it didn’t take long for another “new” drug to treat constipation. Again, this is a strong pharmaceutical, a serotonin type 4 receptor agonist. This means, it facilitates your body to make serotonin. Among the side effects: suicidal ideation, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and it gets into breast milk if you’re breast feeding. Why would you use an expensive drug like this with frightening side effect potential when you can use a simple, non-habituating laxative such as Miralax or its generic, or even an enema.

The 2nd edition, now out in paperback Amazon and Kindle secured first in sales this week on its introduction in its class, WOW.  And I keep running into people who are telling me about the microbiome and what foods to avoid. People, I need to say this again: despite a gigantic effort over some 12 years, with respect, there is no single fact to cling to apropos the microbiome as it relates to people. Much is made of the fecal enema for persistent diarrhea after D. difficle, but the European studies are weak, and the just assembled NIH sponsored study is comparing feces to placebo; there should be a 2nd comparison to yogurt and my guess is that yogurt would equal feces in effect without the side effects of possible toxemia and without the disgust and without the inability to reproduce the same feces next week. I did write the NIH on this, but no dice, it is late in the game for any change.

Yes, the typos are being corrected, but even with them, the book is very solid. Are you troubled with heartburn, cramps, diarrhea, constipation? Buy my book and find your way to comfort.

Taming Your Guts, 2nd edition is now available in print and Kindle. A chapter, with information current through this month (finished a few months ago but no new data of note to people) on the Microbiome has been added along with the names of some of the new drugs being promoted for IBS. Forget the hype and pitch of other books on functional GI distress, and even forget ROME IV, the academic tome that tells everything and nothing on this topic and now comes burdened with politico-speak. Taming Your Guts is my life’s experience on this topic, honest, practical, no commercial sponsor…basically advice you can depend on.

after a long absence, I’m back!

More and more on the microbiome. In “Taming Your Guts” I call this the “ecology” in the colon but now the US Government is sponsoring the microbiome with big funding so it’s time for me to get on board with the new name. Symposia devoted to this topic are springing up with speakers going deep into speculation: the microbiome as a factor in aging, autoimmune diseases, psychiatric disturbances, etc. Enough on this for now, but best to keep watching.

Oh Amazon, Oh Amazon…

You are very good at help, but not perfect. Anyhow, I finally got a label printed to send my books to Fulfillment by Amazon and these should reach the warehouse in about 5 days. Whew…that’s a relief, and now the question is, can I do it again.

About the stock market. Chinese solars are rolling over with Yingle’s warning that it might fold. Sequenom has disappointed on this quarter, but with good management it should double in 2 years..does it have good management?

Thanks to the good help from good people, the book, with cover picture, is now available for purchase via Amazon and via Kindle/Amazon. It’s really a very useful book for anyone trying to get control of guts that rear up unexpectedly and mess up plans. There are some 40 years of thoughtful experience in it with unique insights, advice, and diet suggestions. Give it a try or tell someone.