Almost half of the people visiting doctors today are there because of gastrointestinal complaints. Not only are these disorders widespread， they also exact a high toll in pain， suffering， and expense. This book， written by one of the world s leading experts in gastroenterology， focuses on the most common problems of the lower intestinal tract -- the bowel or "gut" -- and offers new ways of coping with them and reliable approaches to prevention. Methods for diagnosing and treating the human colon are advancing rapidly， and in Your Gut Feelings Dr. Janowitz explains these new methods (and instruments) and outlines the risks they carry. In addition， he shows how to determine whether such day-to-day problems as gas， "belly ache，" diarrhea， constipation， and rectal bleeding should be treated at home or brought to a doctor s attention. Often these problems are not severe， but some symptoms can pose a real threat to a person s health: Janowitz sets them out. Covering the wide range of current colonic and intestinal disorders from the commonest irritable bowel syndrome (often known as spastic colon)， through more serious complaints like ulcerative colitis and Crohn s disease， polyps and colon cancer， diverticulitis， and sexually transmitted disorders， Dr. Janowitz provides basic information on the symptoms and causes of each problem; the kinds of diagnostic tests a doctor may suggest; the recommended treatments; and the outlook. Throughout the book there are clear diagrams and photographs， and useful charts and tables. At a time when Americans are preoccupied with searches for the best diet for healthy intestines， the author discusses high fiber foods in detail and sorts out the facts from the fancies of food allergies. He rounds out this indispensable handbook with a consideration of the "aging" gut， the impact of general diseases on the gut， the effect of drugs and medicine on the gastroinstestinal tract， and the impact of a person s emotions on his or her lower intestine.