Lindsay Boyers - 14 Dec

Dear Reader,

Whether youve picked up this book to help yourself, help a family member or friend, or just to learn something new, I commend you. You have just taken one of the most important steps to improving your quality of life.

I speak to you as someone who knows the importance of having a healthy gut firsthand. Ive dealt with chronic issues in my own life. It took me a long timeand many visits to the doctorto realize that what I was dealing with all started in my gut, but as soon as I did, I took action and started making the necessary changes to fix my health.

While reading this book, you should realize that your health is in your own hands. Whether you jump right in and take every bit of advice in the book or you decide to incorporate a little bit at a time, youre moving in the right direction.

I wish you all the best in gut health and in life.

Lindsay Boyers, CHNC

These handy, accessible books give you all you need to tackle a difficult project, gain a new hobby, comprehend a fascinating topic, prepare for an exam, or even brush up on something you learned back in school but have since forgotten.

You can choose to read an Everything book from cover to cover or just pick out the information you want from our four useful boxes: e-questions, e-facts, e-alerts, and e-ssentials. We give you everything you need to know on the subject, but throw in a lot of fun stuff along the way, too.

We now have more than 400 Everything books in print, spanning such wide-ranging categories as weddings, pregnancy, cooking, music instruction, foreign language, crafts, pets, New Age, and so much more. When youre done reading them all, you can finally say you know Everything !

Answers to common questions

Important snippets of information

Urgent warnings

Quick handy tips

PUBLISHER Karen Cooper

MANAGING EDITOR, EVERYTHING SERIES Lisa Laing

COPY CHIEF Casey Ebert

ASSISTANT PRODUCTION EDITOR Alex Guarco

ACQUISITIONS EDITOR Hillary Thompson

DEVELOPMENT EDITOR Jennifer Lawler

EVERYTHING SERIES COVER DESIGNER Erin Alexander

Visit the entire Everything series at www.everything.com

Thank you to my dad, Scott, who always encourages me to do better; to my sister, Tiffany, who always has my back; and to my brother, Sean, who always provides comic relief. Thank you to the rest of my family, especially my Titia Fatima, who excitedly cheers me on no matter what Im doing. Thank you, Paul, for always making sure Im well nourished and for keeping me on track. I love you all.

Thank you to Hillary Thompson for working alongside me from start to finish and to Jennifer Lawler for her editing expertise.

5656 Bee Caves Road

Suite D 203

Austin, TX 78746

(512) 383-5343

www.amymyersmd.com

Dr. Amy Myers is a functional medicine doctor who understands individuality in genetics and physiology. Her treatment approach focuses on getting to the root cause of your symptoms and treating you as an individual.

Chriskresser.com

Chris Kresser is a licensed acupuncturist and an integrative medicine practitioner. He works directly with patients to correct chronic health problems without the use of unnecessary medications.

1436 U Street NW

Suite 100

Washington, DC 20009

(202) 667-6982

www.ewg.org

The EWG is an organization that empowers people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment by providing information about the latest scientific research.

505 S. 336th Street

Suite 500

Federal Way, WA 98003

1-800-228-0622

www.functionalmedicine.org

The goal of the Institute for Functional Medicine is to reverse chronic disease and advance knowledge by providing information and education about functional medicine.

Dr. Mark Hyman

55 Pittsfield Road

Suite 9

Lenox Commons, Lenox, MA 01240

(413) 637-9991

www.ultrawellnesscenter.com

Dr. Mark Hyman is one of the leaders in functional medicine. He founded the UltraWellness Center in Lenox, Massachusetts, and has authored several books.

PMB 106-380

4200 Wisconsin Avenue NW

Washington, DC 20016

(202) 363-4394

www.westonaprice.org

The Weston A. Price Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to informing the public about the importance of a nutrient-dense, real-foods diet.

The Center for Integrative Medicine

2522 N. Lincoln Avenue

Chicago, IL 60614

(773) 296-6700

Wholehealthchicago.com

The practitioners at WholeHealth Chicago rely on evidence-based medicine and an individualized treatment approach to transform chronic illness by addressing physical, spiritual, and emotional aspects.

3 Marina Road

Yarmouth, ME 04096

(207) 846-6163

www.womentowomen.com

The Women to Women Clinic in Yarmouth, Maine, focuses on treating womens health problems through education and participation. All practitioners at the Women to Women Clinic are trained in both traditional and functional medicine.

PO Box 25801

Seattle, WA 98165

www.whfoods.org

The George Mateljan Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to making the world a healthier place by providing cutting-edge information about why the worlds healthiest foods are the key to vibrant health and energy; and how you can easily make them a part of your healthy lifestyle.

www.gutandpsychologysyndrome.com

The GAPS diet was developed by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, a neurologist with a masters degree in nutrition. The diet focuses on the connection between the gut and the brain and describes how your food choices can affect your overall health.

Mark Sisson

www.marksdailyapple.com

Mark Sisson is a former endurance athlete who uses his site, Marks Daily Apple, to spread the latest research and information on living a Paleo lifestyle.

Scdlifestyle.com

SCD Lifestyle was started by two friends who were able to correct their own health problems through proper diet, supplementation, and lifestyle changes. The founders provide regular nutrition and health information.

A condition characterized by the backward flow (or reflux) of stomach contents into the esophagus

Abrupt onset

Organic compounds that come together to form proteins

Medications that neutralize stomach acid

An abnormal immune reaction in which the immune system attacks the bodys own tissues

A mass of chewed food in the mouth or digestive tract

A condition in which the ingestion of gluten triggers an immune response that attacks the lining of the small intestine

Lasting for a long time or recurring