I was 22 years old and a dietetic intern at Beth Israel Hospital, when I presented my first case study of a patient, whose name and face I still recall, with ulcerative colitis. As I studied and wrote about the diagnosis and treatment of bowel disorders, little did I know that I, too, was about to be diagnosed with ulcerative colitis.
Twenty-five years later, I have learned much about gastrointestinal disorders—both as a patient and as a health-care worker who sees patients with bowel conditions. For me, as patient, there have been good years and bad. I have had enough bad years to deeply empathize with my patients suffering from the painful and disabling symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Fortunately, I have been in remission from my colitis for a number of years, although I do experience IBS symptoms when I become careless with my diet.
IBS also takes an emotional toll. I even feel hesitant now, as I sit down to talk briefly about my own challenges and health problems. How will readers react? Will my symptoms be taken seriously? It is hard to put to rest the stereotypes and judgment that IBS sufferers endure every day. People all too often suffer in silence because of social stigmas and ignorance by others.
I understand how embarrassing it can be to discuss symptoms, even with a physician, family members or friends. I have experienced many of the same awkward moments and difficult social situations that my patients tell me about during our nutrition therapy sessions. I hope this book will offer fellow sufferers some comfort and self-confidence. There are millions of other people out there who share your symptoms and plight.
It has been my personal and professional mission to follow developments in the field of nutrition and gastrointestinal health. While many impressive pharmaceuticals have been researched and marketed, there has been less research devoted to the effects -- both good and bad -- of diet and nutrition. But that seems to be changing, as the medical field comes to grips with an epidemic of obesity as well as GI disorders that cannot be remedied by taking a pill.
IBS sufferers know from firsthand experience that the foods they eat influence symptoms. This book is another step to help patients understand the critical link between diet and IBS. My hope is that this book will enable readers to gain insight into their own eating habits and how they may affect their physical health. Most important, my aim is to help those like myself free themselves of IBS symptoms.
Patsy Catsos
