Letters to Heather - Reviews of Heather's Tummy Care & Help for IBS

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"You have set me free! The book you wrote is definitely a Godsend to me. I have battled with this IBS for over 10 years now. Going to doctors and specialists having them tell me literally nothing. Try not to eat this or don't eat this but nothing that worked because they never truly told me what I could eat. When I came across your web page and began to read I knew this was revolutionary! Let me thank you, thank you, thank you!! I feel normal again. I used to look at people and think how can they sit there and eat and not be sick. Now that I know my "poison" foods I can be free. Thanks again."

Teresa Bailey, IBS Sufferer



"Heather...after many Doctors and Gastroenterologists, tests etc., I met up with a great Naturopathic Doctor and read many books. Then I found yours. I shared it with the Naturopath, and also many of my clients so far. I tell many clients to read your book, and even printed up many copies of the name of your book and author to pass on. I just wanted to say THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!! It is an excellent book, with the best introduction about IBS of all the books I read!!! Keep up the great work...this is one guy who is mucho happy to have found your book. I'm on the mend...yahoo!!!!!"

Terry F. Marlott



"Just a few days ago, my doctor confirmed I have IBS. I didn't know where to turn. Thankfully I stumbled across your web site. Suddenly I feel a lot better, just knowing this isn't the world as I knew it. I love my food and the thought of not being able to eat what I enjoy, quite frankly, gave me panic attacks! However thanks to your website and your recipes I can see a much brighter future. I look forward to receiving your book and will of course let you know how I get on with it."

Kenn Lord



"I want to thank you for your beautifully written masterpiece Eating For IBS. I felt such vindication and freedom for the first time in 7 years. I'm 28, and for the longest time I was convinced I was dying of something eating away at my intestines. Although I was diagnosed 7 yrs ago, absolutely NO advise was given as to any understanding of food's role. Only "cut down on dairy and watch your stress" I was Not under much stress at that time! But for the first time, you told me that wheat bran could do more harm than good! You were right! I have the severe side of constipation, not diarrhea, and lived on wheat bran, not understanding why I was getting MORE constipated, and would have cramps and feel sick at times. Coffee used to be used by me ONLY to be able to get those 'needed' cramps in order to have a bm. I used to welcome pain in my abs, thinking this was the only prelude to finally empty my bowels after 3 or more days. I lived in misery, not knowing that soluble fiber was better to eat on an empty stomach. Back to caffeine, for the first time I understood why I was getting cramps from coffee and sometimes chocolate. I can go on forever, but I just thank God that there was someone to help me understand why I had to cancel plans with my friends, or why I needed to lay in bed for and hour with cramps that would make me cry in pain after I ate my longtime favorite bacon and eggs breakfast. Also your book has helped my dear husband understand my above experiences. Liberation for Carl! I'm hoping to get the Awake! magazine to publish an article on IBS, and gave your book and website as one reference. I hope that was OK. As a Jehovah's Witness, I want to help anyone out there possible. I'm amazed at how unresponsive the medical world is in general on these disorders. Seeing your picture made me think "What a Beautiful woman" inside and out. Thanks."

Maggie Johnson, IBS Sufferer



"Thank you so much for your dedication to guiding IBS sufferers on how to survive with IBS rather than be a prisoner to it. I appreciate your book and your direction. I have so many questions for you and so many thoughts that I would like to share with someone who can understand where I am coming from, but for now, I would like you to know that I mailed Oprah Winfrey today. I would like you to know that in order to thank you, I intend on sending a similar letter to every news and magazine program in existence. Again, thank you so much."

Kristina, IBS Sufferer



"Dear Heather, Your web site has been such a great guide! My mother was recently diagnosed with IBS and is going through "what to eat" shock. I've spent a couple days going over all the information here and have written it out for her. I've suggested she discuss the information in length with her doctor and I've also told her that she'll have to experiment with the tolerable foods to narrow down what she can and cannot tolerate. I've looked at your recipes and they seem great. Thanks again for the great site, it's filled with a virtual wealth of crucial information for IBS sufferers!"

Shirley Singer, daughter of IBS Sufferer



"Dear Heather, I feel I that I may use your first name because we are 'sisters' because we both suffer from our wonderful IBS. I found your site and I was SOOOOOOO thrilled when I started reading what you had written. I, too, am an IBS sufferer. However, mine is in conjunction with ulcerative colitis. The past few days I have been MISERABLE and have resorted to eating baby food and apple sauce, trying to calm my system down. It seems that no one would give me as much info as I needed to learn how to live with these disease. I avoid all dairy because I'm lactose tolerant, but no where could I find what else to avoid. Then, I randomly found your site on the Web and think I may have finally found the answer. I thank you so very much for writing the book and for all of your research. I remain indebted to you."

Dolores I. Wojcik, Ulcerative Colitis and IBS Sufferer



"Dear Heather, I was diagnosed with IBS in 1994. I have had intermittent episodes ever since. After a particularly bad spell in December 2000, I bought your cookbook and it has changed my life. I have been cooking all of your recipes, and they are amazing! My family eats right along with me- tonight my 3 year old actually insisted on having the soy parmesan I bought over regular parmesan! I wanted to tell you that my favorite recipes (the ones I make every week) are the Cauliflower/Caraway soup, the Cinnamon Zucchini Bread, and the Veggie Lo-Mein. I could live on these three recipes for ever and be happy. I just wanted to tell you how thrilled I am- I still know very few people with this problem, and even less who want to tackle it and feel better. I feel great for the first time in years- thank you so much!"

Laura Hyde, IBS Sufferer



"Thank you for your wonderful website. It has been a lifesaver today (one of those black hole days). I hope Oprah will do a show about your book and website. Before I went to your website I listened to a medical conference on the web out of UNC. It was enlightening though quite a downer, kind of like blaming those that suffer for being "somatizers". I am a healthcare provider and educator, planning to go back to med school, and when I see the dichotomy between medicine and the reality of those who live with the condition it adds to my conviction to treat people more compassionately. Thank you for your compassionate sharing of pragmatic knowledge that way outshone the technically refined data from the 'experts'".

Name Withheld by Request, IBS Sufferer



"Dear Heather, I have a story that I think you'd enjoy. A little over a year ago, I was working in the editorial department of New American Library, part of the Penguin Publishing Co., when the manuscript for "Eating for IBS" came through to be considered. As a long-time sufferer I immediately snatched it up and was hooked. However, as a lowly Editorial Assistant, I didn't have the clout to make my opinion matter. Heather, I want you to know that I bared my IBS soul (something that I know all of us cringe even to think about!) to more than one boardroom full of publishing execs, trying to argue my case. I answered questions about my bowels in large conferences, I rallied others in the department to speak up if they had friends who also suffered....I did my best to get your cookbook accepted for publication. To no avail, as you well know. When I saw the article on your book last month in "Health" magazine, I was so excited for you -- and for ALL of us in the IBS boat! My own IBS cropped up in late high school, and in the past 7-8 years it has kept me home from prom (and countless other social events), lost me jobs, and sent me running from doctor to doctor -- all of whom have told me that I "have the worst case they've ever seen." But of course, that tidbit of information is never buffered with advice or assistance! I bought my copy of your book the first week it was on sale, and I'm having a great time trying all the recipes. The best part for me, though, is the general advice on living -- which supplements to try, how to incorporate vegetables and other non-carbohydrates without keeling over, how to keep your sanity when you just can't take another attack. I just couldn't be happier that you found a publisher willing to take a chance with a new direction in cookbooks. Thank you, thank you, thank you for helping so many sufferers, and for helping to open the world's eyes to the horrors of this condition. With endless gratitude, to you AND to your publisher Marlowe for doing what others were scared to do."

Annette Riffle, IBS Sufferer



"Thank you for writing your book! My husband has spent the past year going from doctor to doctor with more and more tests. He has been labeled IBS and nothing they've told him has made any difference. I stumbled across your book and for the first time in a year my husband is feeling better. Your book and wonderful recipes have made all the difference. Thank you doesn't seem sufficient to express how much you have helped and how much we appreciate it."

Deb, wife of IBS Sufferer



"It must give you a lot of satisfaction to help people feel better in such a dramatic way. I know just finding your diet on the internet has been an immense gift. My doctor has never discussed diet with me, and to tell you how warped the medical world is, I went for over 3 years with a doctor who said that "diarrhea is your body's new normal.....just live with it." How insane. Then another one said, "No it is in no way, shape or form normal. You need a colonoscopy immediately." But no one has ever suggested dietary changes. Thank you for your caring spirit. Your diet has saved me, I feel, and I appreciate it so much. I wanted to let you know that you were exactly right about the quickness and effectiveness of the IBS diet. Within 3 days I was noticing a difference; within a week I was "out of the bathroom" so to speak, and after 3 weeks, I am nearly back to normal. I am amazed. I thank you so much for providing this information. Without it, I don't know where I would be. I am sharing it with others I know who have the same problem. Thank you again ever so much, for helping me feel better and become healthier than I've been in over 6 years. Also, I am not needing any medication at all, and that is great!!!"

Gratefully (with tears in my eyes),

Kit Gorrell, IBS Sufferer

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