No Guts, No Glory

Searching for true wellness? Start with the gut. Surprisingly, our gut is the source of many seemingly unrelated physical and mental disorders that afflict millions of Americans, such as kidney stones, asthma, ruptured abdominal aortas, and even cancer or heart attack. This is above and beyond the 90 million people who have gastrointestinal problems each year. When it comes to the gut, most people assume that everything's fine until something hurts. But by then the trouble has been brewing a long time. To be really health savvy, it is important to understand the role the gut plays in health-which goes far beyond digestion-and then begin taking care of it. Internist Steven Lamm, M.D., a long-time advocate of moving from intervention to prevention, proposes a three-step plan he calls The Gut Solution that works in tandem with every other part of the body. The first step is the Gut-Smart Eating Plan that focuses on natural foods like raw vegetables and whole grains, which contain live digestive enzymes that maximize absorption of nutrients and aid regularity. The second step is detoxification,which is sorely needed to cleanse the injurious effects of living in a highly polluted environment. Dr. Lamm shows readers how to purge the gut of toxins by drinking more water, cutting stress,exercising more, sleeping better, taking special supplements, and eliminating addictive substances. The third step is restoring the gut to full function by repopulating it with enzymes needed as the aging process decreases our finite stores, and with probiotics and prebiotics that supply essential bacteria. A gut-check questionnaire helps identify problem areas so the reader can customize each step of the plan to his or her specific needs.No matter when we make changes in our life, we can still reap the benefits of bolstering our gut, reinvigorating its digestive and immune capabilities, and boosting our overall health. As Dr. Lamm writes, If you start caring for your gutright now . . . you'll not only avoid or reverse many debilitating and life-threatening conditions, but you'll also achieve your full vitality and vibrancy. In other words, you'll enjoy true wellness. Guaranteed.

Steven Lamm, M.D., appears regularly as the "house doctor" on ABC's The View as well as on many national or local shows in the New, YorkNew Jersey area. No Guts, No Glory is Dr. Lamm's fifth book. An internist oh the faculty of New York University, Dr. Lamm has maintained a private practice in New York City for thirty years. Sidney Stevens, a veteran writer and journalist, has collaborated on several health books, and her articles have appeared in a range of major magazines, such as Newsweek, Consumer Reports, and Travel Leisure.