TRUE WELLNESS FOR YOUR GUT

An informative guide to digestive health that draws on concepts from modern and traditional medicine from around the world.

Following up on their previous book, True Wellness: How To Combine the Best of Western and Eastern Medicine for Optimal Health (2019), medical doctors Kurosu and Kuhn aim to bridge the gap between ancient and modern health principles in this self-help guide, which offers helpful approaches to readers struggling with digestive issues or with maintaining a healthy weight. It starts with a general overview of the philosophies behind Western and Eastern medicine (Kuhn received medical training in China and Korusu, in North America) and then walks readers through an in-depth analysis of the human digestive system, including common digestive and metabolic illnesses such as peptic ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, and celiac disease. After that, the chapters shift to healing methods and strategies that readers may implement on their own, such as dietary restrictions or the use of Chinese herbal supplements. The authors make it clear that they wrote the book to give sufferers clarity about the origins of their problems, but they also encourage them to reflect upon their lifestyles—and, specifically, whether they’re pushing themselves too hard at work and at home, as stress can be a worsening factor. There are helpful, uncredited illustrations throughout;a chapter on qi gong practices for gut healing offers several detailed images to help readers understand its physical movements. The authors’ writing style is warm and inviting, and they effectively get their points across without relying on complex jargon or a preachy tone. What’s most striking about the book, however, is how it demonstrates the benefits of holistic medicine when combined with lifestyle changes and how it explains how a single aspect of digestive well-being can affect other areas of one’s health.

A valuable and wide-ranging wellness resource.