Stomach and intestinal problems are the second reason for hospitalization (births are the first). Out of every ten people who visit the doctors, four complain of problems related to digestion such as colic, constipation, diarrhea, gas, emaciation, etc. These inconveniences are widespread among people, causing pain, suffering and financial depletion due to the high costs of doctors’ visits and the prices of medicines.

And the book: Breaking the Vicious Cycle: Intestinal Health Through Diet, written by the biochemist and cell chemist Elaine Gottschall, deals with stomach and intestine problems in a practical way that suits the ordinary citizen as well as the specialist in this field. During the thirty years of experience based on the extensive research on which her work is based and personal experience where her daughter developed chronic colon ulcers, Dr. Ellen confirms that proper nutrition is an alternative to surgery and the use of medications, as many bowel problems can be prevented, cured, or at least relieved by eating food. the appropriate.

The first part of the book explains how carbohydrates (starches and sugars) affect the body and how food even affects behavior and growth. Among all the elements, carbohydrates stand out as the biggest influence on gut microbes (yeasts and bacteria), which are believed to be behind intestinal problems because most gut microbes feed on carbohydrates. The specific carbohydrate regimen recommended by the book significantly reduces the intake of carbohydrates on which gut microbes live and thrive. When microbes multiply in the small intestine, they destroy the enzymes in the cells of the intestinal walls, preventing the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates. And when carbohydrates are deposited in the intestines, they form an excellent environment and food suitable for the growth and reproduction of microbes, which leads to an increase in acids and toxins that cause intestinal inflammation. This is the vicious circle in question in the book’s title. One of the results of this problem is an increase in mucus in the intestine as an attempt by the body to moisten the surface of the inflamed intestine (in the presence of acids, toxins and undigested food).

To get out of this vicious circle, the book calls for a diet based on the principle of choosing certain types of carbohydrates that require little digestion and are easy to absorb, leaving none of them to be fed and the gut microbes to multiply. When the number of microbes decreases due to the lack of food for them, the condition of the intestinal walls improves, their inflammation decreases, and they no longer need to secrete mucus. This therefore leads to improved digestion and absorption of food in general, which makes more nutrients enter the bloodstream and reach cells in all parts of the body, and this strengthens the immune system and corrects health problems. The book states that this diet based on preventing the intake of grains, dairy products and sucrose, and on choosing certain types of carbohydrates treats diseases such as celiac (wheat intolerance) and treats autism and other problems related to the brain.