During the busy holiday season, many of us pack in too much – shopping, socializing, eating and drinking – and we neglect our health. Add in some stress and anxiety, and it is no surprise that digestive upset is on the rise in December.

Of course, problems like constipation, diarrhea, bloating, gas and heartburn are very real and common problems year-round.

While a visit to the doctor is called for when one has chronic problems or a compromised immune system, it may be possible to prevent digestive disorders, support your immune system and maintain intestinal health through diet and lifestyle.

A new book, “Gut Insight: Probiotics and Prebiotics for Digestive Health and Well-Being,” by Jo Ann T. Hattner and Susan Anderes (Hattner Nutrition, 2009), advocates the use of “functional food” to encourage intestinal growth of “good” bacteria to prevent and resolve many digestive problems in otherwise healthy people.

I will admit that I was skeptical when I first opened this book. Until recently, probiotics were considered alternative, and I feared the scientific support for their use would be weak. That has now changed. I was pleased to see that the authors of “Gut Insight” support their claims by citing good scientific research. Hattner has impressive credentials, too. She teaches nutrition at Stanford medical school and for years was a dietitian at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital.

According to the authors, the benefits of probiotics currently supported by the scientific literature are enhanced immunity, improved digestion of lactose, constipation treatment, improved antibiotic tolerance, improved respiratory infection symptoms and infant diarrhea management. Among the potential benefits currently being researched are improved cholesterol profiles, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease and vaginal and oral health.

So what are probiotics and prebiotics? Probiotics are live microorganisms, “good” bacteria that work in your intestines to combat the overgrowth of the germs that make you sick. Because of these purported health benefits, probiotics are now added to many foods. Yogurt may be the best known, but many other foods, including dairy and soy products, cereal, energy bars and infant formula, now add probiotics. Prebiotics are a complement to probiotics. They support and increase the probiotic population by stimulating the growth of beneficial microbiota and are found in plant-based, nondigestible carbohydrates.

Hattner and Anderes have written a book that is easy to follow and full of practical, simple suggestions to improve one’s diet and health, based on scientifically sound principles. They provide tips on shopping, food preparation and kitchen safety. In addition to thorough discussions of probiotics and prebiotics, the authors advocate a plant-based diet and explain the value of these functional foods. The final chapter of the book discusses the use of probiotics and prebiotics through the various stages of life, from newborn to senior.

“Gut Insight” is on the shelves of Stanford Health Library. The library is free and open to the public. For those wanting to learn more about the topic, other books at Stanford Health Library include the “Dictionary of Neutraceuticals and Functional Foods” (Taylor and Francis, 2006) and “Integrating Therapeutic and Complementary Nutrition” (Taylor and Francis, 2007). For more on this topic, visit http://healthlibrary.stanford.edu/resources/bodysystems/nutrition_nutrients.html.

Contact Stanford Health Library in person or via telephone or e-mail. Research assistance and customized information packets on all medical conditions and treatments are available free of charge.

Stanford Health Library has three locations: at the Stanford Shopping Center near Bloomingdale’s, on the third floor of Stanford Hospital and on the main level of Stanford’s new Cancer Center. In January, the library is scheduled to open a new branch in South Palo Alto, on the campus of the Taube Koret Center for Jewish Life, 3921 Fabian Way.

For more information, call 725-8400 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Nancy Dickenson is head librarian at Stanford Heath Library.

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