Health Sciences Institute, Members Alert

May 1, 2008

By: Melissa Hickle

Let me ask you this: which of the following activities would you consider dangerous to your health?

Biting into an apple…

Petting a favorite cat or dog…

Eating out at the local diner…

Enjoying a peanut butter and jelly sandwich…

None of them, right?  That’s what I thought too, until I read HIS Panelist Ann Louise Gittleman’s newest book, The Gut Flush Plan.  After just a few pages, the anxiety hit.  It turns out that even the most “normal” activities can open the door to parasites, Superbugs, and other microscopic nasties…which can lead to a long list of frightening illnesses.

At this point, Ann Louise had me hooked.  I had to learn how to protect myself against the numerous causes of what she calls “gut grief.”  Especially when simple, everyday actions can invite a host of unwelcome visitors (which Ann Louise names “colon corruptors”) into our bodies.  These colon corruptors—yeast, parasites, Superbugs, and food sensitivities—are at the root of gut grief, which may be the cause of your constipation, diarrhea, diverticulosis, heartburn, indigestion, or countless other ailments.

Unfortunately, these colon corruptors lurk around almost every corner.  The book blames such lifestyle factors as doctors over-prescribing antibiotics, the popularity of antibacterial soaps, the low fat/high carb diet craze, day care, restaurant dining, and travel, as well as others.  Modern food processing also gets a nod with the disturbing statistic that one hamburger can contain meat from over 100 cows, raising the chances of widespread contamination.  Even the jar of peanut butter in your cupboard could be hiding Salmonella bacteria.

After painting such a disturbing picture of our everyday environment, The Gut Flush Plan thankfully offers a system to protect yourself from these intestinal invaders.  The book outlines an easy-to-follow plan to protect yourself against gut grief.

Before I go any further, I must be up front.  Ann Louise’s Gut Flush Plan is not a “quick fix”—it does require a commitment to a lifestyle change.  But it is one that could leave you feeling better than your have in years.  As the reward for your commitment, Ann Louise promises you’ll get back your energy, regain healthy bowel function, increase your body’s vitamin production, see a lift in your overall immunity, and even lose weight.

Inspired by her own experiences with gastrointestinal woes, Ann Louise has developed a plan based on what she call the “GI good guys”—probiotics, hydrochloric acid, and digestive enzymes.  Don’t worry if this all sounds a little confusing—the book explains in plain language how each works.

The Gut Flush Plan, kick started by a 21-day meal and supplement plan complete with menus and shopping lists, is based on the central principles of “fortifying, feeding, and flushing” your gut.  Recipes are included, and the meal plans are detailed, including three meals plus two snacks each day.  I was surprised to see the foods included on the plan aren’t bland at all; in fact, the 21 days feature menus that are more varied than my usual diet!

In addition to teaching you how to tackle colon corruptors from the inside, Gittleman addresses how to “flush” your home of these unwelcome (and dangerous) guests.  She covers the kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, laundry, pets—every area of life that can present an “in” for uninvited gastrointestinal pests.  She doesn’t stop at the four walls of home, either—as I love to travel, I found the section on taking the plan “on the road” to be particularly helpful.