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BOOK REVIEW by Ruth Ann Flynn
(click image for larger picture)
Controlling Crohn's Disease The Natural Way
By Virginia Harper and Tom Monte
Kensington Publishing, $14.00
Crohn's disease, first identified by U.S. gastroenterologist Burrill B.
Crohn nearly 100 years ago, is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the
digestive tract. Medically its cause has yet to be determined. The
leading medical theory is that it is a virus or bacteria that interacts
with the body's immune system to trigger an inflammatory reaction in the
bowel wall. Treatment is directed at this inflammation; for serious
cases, the anti-inflammatory drug prednisone is used.
This book is the story of Virginia Harper, who was on prednisone for
many years in an attempt to control the raging symptoms of Crohn's
disease. After seeking macrobiotic counsel and changing her diet, she
was able to cure her illness and remains in good health today. Her
friend Sarto Schickel helped her to formulate the plan to turn her story
into a book. Together they approached Tom Monte, the prolific,
professional writer who specialized in health topics.
The story is a compelling saga of Virginia's suffering from the age of
fourteen until at the age of 28, she finally found macrobiotics and a
cure for her illness. In an attempt to control the disease, her doctor
had gradually increased her dose of prednisone until it reached 90 mg a
day. This brought on the expected symptoms of high-dose corticosteroid
therapy. She gained 30 pounds; her fact became round, red and swollen;
her vision became severely distorted, and she was forced to take
sleeping pills to get any sleep at all. The drug would cause a burst of
energy that would then give way to debilitating fatigue followed by
severe depression. In addition to the prednisone, she was taking
azulfidine, potassium, aspirin, a diuretic, iron and sleeping pills. Yet
all this medication had little effect on the disorder, and her physical
and emotional condition continued to deteriorate.
The authors explain how many people with Crohn's are left with no
alternative but to have lengths of their small intestines surgically
removed. The surgery does not stop the disease from spreading, which
means that numerous operations may be needed. The story recounts how she
found macrobiotics just in the nick of time. She turned to macrobiotics
just one month before surgery had been scheduled.
Her father, however, had just heard about macrobiotics and urged her to
look into that before she went any further with the medical
recommendations. Together they went to Middletown Connecticut to meet
macrobiotic counselor Bill Spear. The narrative of the counseling
session with Bill Spear is an enlightening lesson on macrobiotic theory
and the relationship between illness and diet.
The story of her struggle to follow the diet and learn how to cook the
food will ring a bell with anyone who has ever faced this challenge.
Cooking on a camping stove that was placed on top of her electric range,
she burned her first batch of brown rice. She mistakenly soaked a whole
bag of seaweed. "What's going on?" she asked out loud when what appeared
to be a small amount of seaweed turned into enough to feed a Japanese
village.
The story tells the emotional issues involved when someone in the family
changes the status quo and goes on a macrobiotic diet. "I am sick and
tired of your controlling everything around here," her father-in-law
screamed at her one day. "It's OK if you need this diet for your
condition, but you shouldn't be imposing it on everyone else. It's not
working for my son. He's lost weight, for God's sake! And you're doing
to turn your daughter into a freak. She's going to be different from all
her friends at school." She poignantly describes her feelings of
desperation and victimization while fighting for her life.
The book gives some sound information about the deleterious effects of
sugar and other acid-producing foods. It also gives an understandable
explanation of yin and yang as well as including a chapter on current
medical options. There is a chapter that explains the characteristics of
all of the foods on the macrobiotic diet and clarifies why nightshade
vegetables should be avoided. The recipe section contains about 40
recipes that the writers maintain can form the basis for a whole new way
of life.
There is much to learn from this book that benefits from the gifted
writing style of Tom Monte. It offers genuine insights into the world of
macrobiotics and gives hope to anyone who is afflicted with Crohn's
disease. The information about health and healing is wonderfully woven
into the story of Virginia Harper's life. If you are interested in books
on macrobiotic healing and want to read a good story as well, this book
will give you a taste of both.
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