aufwendig und teuer.
Teilweise waren die Vorschriften auch absolut lächerlich: Als Ersatz für Zuchtfisch und normales Fleisch schlug er "Bio-Bisonfleisch" und ähnliches vor. Auch standen viele Dinge auf der "roten Listen", die für mich keinen Sinn ergaben, rote Äpfel zum Beispiel. An solche Regeln habe ich mich tatsächlich nicht gehalten, weil es so schon schwierig und teuer genug war. Zumal dieses Programm mich dazu verleitet hat, viel mehr Fleisch zu essen als sonst - da Fleisch etwas ist, was ich normalerweise nur sehr selten konsumiere (ich gehöre zu den Reduzariern), war das ebenfalls kostspielig und mit meinem Gewissen auch nicht mehr wirklich vereinbar - egal wie Bio das Hühnchen war.
Auch war diese Essensregelung mit dem vielen Kochen und seinem Tageplan für mich nicht umsetzbar. Nicht nur finanziell, sondern auch weil mein Körper anders funktioniert. Ein Smoothie am Morgen reicht mir einfach nicht. Und kein Schwein hat Zeit, sich so oft am Tag in die Küche zu stellen. Oh und hatte ich erwähnt, dass man auch keine beschichteten Pfannen und Edelstahltöpfe benutzen sollte? Haha. Ha. Fuck Off.
Im vergangenen Monat habe ich mich dank des Happy Darm Programm intensivst mit Lebensmitteln und Verzicht beschäftigt. Das hatte ein paar positive Aspekte (zB dass ich einen kalten Entzug bei meiner Zuckersucht gewagt habe; dass ich nun ohne Probleme im Supermarkt an Chips und Co vorbeigehen kann; dass ich mehr kreativ gekocht habe; dass mir bewusst geworden sind wie viel Scheiße in unseren Supermarkt-Lebensmitteln steckt und nicht zuletzt, dass ich stolz darauf bin, es durchgezogen zu haben), aber auch viele negative. Ich war regelmäßig verzweifelt, hungrig, platt, müde und - dank Zuckerentzug - die ersten 2 Wochen auch extrem reizbar und mies gelaunt. Angeblich würden Entzugsymptome, laut Dr Pedre, nach wenigen Tagen abklingen. Ich hatte auch nach 3 Wochen regelmäßig Träume von Pizza, Pasta, Brot oder einfach ganz normalem Essen, über das ich mir nicht den Kopf zerbrechen musste. Oft stellte ich mir vor, was ich alles essen würde, wenn dieses Programm vorbei war. Hallo, Jojo-Effekt, sage ich da nur. Ich habe so viel darüber nachdenken müssen, was ich alles NICHT darf, dass ich genau das alles unbedingt wollte. Ich habe so oft in der Küche gestanden und mich gefragt, was zur Hölle ich jetzt in 30min kochen und essen könnte, so oft im Supermarkt an der Kasse gezittert, dass ich es nicht mehr abwarten konnte, bis es vorbei war und die Pasta im Schrank oder ein Müsli oder ein belegtes Brötchen wieder eine Option wurden.
Ich bin kein Problempatient - ich bin jung und habe kein schweres Übergewicht (ich bin jetzt nicht superschlank aber dick ist auch etwas anderes). Ich ernähre mich relativ abwechslungsreich, esse Fast Food nur in Form von eigener Pasta oder Pizza im Lokal (nicht bei McD o.ä.) und snacke zwar gerne und weiß von meiner Zuckersucht, aber es ist jetzt auch kein Übermaß. Eigentlich hätte dieses Programm bei mir also nur positiv anschlagen sollen. Hat es leider nicht. Es hat mich emotional und finanziell extrem belastet - ich bin weder gesünder, noch schlanker, noch fitter geworden (im Gegenteil), noch habe ich - wie es Dr Pedre immer wieder prophezeit - diesen Lebensstil als den einen richtigen erkannt.
Es war dennoch ein interessantes Experiment, von dem ich einiges mitnehmen konnte. Vor allem Wissen und die Erfahrung extremen Verzichts. Aber auch, dass dieses Programm absolut nichts für mich ist.
May 13, 2021
I'm on my 10th day of the plan to clean-up my eating. I've survived without coffee, sugar, wheat, soy, corn, BACON, cheese, fried food, and probably a dozen other things that were staples of my diet. I've spent a fair chunk of change buying spirulina and hemp hearts and ghee--things that have NEVER been in my grocery cart before. I'm drinking warm lemon water to start my day in lieu of my 'must-have-to-survive' three cups of coffee. I'm drinking smoothies for breakfast. I'm chopping a ton of organic veggies, taking time to prepare food, and sitting down to eat my meals.
The cravings for junk have (mostly) passed and I am feeling more energized than I have in a long while. I think there are a few foods I will look forward to adding back into my eating plan once I've gotten through the 28-day program. However, I feel SO much better than I have in such a long time, that I know there are some foods I don't want to reintroduce.
If, like me, you have struggled with stomachaches and gut pain--consider reading this book. If you feel sluggish and tired and generally unhealthy--this is worth a read. If you are wondering why you can't focus or concentrate, have crazy mood swings, ADHD, etc.--this book is worth reading.
Trust your gut! It's telling you to make better food choices.
The cravings for junk have (mostly) passed and I am feeling more energized than I have in a long while. I think there are a few foods I will look forward to adding back into my eating plan once I've gotten through the 28-day program. However, I feel SO much better than I have in such a long time, that I know there are some foods I don't want to reintroduce.
If, like me, you have struggled with stomachaches and gut pain--consider reading this book. If you feel sluggish and tired and generally unhealthy--this is worth a read. If you are wondering why you can't focus or concentrate, have crazy mood swings, ADHD, etc.--this book is worth reading.
Trust your gut! It's telling you to make better food choices.
December 18, 2021
Easy to read clear guidance however lack of balanced evidence and reasoning behind some of the theories- also feel that more information should have been given about risk or elimination/restrictive diets for those with eating disorders.
November 20, 2018
Informative read
Learned quite a few things regarding my gut. I am going to put a lot of the things he recommends into practice. Want to find out if this will help me to feel better. Also, it is very interesting when he talks about children and their diet affecting their behavior.
Learned quite a few things regarding my gut. I am going to put a lot of the things he recommends into practice. Want to find out if this will help me to feel better. Also, it is very interesting when he talks about children and their diet affecting their behavior.
January 14, 2019
Full of Pseudoscience and sales pitch, To Fix your gut simply believe everything he says and keep sending him more money. The only thing he accomplishes is teaching how to SCAM and rob potential "Patients" of their hard earned money. Google FODMAPS diet and you can skip this book.
March 3, 2018
Pedre presents an interesting rationale for his rather severe diet. Unfortunately, because I listened to the book, I did not see his documentation. If I were to follow his diet, I would certainly want to have a better sense of his research. The diet is similar to that offered by many other writers but Pedre is more specific about the reasons and possible conditions a person might be enduring.
It is a worthwhile read because of the specificity of his information.
I reread the book in paper form and was very pleased by it. His work relates closely to the work of the Cleveland Clinic diet based on Functional Medicine. I plan to use plan in my post cancer life-style change.
It is a worthwhile read because of the specificity of his information.
I reread the book in paper form and was very pleased by it. His work relates closely to the work of the Cleveland Clinic diet based on Functional Medicine. I plan to use plan in my post cancer life-style change.
October 30, 2016
With the quantity of microbiome diet books coming out recently, I did not have high expectations for yet another book recommended by Dr. Oz. But I was pleasantly surprised at how well Dr. Pedre covered the subject and presented interesting research findings, ideas, recipes, and approaches as well as specific recommendations for IBS and other chronic conditions. I wished there was more discussion of various pre-biotics and more specific supplement recommendations including dose and timing, as described so well in The Perfect Health Diet by Paul & Shou-Ching Jaminet.
April 15, 2018
I’ve been struggling with stomach issues for almost a year now. It seems no matter what I eat, I get sick. This book has a lot of helpful information for anyone struggling with stomach problems. It discusses the most common food allergies, causes and has an in-depth explanation for just about every type of gut problem you can think of. This doctor seems to really know his stuff. The 28 day challenge looks tough but I might give it a go soon just to see if it helps. No dairy, no gluten, no sugar and no... coffee :( But if it helps me have a happy gut, it’ll be worth it!
February 8, 2020
Not sure I was the right audience for this book. I can imagine if you have IBS or an autoimmune disorder this might be more relevant. I suffer from the occasional migraine, and I’m not convinced they are tied to what I eat. The diet suggested by this book seemed a little extreme, and set out to demonize dairy, gluten, soy and sugar, among other things.
March 22, 2016
I definitely think this doc is onto something...this is reslly a workbook for those who are seriously struggling with gut issues, and ready to be serious sbout solving them. You would need to purchase and own this book so that you had the plan and recipes.
June 28, 2016
Everything you need to know to heal your gut, plus some. There is also an interesting conversation on the brain-gut connection. The author has a line of products and indexes that you miss out on with the audio version, but the book is very informative.
February 6, 2017
This book changed my life-- really! I live with a chronic illness, and this book has given me the tools to live a better quality life. If you live with fatigue or headaches or a chronic condition or even if you think you're healthy, READ THIS BOOK!
July 5, 2017
A lot of information. The tone (could have been because it was an audiobook) felt a little critical. Also, as a vegan I don't know how I would be able to do the 28 day cleanse. There was a lot of good information and practical tips but I don't know what the success rate for application is.
April 27, 2021
Although there was lots of interesting information, there were parts I didn’t agree with and too much emphasis on supplements. As an audiobook there were references to supplemental information and the book was not complete by itself.
January 7, 2016
Book? Or infomercial....
October 6, 2016
A great book for those wanting to start eating to heal your gut. Lots of lists and suggestions for food suggestions. Very helpful when writing a healthy gut talk.
July 19, 2017
Life changing.
September 22, 2017
Very good distillation of many things I've learned over 20 years, with new information I hadn't known. I think this will help a lot of people.
May 27, 2018
Very useful book with solid diet recommendations.
July 9, 2018
Easy to understand
Has all the details you could need and seems like a doable program. I learned tons. His website is minimal, however.
Has all the details you could need and seems like a doable program. I learned tons. His website is minimal, however.
July 25, 2018
Such a gimmick to buy his products. In the begining I thought oh yeah this is like me then I realized what a scam this is. Dont waste your money
July 30, 2018
*3.5
A little repetitive, but it is very interesting & a lot of things make sense about the gut controlling so much!
A little repetitive, but it is very interesting & a lot of things make sense about the gut controlling so much!
August 6, 2018
I learned a lot of new information from this book, not sure I agree with everything but I did enjoy reading this book.
The diet in the book would be very hard to follow.
The diet in the book would be very hard to follow.
June 16, 2021
Everything we need to know about our gut
This book is like the summary for everything we need to know about our gut, and it is written with such brevity that it feels like a cheat sheet where only the most important information are presented.
The book begins with describing the ideal state: how a healthy gut looks like. Then it takes us step by step through the whole digestive process, starting from the top (our mouth), to the middle (our gut), down to the bottom (our colon). Along the way he explains the many functions of our organs, which makes it easier to understand within the context of the digestive process.
Moreover, while the first few chapters are absolute masterpieces on describing our gut and digestive system, the proceeding chapters dive straight into the practicalities: What certain types of food are made of, what to avoid and what to consume (and why), all the problems and challenges for our gut, and culminating with so many recipes for a good gut flora that takes about 1/3 of the length of the book.
And all of these gems are discussed within the frame of C.A.R.E: Cleanse (remove gut irritants, infections, food sensitivities, and toxins in food) Activate (reactivate healthy digestion by replacing essential nutrients and enzymes) Restore (reintroduce beneficial bacteria for a healthy guy flora) Enhance (repair, regenerate, and heal the intestinal lining).
Now, while there are so many great knowledge that I’ve learned from this book, there are some that stand out more than the others. These are the selected few:
"Between the antibiotics, eating the wrong foods that feed the bad organisms, the toxins you are exposed to in your environment, and the resulting dysbiosis, over a period of days to months you develop a leaky gut. This leakiness or “hyperpermeability” exposes your body to partially digested protein molecules from food. The immune system does not recognize these so it attacks, which results in food sensitivities. You might not even be aware of these sensitivities, which can manifest as hives, allergies, chronic sinus inflammation, and migraines and become the triggers for irritable bowel syndrome and autoimmune disease."
"“Leaky gut” is not a diagnosis but a process, a description of the underlying pathology of numerous diseases that we treat yet have failed to find a cure for. It is a condition in which connections between the cells that line the inside of the intestines (known as tight junctions) become looser, allowing larger molecules (such as partially digested food particles) to pass through the gut wall. Usually, properly digested food is absorbed directly through the cell wall, but in a leaky gut, the pathway between the cells is opened up, exposing the gut-associated immune system to a wide variety of substances our immune cells would otherwise not come into contact with."
"Your immune system is constantly patrolling the gut border for anything it does not recognize in order to prevent an all-out invasion. As the immune system encounters these escaped particles, it attacks. And in individuals with a genetic predisposition to autoimmune diseases, this increased load on the immune system leads to the type of dysregulation that becomes an autoimmune disease. As you are exposed to large protein molecules in a leaky gut from the incompletely digested foods you eat on a daily basis, you develop immune reactions to those foods."
"Often a diet rich in the foods that you are sensitive to, in combination with a leaky or hyperpermeable gut, leads to fluid retention and inflammation and, as a result, weight gain. People who are very food sensitive often lose five to six pounds in the first week after removing these foods from their diet."
"Even when you restrict yourself stringently by following one of the popular diets, including limiting calories or carbs, or monitoring carb-fat-protein ratios, your food sensitivities will make it very difficult to lose weight. When you remove the foods that are “toxic” to your body because they activate your immune response, weight loss happens naturally."
Because if there is one thing that nearly all modern diseases have in common, it is inflammation. And it underlines the importance of this book, since many metabolic diseases, including inflammation, begin in the gut.
This book is like the summary for everything we need to know about our gut, and it is written with such brevity that it feels like a cheat sheet where only the most important information are presented.
The book begins with describing the ideal state: how a healthy gut looks like. Then it takes us step by step through the whole digestive process, starting from the top (our mouth), to the middle (our gut), down to the bottom (our colon). Along the way he explains the many functions of our organs, which makes it easier to understand within the context of the digestive process.
Moreover, while the first few chapters are absolute masterpieces on describing our gut and digestive system, the proceeding chapters dive straight into the practicalities: What certain types of food are made of, what to avoid and what to consume (and why), all the problems and challenges for our gut, and culminating with so many recipes for a good gut flora that takes about 1/3 of the length of the book.
And all of these gems are discussed within the frame of C.A.R.E: Cleanse (remove gut irritants, infections, food sensitivities, and toxins in food) Activate (reactivate healthy digestion by replacing essential nutrients and enzymes) Restore (reintroduce beneficial bacteria for a healthy guy flora) Enhance (repair, regenerate, and heal the intestinal lining).
Now, while there are so many great knowledge that I’ve learned from this book, there are some that stand out more than the others. These are the selected few:
"Between the antibiotics, eating the wrong foods that feed the bad organisms, the toxins you are exposed to in your environment, and the resulting dysbiosis, over a period of days to months you develop a leaky gut. This leakiness or “hyperpermeability” exposes your body to partially digested protein molecules from food. The immune system does not recognize these so it attacks, which results in food sensitivities. You might not even be aware of these sensitivities, which can manifest as hives, allergies, chronic sinus inflammation, and migraines and become the triggers for irritable bowel syndrome and autoimmune disease."
"“Leaky gut” is not a diagnosis but a process, a description of the underlying pathology of numerous diseases that we treat yet have failed to find a cure for. It is a condition in which connections between the cells that line the inside of the intestines (known as tight junctions) become looser, allowing larger molecules (such as partially digested food particles) to pass through the gut wall. Usually, properly digested food is absorbed directly through the cell wall, but in a leaky gut, the pathway between the cells is opened up, exposing the gut-associated immune system to a wide variety of substances our immune cells would otherwise not come into contact with."
"Your immune system is constantly patrolling the gut border for anything it does not recognize in order to prevent an all-out invasion. As the immune system encounters these escaped particles, it attacks. And in individuals with a genetic predisposition to autoimmune diseases, this increased load on the immune system leads to the type of dysregulation that becomes an autoimmune disease. As you are exposed to large protein molecules in a leaky gut from the incompletely digested foods you eat on a daily basis, you develop immune reactions to those foods."
"Often a diet rich in the foods that you are sensitive to, in combination with a leaky or hyperpermeable gut, leads to fluid retention and inflammation and, as a result, weight gain. People who are very food sensitive often lose five to six pounds in the first week after removing these foods from their diet."
"Even when you restrict yourself stringently by following one of the popular diets, including limiting calories or carbs, or monitoring carb-fat-protein ratios, your food sensitivities will make it very difficult to lose weight. When you remove the foods that are “toxic” to your body because they activate your immune response, weight loss happens naturally."
Because if there is one thing that nearly all modern diseases have in common, it is inflammation. And it underlines the importance of this book, since many metabolic diseases, including inflammation, begin in the gut.
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