The Perfect Health Diet? Really?
A while ago I wrote about how a low carbohydrate diet could possibly ease some IC and IBS symptoms through reducing inflammation. That statement is still true but starting what’s known as “The Perfect Health Diet”, under the supervision of some kind of doctor, might be a better idea in my opinion. At least check it out, it’s worth it.
It’s not really a “Diet”
“The Perfect Health Diet” by Shou-Ching Jaminet Ph.D. and Paul Jaminet Shih, Ph.D., is a book not so much about a diet, but about a lifestyle, a way to heal a lot of common health problems through proper (though not yet widely accepted, example: government’s food pyramid) nutrition along with modern or alternative medicine. Through all of their research, these author’s have apparently helped their own chronic health problems.
The book is written with the regular person in mind, meaning it isn’t overflowing with crazy scientific or medical jargon, nor is it filled with philosophies or commands that make you feel guilty for being skeptical. However, the author’s fully back all of their statements with thorough and complete research. Research that mainstream nutritionists don’t tend to look at because they think they already know everything about what the human body needs.
I didn’t read the entire book. I skipped some parts that were a bit to0 lengthy but I’d definitely recommend this book as well as this ‘lifestyle’ to my fellow IC & IBS sufferers as well as to anyone else plagued by chronic health conditions with no obvious relief in sight.
The basic premise of this ‘diet’ consists of two ideas that have already been gaining in some popularity; eating a gluten free and a low carb diet (especially sugar free).
Some Main Points From the Book
- In today’s diet, we eat too many Omega 6′s. Vegetable oils, processed foods etc. all contain too many of them. It’s why most of us have an unbalanced ratio of Omega 6′s to Omega 3′s in our bodies. This can cause inflammation.
- Gluten, as is evident by so many being diagnosed with Celiac’s Disease, is not good for your body. It wreaks havoc on your intestines (even in people who don’t have Celiac’s) and therefore your health in general. Ever heard of leaky gut?
- Saturated fat is NOT bad for you! Yeah… this might shock some people but their reasoning is pretty much irrefutable. Seriously.
- Sugar IS bad for you! This might NOT shock most people but again, their evidence is irrefutable.
Advice
I’ve been trying this type of diet for almost a year now and I have to say that my IBS symptoms have been reduced by at least 70% and my IC symptoms by at least 50% just by changing my eating habits. Of course this was alongside treatments I got from my investigative/herbal medicine doctor as well a pelvic floor physical therapist.
Yes, it’s hard. Yes, you will slip up. Yes, giving up sugars and breads and processed foods and vegetable oils is going to be weird and difficult. But if there is even a chance, a small possibility that these scientists are right, that their research actually makes sense, that this could help heal some common health problems then why not try it? Or at least talk to a professional healthcare provider about trying it. Besides, this diet is better than the IC diet, in my opinion.
Discussion Topics
Has anyone else read this book and tried this diet? What are your experiences?
References
The Perfect Health Diet Website: http://perfecthealthdiet.com/?page_id=2
