We need the stomach and intestine not only for ingesting food and drink, but also to form a comprehensive, well developed, graduated pre-mechanism of our organism in its self-defence against the environmental influences that would make it ill. The entire digestive tract houses an inner external world that penetrates our body and exposes it to any number of mechanical, chemical and microbial stimuli and influences against which it must isolate and defend itself. The structure-comprising the cellular and biochemical functions of the gastrointestinal tract- is ingenuously designed to meet the requirements of continuous differentiation between what is foreign and its own, between the useful (vital) and harmful (destructive) input penetrating it. The digestive tract is a masterpiece of nature. The symbiosis (i.e. interaction) of our intestine with the approx. 20 trillion germs of our intestinal flora, a complex ecosystem without which we could not survive, has developed over the course of millions of years. As long as our digestive system is in good condition and functional, we are protected from any adverse effects due to defects and errors in our nutrition. However, if the stomach and intestine become weakened or ill, they can cause general sickliness, since the entire biological system will slowly lose its complex, dynamic balance. Therefore the persons suffering from gastrointestinal problems must be extremely careful in their choice of nutrition. They must recover the health of their intestinal milieu as quickly as possible, if they are to avoid suffering from general degenerative diseases in subsequent years. An energetically and materially healthful nutrition, as well as a healthy biochemical and microbial milieu in the digestive tract, are what the entire complex system of our metabolism depends on. Likewise, the maintenance of our basic regulation, and the entire energy and information flow in the biological system of our bodies. The quality of our food determines our fate: regeneration or degeneration, illness or health.
This series of manuals explains how to prevent and heal the chronic diseases that occur with increasing frequency (and increasingly early) in life. Practical aids include preventive and healing dietary instructions, as well as measures, which support and control the self-healing efforts of our organism. Explanations and instructions are based on scientific insights which are still in evidence. Our dietary instructions have been refined through decades of experience. They prove to be extremely efficient. Here we show clearly and in an easily comprehensible manner how to proceed to heal gastrointestinal diseases in practice. Whatever the problem, we would nevertheless recommend close cooperation with your attending physician, for whom this book will be a great help in treating his or her patients.
Table of Contents:
- Preface
- Structure of the Digestive Tract
- The Mouth
- The Oesophagus
- The Stomach
- The Duodenum
- The Pancreas
- The Jejunum
- The Ileum
- The Enterohepatic Circulation
- The Colon
- The Immune System of the Intestine
- The Intestinal Flora
- Regulation of the Digestive System
- Hormonal Regulation of Digestion
- Diseases of the Oesophagus
- Swallowing Problems
- Reflux and Diaphragmatic Hernia
- Barrett Oesophagus (endobrachyoesophagus)
- Therapy of Reflux and Barrett Syndrom
- Cancer of the Oesophagus (Oesophageal Carcinoma)
- Diseases of the Stomach
- Gastritis
- The Over-Acidic Stomach (Chronic Gastritis)
- The Acid-Deficient, Slack Stomach
- Colonisation of the Stomach by Helicobacter Pylori
- Stomach Cancer
- Diseases of the Pancreas
- Acute Pancreatitis
- Chronic Pancreatitis
- Pancreatic Cancer (Pancreatic Carcinoma)
- Failure of the Pancreas (Pancreas Insufficiency)
- Diseases of the Intestine
- Duodenal Ulcer (Ulcus duodeni)
- Intestinal Catarrh (Enteritis, Colitis, Fermentation, Rot)
- Constipation and Diarrhoea
- Intestinal Putrefaction and Fermentation, Bacterial Miscolonization
- Miscolonization of the Small Intestine
- Intestinal Putrefaction
- Therapy of Bacterial Miscolonization
- Appendicitis
- Meteorism
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Coeliac Disease (Hert’s Disease)
- Lactose Intolerance
- Fructose Intolerance
- Histamine Intolerance
- The Problem of Food Allergy
- Crohn’s disease
- Colitis Ulcerosa
- Diverticular Disease (Diverticulosis)
- Cancer of the Large Intestine (Colon Carcinoma)
- The Effect of Food on the Digestive Tract
- Two types of food energy
- General Guidelines for Treatment of Intestinal Diseases
- The Raw Apple Diet (Especially in Case of Diarrhoea)
- The Raw Food Diet
- The Sour Milk Diet
- Notes on Choice of Foods
- Diet Types
- Diet 1 Tea Fasting
- Diet 2 Juices
- A. For Acute Diarrhoea
- B. For Overly Acidic Stomach, Ulcers
- C. For Acid-Deficient Stomach
- Diet 3 Pureed Food (Mash)
- Diet 4 Bland Healing Diet
- Diet 5 Protective Healing Diet
- Permanent Diet for Frequent Constipation
- The Recipes
- Juices
- Healthful Teas
- Muesli (Birchermüesli)
- Raw vegetables and salads
- Salad dressings
- Suggestions for dressings to go with the salads and raw vegetables
- Milk Types
- Butter, vegetable fats and oils- gentle cooking and steaming/sauténing
- Gentle cooking and steaming/sautéing
- Soups
- Vegetables
- Salads of cooked vegetables
- Potato Dishes
- Cereal Dishes
- Sauces
- Sandwiches
- Desserts
- Suggestion for menus Sorted according to Different Consistancy Types
- Summary of the Foods for the Healing Diet for Digestive Problems
- Indications for General Applications for Gastrointestinal Disease
- Baths
- Kuhne’s friction hip bath
- Alternating foot bath
- Cold half-Bath (according to Winternitz, Kuhne, Kneipp)
- Washes
- Cold abdominal wash
- Full wash
- Body wash
- Lower abdominal wash
- Cold gushes (Kneipp, Winternitz)
- Thigh gush
- The abdominal gush according to Winternitz
- Compresses
- Kuhne and Priessnitz body compresses
- Compresses and applications
- Kneipp steam compress
- Massages
- Belly massage (Winternitz method)
- Diet Table for Patients with Gastrointestinal Diseases
- List of Recipes
- Notes
- Index
Dr. Andres Bircher is Dr. Maximilian Bircher-Benner's grandson. After medical studies in Zurich and Geneva, he spent ten years as a hospital physician in anesthesiology, intensive and emergency care surgery, pediatrics, psychiatry and psychotherapy. As a specialist at Zurich university hospitals at senior level, he performed training analysis with Brian Kenny, head physician of a hospital for internal medicine in Zurich. He received study and specialist training in TCM and acupuncture in Vienna, neuraltherapy, manual therapy and classical homeopathy, as well as training as a German specialist in balneotherapy, climatology and physical medicine. He is currently medical director of the Bircher-Benner Medical Centre.
