An indispensible reference for the newly diagnosed,  Friday, 20 July 2007 Having suffered from irritable bowel syndrome from childhood the author of this book is well qualified to offer advice to those just recently diagnosed.

A diagnosis of IBS can be frustrating as the conventional therapies offered by your doctor are likely to be very limited in both number and effectiveness. If every patient were to be given this book they would probably fair a lot better.

Heather Van Vorous starts of by teaching the reader how the digestive system should work and what goes wrong in IBS. She goes on to discuss a range of dietary modifications and other techniques that can offer relief from symptoms. These other techniques include stress management, the use of nutritional and herbal supplements, gentle exercises, and acupuncture.

As well as educating the reader about their condition and what can be done to help, Van Vorous also offers a wealth of practical tips for making the most of doctors visits, enjoying holidays/vacations to the full, and eating at restaurants or at friends/relatives houses.

Some commentators have argued over specific dietary recommendations that the author makes but by and large the advice is very accurate and reasonable an perhaps some people forget that this is advice for "the first year", not forever.

A recently diagnosed IBS patient cannot go far wrong picking up a copy of this book.

 Comprehensive guide to all aspects of the Gulf War,  Friday, 20 July 2007 This is the book that was handed out to every member of the American congress.

It provides a well researched, impartial view of the events of the Gulf War, allowing the reader to come to their own conclusions.

Included is the testimony of both Gulf War vets and their families, describing what in their opinion went on, during and after the war. Content is also very good on the medical side with compelling evidence presented linking veterans illnesses with chemicals and chemical sensitivities. There is also enough here to warrant a reading by sufferers of CFS, fibromyalgia and similar disorders whose symptoms include chemical sensitivities.

One of the best books available if you are looking for a comprehensive view of the events of the Gulf War, not just a medical investigation.

 Comprehensive investigation of Gulf War Syndrome,  Friday, 20 July 2007 If you want a thorough review of the current medical thinking regarding Gulf War Syndrome as well as absorbing personal accounts of the war itself and what followed for many thousands of veterans, here is a good place to start.

Jeff Wheelwright, himself a reporter sent to the Gulf, covers the politics and the media's part in the war as well as reviewing possible factors present in the environment that have been suggested as a cause for veterans illnesses. He describes in detail how Gulf War Syndrome came to be linked intimately with CFS, MCS and Fibromyalgia and argues that a new view of biology and health are needed before any of these conditions can be adequately explained. With this in mind there is discussion of the emerging branch of medicine known as psychoneuroimmunology.

The author investigates all leads with regards to what may have caused veteran's illnesses but he does remain skeptical that chemical exposures and other environmental factors might have triggered Gulf War syndrome.

In conclusion, this is a compassionate exploration of how many veterans were affected by the war and left with unexplained health problems collectively known as Gulf War syndrome.

 Simple tips for better quality of life,  Friday, 20 July 2007 The author of this title has been a fibromyalgia sufferer since childhood. This book is focused on providing the fibromyalgia patient with simple tips that could make the world of difference in dealing with those every day tasks that now seem so difficult and overwhelming.

Chapters are devoted to coping with household chores, work, traveling and how to live with fibromyalgia AND have happy relationships with a partner, friends and family.

Also included are tips for improving quality of sleep and information regarding diet and supplementation that may help improve your condition.

This book could be the lifeline that is needed by those who are struggling with day to day living and need simple tips rather than being baffled by medical and scientific terms.

 Great for alternative therapy information,  Friday, 20 July 2007 Being written by a rheumatologist and a writer specializing in health and relationships makes this a well balanced book.

The latest fibromyalgia research is presented along with the latest treatment information. The treatments covered range from COX-2 inhibitor drugs which stop inflammation without the serious side-effects of steroids to nutritional supplements such as 5-HTP and SAMe which may help sleep and mood.

Specially developed exercises aimed at reducing deep muscle pain, increasing strength and energy, and alleviating stress and anxiety are described in detail.

The book manages to cover a huge range of treatments from both conventional and alternative medicine points of view that may resolve symptoms and help improve fibromyalgia patients quality of life. The complementary/alternative therapies information is extensive and covers homeopathy, chiropractic, guaifenesin, and ayurveda, amongst others. The chapter on improving sleep is particularly helpful and this has been commented on in many reviews by fibromyalgia sufferers.

Not as in depth in terms of research and medical information as some other titles but a good easy to read guide none the less.

 A Comprehensive Guide,  Friday, 20 July 2007 This book can't be recommended highly enough for anybody suffering from fibromyalgia. It is, like the title says, a "survival manual".

Written by two fibromyalgia patients, one an M.D., the other a psychologist, it provides both detailed medical information regarding research and treatment options as well as practical information regarding coping with the illness day to day, dealing with relationship issues and other concerns, all in a compassionate an easy to follow manner.

The book discusses myofascial pain syndrome and its connection to fibromyalgia in detail. These condtions often occur together so it is great to have information about both in the same book.

There is also extensive information about trigger points, the specific areas of pain and tenderness that occur in fibromyalgia and are used for official diagnosis. The information is backed up with clear illustrations which greatly add to the reader's understanding.

An entire chapter is devoted to guaifenesin treatment and the theories of Dr. St. Amand. This seems to be one of the most successful treatent approaches available for fibromyalgia, going by anecdotal reports, and one of the authors of this book states that she was helped immensely by it and would not have been able to write the book without having used it.

This is a most comprehensive resource which covers all bases in detail. Treatment is covered from both a conventional and alternative viewpoint, there is a wealth of practical advice including how to deal with doctors, and everything is well laid out. There is little to argue against this book so I do not hesitate to recommend it.

 A unique book and treatment approach,  Friday, 20 July 2007 For those suffering from the excruciating pain of fibromyalgia whose only relief so far has come from powerful pain medications, with equally powerful side-effects, this book and the treatment protocol it describes may well offer great hope.

One of the authors is a medical doctor who himself suffered from fibromyalgia for 15 years. In researching the condition in the hope of successfully treating himself he developed the treatment program described in this book.

Dr. St. Amand believes that fibromyalgia patients fail to rid their bodies of phosphate and oxalate through the kidneys/urine as healthy people would. This results in these substances building up in the tissues and causing the characteristic pain and tenderness of the illness. Treatment involves taking guaifenesin, a common ingredient in cough medicine, which causes the excretion of phosphate and oxalate. According to the book, patients must also avoid all foods and topical products that contain salicylates as they interfere with the action of guaifenesin. Finally a low carbohydrate diet must be undertaken to control hypoglycemia which Dr. St. Amand states as being a major problem in fibromyalgia.

The jury is still out on whether the theories of Dr. St. Amand are correct but from what we know about fibromyalgia they certainly appear plausible at least. They do seem a little simplified however considering the numerous other abnormalities that have been detected in fibromyalgia patients.

Since I myself do not suffer from fibromyalgia, rather CFS, I have not tried the guaifenesin protocol and therefore cannot comment from direct experience on whether it is effective or not. It's worth mentioning however that a quick search online reveals many many stories of people who report that they have been greatly helped by Dr. St. Amands treatment protocol. A quick look at the Amazon.com page for the book reveals 199 ratings, impressive in itself, with the vast majority giving 5/5 accompanied by glowing reviews.

With the lack of side-effects involved with guaifenesin treatment it would seem that reading this book and trying the treatment protocol would be worthwhile for any fibromyalgia patient.

 Very Useful,  Friday, 20 July 2007 An anti-fungal diet can seem very restrictive at first and many people will be stuck for ideas for meals. That is where a book such as this can be very helpful. With over 150 recipes including appetizers, main courses, and desserts, there are bound to be numerous dishes that suit your tastes.

Obviously sugar and high carbohydrate foods are not permitted on an anti-fungal diet so the inclusion of desserts will be a pleasant surprise to those fearing they will never eat anything sweet ever again! The author uses pure vegetable glycerin as a sweetener and it seems to work quite well. Some people have pointed out that glycerin can cause digestive upsets but I suspect this is not a problem at the amounts used in the recipes here. You could always substitute stevia, but this also has its detractors so I would advise people to do their own research there.

This book has been in publication for over 10 years now and that is a testament to how many people have found it useful. As well as the recipes the book also contains a wealth of information on Candida related illness in general. A definite recommendation.

 Good book but a little dated,  Thursday, 19 July 2007 The authors of this book are both long-term CFS sufferers themselves and have extensively researched the subject. As a result, readers may connect especially well with the great information contained within.

An extensive list of treatment options is provided along with pros and cons for each one as well as possible side-effects.

What makes this book stand out, as a result of being written by people with personal experience of the illness, is that they describe symptoms in a way only a fellow sufferer could really understand. This will make the information provided, with regards to explaining and treating particular symptoms, all the more accessible compared to the more heavy going texts written by doctors, some of which the average reader would find hard to understand even without brain fog!

The only drawback to this book is that it is now almost 10 years old so is becoming a little outdated.

Having said that, if you are looking for a comprehensive manual on how to deal with CFS that's written in your language, this is a good choice.

 Dr. Majid Ali Really Understands,  Thursday, 19 July 2007 Like other doctors specializing in CFS such as Dr. Teitelbaum and Dr. Cheney, Dr. Ali believes there are many factors involved in causing chronic fatigue syndrome and that treatment must involve an overall approach to correct the root causes and resulting symptoms. Unlike his peers however, Dr. Ali uses an entirely natural treatment approach, believing that drugs just add to the stressors that the body of the CFS patient is already unable to cope with. As a CFS sufferer myself this is a position I tend to agree with.

Dr. Ali discusses the gut, liver and blood that make up the 'trio of ecosystems' within the body. As such he deals with treating gut dysbiosis, avoiding toxins, supplementing antioxidants and much more. Dr. Ali also addresses hormonal imbalances and neurotransmitter deficiencies which he states are a result of the body's 'trio of ecosystems' becoming toxic and unhealthy.

Dr. Ali believes that the root of CFS is a state of acidosis (too much acid) and oxidosis (not enough oxygen in the cells). This belief is backed by a lot of independent research and other CFS specialists also try to address these abnormalities. In this book Dr. Ali describes the problem and how he addresses it with the use of oxygen therapies and treatments aimed at balancing the body's ecosystems.

Dr. Ali runs a busy clinic, has many years experience treating CFS and has published papers showing the effectiveness of his treatment approach.

I recommend that CFS patients read this book as soon as possible.