Q. More than 20 years ago I was diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Tests revealed no cause. Diarrhea attacks accompanied by severe abdominal pain rarely gave me time to find a bathroom before it was too late. I would suffer several times a week.
At 6′ 2″ I weighed only 147lbs and could not gain weight even eating 5000 calories a day. Imodium A-D daily provided minimal help.
Ten months ago I read in your column about a man with Crohn’s disease who had been helped by eating two Archway Coconut Macaroons daily. I had nothing to lose so I gave it a try. IT HAS CHANGED MY LIFE!
In these past ten months I have had only a few mild attacks, none involving pain. Even the worst of these was milder than a good day before. I stopped carrying a change of clothes in my car, as I haven’t needed them once.
Twenty years of suffering and all I needed to do was eat cookies! There is not one medication on the market that can boast fewer side effects. My weight is now stable at 180 lbs, ideal for my height.
A. Many people are grateful to Donald Agar for sharing his discovery of the anti-diarrhea benefits of coconut macaroons. We believe the essential ingredient is the coconut, since several readers have reported benefit with coconut alone.
This approach won’t work for everyone, but we are surprised how many people seem to respond well. One young man even reported that coconut-containing candy bars (Mounds) helped his antibiotic-induced diarrhea.
