Gillian McKeith's Food Bible (171 page)

Aloe vera juice.

Take green superfoods such as spirulina or blue-green algae. These can aid cleansing and healing of the gut and improve nutrient status.

Supplement with probiotics such as acidophilus and bifido bacteria. These can help to repopulate the gut with good bacteria and normalize bowel function.

Supplements of liquid chlorophyll can bring a certain amount of relief.

Supplement with digestive enzymes to increase absorption of nutrients.

L-glutamine can aid healing of the gut wall and provide fuel for the intestines.

Vitamin B complex. This will aid digestion and improve your stool.

EXTRA TIPS

Learn to deal with stress. The gut and nervous system are closely linked. Emotional stress can have a huge impact on bowel health. Try meditation and breathing exercises daily.

If you notice blood in your stools, consult your doctor.

I have had Crohn’s disease since the age of 18. For years I was in and out of the hospital, on steroids and anti-inflammatories, and even got to the point where the doctors said if I did not have two feet of my intestine removed then I would not get better. At this stage I was very underweight, in constant pain, and so tired I could hardly walk. But I really did not want the operation, so I decided to take my health into my own hands, changing my diet and my lifestyle, and going on a juice fast for the first few weeks to let my digestive system heal. The doctors were amazed when, a couple of months later, I was in great health with no medication or operation! Now, 18 months later, I follow a wheat-free, dairy-free, sugar-free, organic diet, and do yoga three times a week, and have never felt better.

CYSTITIS

Cystitis is inflammation of the urinary bladder where a bacterial infection takes hold, resulting in frequent, painful and burning urination as well as pain in the lower abdomen. The sufferers are mainly women.

CAUSES MAY INCLUDE

Bacterial infection in the urethra, vagina, or sometimes the kidneys. Most infections are caused by
E. coli
(an inhabitant of the lower bowel).

Thrush can cause pathogens from the vagina to invade the urethra. In chronic cystitis it is worth investigating whether candida (see page 219) is part of the problem.

Sexual intercourse can irritate the urethral orifice, causing “honeymoon cystitis.” Sex is also a means by which bacteria can enter the urethral orifice.