Healing Digestive Disorders: Natural Treatments for Gastrointestinal Conditions

by Andrew Gaeddert

Overview

Are you controlling your digestion, or is your digestion controlling you?

Conventional medicine, while effective for those in acute crisis, often does little to help the over 60,000,000 people who suffer from chronic digestive problems. In this 4th edition of Healing Digestive Disorders, readers are offered an extensive resource of natural remedies and recommended lifestyle changes that have helped thousands of people alleviate symptoms and heal their bodies. Drawing on his clinical experience, Andrew Gaeddert, who once suffered from Crohn’s disease and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), covers such topics as herbs and vitamins, Chinese medicine, meditation, and environmental triggers that affect digestion, helping the reader make sense of the multitude of available natural healing techniques.

The 4th edition includes expanded case studies and real-life success stories that illustrate how Mr. Gaeddert’s clients have been able to reduce or eliminate their digestive problems and enjoy greater energy. Organized in a practical manner, the book addresses obstacles to health, reducing fat intake, digestive-friendly grains, and food families as well as advanced treatment options for practitioners.

KEY FEATURES

• Comprehensive appendices—Commonly Asked Questions and Answers, Food Families, Common Acupuncture Points Used in the Treatment of Digestive Disorders, and Additional Formulas (for treatment of digestive disorders).
• Effective treatments for: acid reflux, chemo and radiotherapy side effects, constipation, Crohn’s disease, diarrhea, diverticulitis, food sensitivities, gallbladder problems, gastritis, heartburn, hepatitis, indigestion, intestinal gas, irritable bowel syndrome, mouth ulcers, peptic ulcers, and ulcerative colitis.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781607959472
Publisher:	PMPH USA, Ltd.
Publication date:	07/12/2017
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	360
File size:	4 MB

About the Author

ANDREW GAEDDERT SUFFERED FROM CROHN’S disease and IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) throughout his childhood and into early adulthood. His search for therapies to treat his own symptoms led to the discovery of techniques that have made it possible for him to help thousands of other people. Mr. Gaeddert has studied nutrition, herbology, and Chinese medicine with masters of herbal medicine from the United States and China. He has been on the protocol team of several scientific studies sponsored by National Center on Complementary and Alternative medicine and the University of California. He has lectured at Columbia University, University of San Francisco, Canadian College of Oriental medicine, and other colleges across the United States. His students have included medical doctors, acupuncturists, herbalists, and other professionals. Mr. Gaeddert is also the author of Chinese Herbs in the Western Clinic, Healing Skin Disorders, and Healing Immune Disorders. His novels include Jailing of Dr. Hu and Egret Ranch Children’s Home, Inc. He is the president of Health Concerns in Oakland, California, a company focused on helping millions of Americans who suffer from chronic, stress-related, and immune-compromised conditions.

Table of Contents

	Introduction to the Second Edition	xiii
Chapter 1	My Personal Story	1
Chapter 2	Tips and Affirming Changes	15
Chapter 3	Natural Therapies	59
Chapter 4	Symptoms and Treatments	105
Chapter 5	Digestive Clearing Diet	211
Chapter 6	Workbook	223
Appendix A	Recipes	247
Appendix B	Commonly Asked Questions and Answers	251
Appendix C	Common Acupuncture Points Used in the Treatment of Digestive Conditions	263
Appendix D	Additional Formulas	267
Appendix E	Resource Guide	279
	References	283
	Index	287

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Paul Joseph Ratte, ND (Northwestern Health Sciences University)
Description: This introduction to complementary/alternative treatments for digestive disorders presents the information in short paragraphs with headings, an excellent format especially for patients. The previous edition was published in 2008.
Purpose: The purpose is to convince patients with digestive disorders that Chinese medicine is a valid treatment approach. The book differentiates between believers and visitors of Chinese medicine and attempts to convince visitors to become believers. The author presents a mantra for patients: "I will follow my practitioner's advice faithfully. I will trust my own experience about natural healing methods. I am worth healing." The author confuses persuasion with empowerment throughout the book. The book does present specific treatment protocols as well as successful case studies.
Audience: It appears to be written for patients, but it better meets the needs of students and practitioners, because the specific herbal remedies the book discusses will confuse patients. There is value in the dietary recommendations and stress reduction techniques it provides, but these recommendations seem secondary to the application of Chinese herbal medicine. The author is not formally trained in Chinese medicine; he is a registered herbalist and an owner of a Chinese herb company, and uses this book to promote his products to practitioners and students of Chinese medicine.
Features: The book is an excellent introduction to the use of the Chinese herbal formulas the author sells. The writing is clear, the information is organized well, and the index is useful. However, patients who read this book will realize the need for a Chinese medicine practitioner to help them with their condition. There are enough self-help strategies to start the journey, but not enough empowerment to finish the journey.
Assessment: This is a good introduction to the use of these specific herbal formulas to treat digestive disorders. Beyond this, it is simply a book that a practitioner of Chinese medicine who recommends or sells these specific herbal formulas would use. It has lofty expectations for patients that it leaves mostly unfulfilled. The discussion of hot/cold, general dietary recommendations, and relaxation techniques are useful. But, in the end, the book is extremely biased towards the Chinese medicine formulas sold by his company. It pales in comparison to the Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, 3rd edition, Murray and Pizzorno (Simon & Schuster, 2012), and Prescription for Natural Cures, 2nd edition, Balch (Wiley-Blackwell, 2011). Patients would be better served starting with these books. The latent bias of the author is disturbing in a book that targets patients suffering from chronic digestive disorders.

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