On page 108 of THE IBD REMISSION DIET, I suggest that readers may want to try a product called Primal Defense after they've been completely healed for 3-6 months. I learned of this product from numerous readers who wrote in to let me know how well it's worked for them. Since I couldn't try the product myself (I've been pregnant or breastfeeding for 4 years and counting), I questioned numerous respected naturopaths, microbiology professors and gastroenterologists for their opinion on the product and all said it looked fine.

However, since meeting the founder and president of Natren Inc. (top quality probiotic manufacturer), Natasha Trenev, I must change my opinion of bacterial soil organisms. Natasha is a world-renowned expert on microorganisms and maintains one of the largest research libraries on that topic in the world. She has sent me an entire CD-ROM of articles, research, clinical data and other scientific studies (most done outside of North America) outlining why it is not considered safe to consume bacterial soil organisms (like those contained in Primal Defense and numerous other products).

To summarize the research briefly, soil organisms (SO) are spore-formers, so they make good competitors for yeast, fungus and other pathogens. This is why many people taking soil organisms will initially experience very favorable results. However, these spores are extremely difficult to kill, surviving commercial sterilants, disinfectants, acceleration forces, heat, pressure, radiation and many antibiotics. Strong antibiotics - like Vancomycin - can suppress certain spores. Spores are so persistent in the intestines that another round of germination may occur after the drug is stopped. Soil organisms can also adapt loose genetic material and incorporate it into their cellular structure – the ramifications of which are as yet unknown. Various soil organisms can produce harmful peptides, affecting hemoglobin in the blood. It's important to keep in mind that virtually all antibiotic drugs were initially developed from soil organisms and as antibiotics become more potent, they cause more damage to the host, not just in the immediate gut environment, but systemically as well.

In the EU (European Union) the use of soil organisms in animal feed is being stringently controlled and questioned at this time. There are simply too many questions and unknowns to sanction the use of soil organisms for human consumption and one certainly cannot qualify them as ‘safe' at this time. Traditional probiotics (like L. acidophilus, B. bifidum etc.) have been used by humans for thousands of years and therefore have a VERY long-term record of safety for human consumption. If you consume bacterial soil organisms, please be aware that this therapy is highly experimental - there is no long-term record of safety for human use. Maybe soil organisms will eventually be proven safe for human use, maybe not. The point is, that at this juncture, we do not know.

I'm very sorry for any confusion this may have caused you. To be honest, this is the very first time I've recommended a product that I have not tried and tested extensively myself – I admit I was swayed by good recommendations from readers. Rest assured that I will not do so again! You should also know that since originally receiving these recommendations, some of these same readers have contacted me again to let me know that they have since had bad flares, or, the lower right quadrant of their colon has become very swollen and tender - whether this is connected to the soil organism consumption, or not, I have no idea.

My sincerest apologies,

Jini Patel Thompson

"Vitamin B complex (30-50 grams per day)", should read "Vitamin B complex (30-50 mg per day)" - it should be milligrams (mg), NOT grams.

Over a thousand people have bought THE IBD REMISSION DIET and I've been receiving feedback from many of them. As this is an ongoing learning process for all of us, feedback from readers as to what worked/didn't work is invaluable. Based on this feedback to date, there seem to be a number of issues cropping up for people, so I'd like to pass on the information to you.

It's important that I keep you updated so you can benefit from the experience of others and together we can just keep improving natural treatment protocols, making them more and more effective for the greatest number of people! So please take the time to read this update thoroughly and implement the revised protocols where applicable for you - I want you to have the greatest chance of success! I have a fair amount of information to pass on, so I've organized it into Part I and Part II:

Some people are having urgent, explosive and frequent bowel movements whilst on The IBD Remission Diet and are needing guidance as to why this is occurring and what to do about it. If you're experiencing similar problems, here are some of the things that you can try to reduce cramping and/or diarrhea whilst on the Diet:

1/ Reduce the amount of oil per shake - start at only 1/4 tsp and work up from there as tolerated. If you can't tolerate even a 1/4 tsp., then don't add any oil at all for a week or so whilst you allow your system to heal, then try again.

2/ Try UDO's Choice Ultimate Oil Blend (www.udoerasmus.com) rather than Flax Oil, or, vice versa - different people's bodies like different things.

3/ Some readers are finding that adding the Vitamin C to their shakes (even though it's in mineral ascorbate form) is still resulting in increased diarrhea. For those who are trying to stop frequent or explosive bowel movements, or intestinal bleeding, this can be aggravating. I advise you to test it and see how your body responds. If you can tolerate it, then it's still a good idea to reap the benefits of this powerful healing tool (or try taking only 1/2 or 1/4 of the recommended dose). If you're unsure whether it's good/safe for you, then please follow your gut!

4/ Start taking the Natren Probiotics now (DURING the elemental diet). Follow the same instructions in the book and make sure you take them in powdered (not capsule) form.

I've experimented with taking the Natren brand probiotics during the elemental diet (I went on a two week course of the IBD Remission Diet) and found it greatly reduced the urgency and explosiveness of the liquid bowel movements. Other benefits that should follow from taking the probiotics DURING the diet include:

* faster healing of the mucosal lining

* an increased die-off of pathogenic microorganisms (e.g. yeast, bad bacteria, parasites, etc.) in your gut.

* control of Candida albicans (yeast) overgrowth

A few other readers also tried taking the Natren probiotics (all three; L. acidophilus, B. bifidum, L. bulgaricus) during the elemental diet and they found the same result as I did - a reduction in urgency and frequency of bowel movements.

Remember though, that even if you take the probiotics during the elemental diet, you still need to follow the full course of recommended probiotic supplementation for at least three to six months FOLLOWING the elemental diet.

To see my recent article on probiotic supplementation, please go to:

5/ Keep in mind that as Absorb Plus is a liquid food, your bowel movements will most likely be watery (this is not diarrhea) and watery bowel movements tend

to be more urgent/explosive. Alternatively, if your bowel movements are formed throughout the Diet, don't worry as this is also normal - just make sure you're drinking enough water. Remember, you're supposed to be drinking at least one glass of filtered/spring water between shakes.

If none of the above works to reduce the cramping (or extremely urgent/frequent bowel movements) within 1 week, then you may have an intolerance to some ingredient in Absorb Plus. The only way to find out what's really going on is to test and see and above all, listen to your gut - you'll get an intuition as to what's really causing problems for you at some point. Make sure you try the Natren Probiotics first though (DURING the Diet), as that has worked well for many people with similar problems.

If you have a pre-existing or widespread yeast (Candida albicans) infection, you'll need to treat the yeast infection simultaneously whilst being on the IBD REMISSION DIET. The elemental diet will starve off all the bacteria (good and bad) in your gut, thereby enabling you to supplement and implant your gut with GOOD bacteria at the end of the elemental diet part of the program. However, yeast (Candida) flourishes unchecked in the absence of gut bacteria, and this can lead to an increase in yeast-related symtoms. It is the good bacteria in your gut that usually help control the proliferation of yeast and keep it in balance. Keep in mind that ALL of us have Candida throughout our body - it is only a problem when it becomes too prolific and out of balance.

Symptoms of a yeast infection include:

NERVOUS SYSTEM - Depression, anxiety, sudden mood swings, lack of concentration, drowsiness, poor memory, headaches, light-headedness, insomnia, fatigue.

DIGESTIVE SYSTEM - Abdominal bloating, pain and gas, indigestion, heartburn, constipation, diarrhea, gastritis, mucus in stool.

URINARY/VAGINAL SYSTEM - Recurrent bladder infections, burning or urgent urination, cystitis, vaginal burning or itching, menstrual cramping.

MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM - Muscle and/or joint swelling and pain.

MOUTH AND THROAT - Bleeding gums, dry mouth and tongue, cracked tongue, thrush, white patches.

You most likely have all the Digestive System symptoms already, but if you also have a lot of the other symptoms, then there's a good chance that Candida (yeast) is a problem for you. To obtain a definitive diagnosis, see your physician.

There are two ways to treat a yeast infection whilst on the IBD REMISSION DIET, depending on how severe it is. If you have a mild infection, you can simply start the probiotic regimen when you start the Diet (follow the guidelines in the book). This will keep good bacteria in your gut even though you're on the Diet and the good bacteria will keep the yeast in check. I suspect that most, if not all, people with IBD have at least a mild Candida infection. So I would encourage you to start the Natren probiotics now (or at the beginning of the Diet) as a preventative. I have also since written an article on probiotic supplementation for IBD, so please read this on the Articles By Jini page on this website.

If you have a moderate to severe yeast infection, you need to use a natural anti-yeast supplement (I recommend Wild Oregano Oil) both internally and topically (where applicable) for the duration of the Diet, and if you taper down or go off it, you must immediately start probiotic supplementation. To print out my new Wild Oregano Oil Protocol for treating yeast infection, please go to the Articles By Jini page on this website.

Some people with yeast infections have also expressed concern over the Fructose contained in Absorb Plus - worried that the 'sugar' will exacerbate their yeast problem. Please keep in mind that one serving of Absorb Plus contains the same amount of Fructose as one apple. Also, it's not possible to consume carbohydrates in elemental form without breaking them down (pre-digesting them) and all carbohydrates are composed of sugars (saccharides). If you try to go on an elemental diet without any carbohydrates, you will probably lose weight and not have any energy. Still, you need to follow your gut and do what you feel is best for your body.

Again, this information and added treatment recommendations only apply to you if you have a current yeast infection. If you're positive you don't suffer from a yeast infection, then just ignore this update.