Every so often I receive emails from readers that either move my heart, or contain good ideas. This one does both:
Hi Jini,
I have noticed a real difference in the way I feel taking 2 Absorb Plus shakes a day for my diverticulitis. Before your shakes, I was very weak walking with a cane for support.
My son has Crohn’s disease and has started taking a shake for breakfast (Immune System recipe) and the Mucosaheal at bedtime.
We both feel the Berry flavor is too sweet so we cut it with the Unsweetened Vanilla (2 scoops of each). We also feel 4 scoops of the Chocolate is too strong so we cut that with the Berry or Unsweetened Vanilla flavor (2+1+1 or 2+2 scoops). I have not tried the French Vanilla by itself, I usually blend it with Chocolate, or fruit juice, or fruit. Fresh peach (skinned) with the French Vanilla is delicious.
I am now reintroducing foods, and still taking a shake per day.
Thank you for some great products, they make a difference to my health.
– Lisa B.
I especially like Lisa’s idea of mixing the Vanilla with a peach (for those of you who are NOT on an elemental diet) – I think that would taste wonderful. And as Lisa points out, now that we have both Unsweetened and regular French Vanilla, you can play with the proportions to get exactly the amount of sweetness and strength of flavor you desire.
For those of you concerned about the fructose in the regular Absorb Plus flavors (especially since Dr. Joseph Mercola has been on such a fructose-bashing crusade), I’m going to be posting in-depth soon about WHY I’ve lowered the fructose in Absorb Plus, but I have still kept some in there.
I’m also currently working on an Absorb Plus that uses tapioca maltodextrin (from cassava root), rather than corn-extracted maltodextrin. So that will be rolling out soon and the product will be safer for those with corn allergies and we’ll also get away from the GMO crop drift that’s happening with corn in North America.
Remember, that the products I formulate are dynamic. I do not follow conventional practices and keep a product exactly the same because I’m afraid of losing customers who don’t like the new one. Guess what? Most people do not like change. However, I will continue to make changes to improve my products as more research, better extraction technology, and new/better ingredients become available. Because I believe that health takes priority, so if I can make it healthier, but still taste nice, I will.
In the last set of changes I made, we did have a number of people complaining about the change, but most people still said something like, “I don’t like the taste of the new Absorb Plus as much, but I know it’s better for my health, so that’s okay.” To be honest, if those people had a sample of the old Absorb Plus on the counter next to a sample of the new Absorb Plus – in a blind taste test – they would most likely choose the new one anyway! I know, because that is exactly what I do with family and friends when I’m re-formulating.
And I always, always test on kids. I especially like to test on kids whose parents feed them a lot of processed crap, with turbo-charged chemical flavors; because if their tastebuds say it’s okay, then I know it will be fine with most people’s palate. In fact, here’s a video I shot of my daughter Zara and her friend Kenzie taste-testing my latest Absorb Plus Chocolate Royale, so you can see what I mean:
There is no one more honest than a kid! Thanks for the video – although I’m not a chocolate fan of any product, this was a great endorsement! I use the unsweetened vanilla and occasionally use my own fruits for additional flavor. A big dollop of organic peanut butter is also a good taste addition or some cinnamon that revs up the taste buds. I include a banana almost every day along with any of the above flavors.
LOl, This is soooo cute and convincing!!! My daughter (6) also says “tast- es” I was laughing at your son slurping on the side.
Thanks Jini,
Caroline
I was diagnosed for crohn’s and I went on exclusive absorbplus for 6 weeks. Now, my symptoms, (pain, bloating, nausea) have reduced and I am slowly reintroducing regular foods one by one. I have a couple of unopened tubs left over that can be bought from ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140678044376
Good luck.
Hi,
I need a phone number so I can call and talk to someone and then
order your product. The idea of purchasing your Absorb plus
Chocolate Royal sounds great – but I prefer a phone so I can
speak to a real person.
Thanks and regards,
Lillian M.
I am 48 years old and have had four bouts of diverticulitis in less than three years. One of them putting me in the hospital for three days with an abcess. I have recently had the fourth bout, and have just finished the cipro and flagyl. I know it is very important to get my good bacteria built up again, but am unsure how I should do so. I take a very expensive refridgerated probiotic every day. I take two capsules before breakfast. I still ended up with diverticulitis, so I am sure more is needed. They are very expensive though, so I don’t want to take any more than absolutely needed, but want to make sure I am getting enough. I am very overwhelmed over this disease, and just don’t know what to do and where to start. Any advice on getting this condition healed would be greatly appreciated. I am switching my doctor to one that deals with homepathic remedies as well. I am desperate to get this under control!
I need to know how many probiotics I need to take. I am taking Professional Health Products Acidophilus-Bifidus Capsules, 2 before breakfast, typical analysis: 10 billion CFU/g. Should I take two more in the evening, or throughout the day? I also was wondering if aloe juice would be helpful? I have Herbal Aloe Force on hand, but really don’t care for the taste, so I have avoided using it. Has anyone heard of it?
I welcome any helpful information.
Thanks,
Kathy
LILLIAN – I have sent your contact details to Justin, but you can also call us at:
toll free: 1-888-866-7745
local: 360.977.5357
KATHY – Does your probiotic brand GUARANTEE the LIVE bacterial count through to the date of expiration? If not, you need to switch to Natren brand. If they do, then I would take 1 capsule before breakfast and 1 capsule last thing before bed.
The fastest way to replace your gut flora is to also do Jini’s Probiotic Retention Enema (in any of my books).
The only brand of aloe I recommend is George’s. Or the raw aloe from Stockton Aloe 1.
what is absorb plus ?
Absorb Plus is an elemental diet shake (where all the ingredients are pre-digested and in your bloodstream within 20 minutes). When you add Udo’s or flax oil to it, it becomes a complete meal replacement so people use it during intestinal obstruction, diverticulitis flares, Crohn’s or colitis flare ups, or anytime digesting and absorbing food is a problem. It is also used by people with other serious illness as a super high quality source of nutrition when they’re too nauseous or tired to cook – lupus, CFS, cancer, AIDS, etc. Or by elderly or pregnant women (when nauseous or tired).
Would love to get some direction… Battling diverticulitis recently found your web sight! You are very precious I thank God I found you … I ordered the absorb plus … Not sure where to begin… Tried contacting but always getting answering machine . Would be such a blessing to talk to someone!
Hi Maryann,
Sorry for the back and forth! I tried calling you several times and responded to your e-mail this morning so feel free to ask any questions you might have either here or via e-mail. I’m afraid that we won’t be able to offer you any personal guidance on your specific situation but I can certainly direct you to informational resources. If you haven’t seen it already, you should definitely check out Jini’s symptom page on Diverticulitis as it would be a good place to begin. Here’s a link to the page:
http://www.listentoyourgut.com/symptoms/7/diverticulitis.html
Also, make sure you sign up for Jini’s free Diverticulitis report at that page in the little pink box on the right side as it contains even more free information and ideas.
Kind regards,
Justin
Customer Care
Hi there Jini,
I have been waiting for 3 weeks for my diverticulitis book I ordered from you. It cost me about $4.95 I think, and put it on my credit card but never received it. Please get back to me as soon as you can
Thanks
Alberta Schneider
Hi Alberta,
Sorry for the confusion! I see that we sent a download link for the eBook you purchased right after you placed your order but it sounds like it may have ended up in your spam folder. I’ve just re-sent the download link to your e-mail address so if you have any issues download or accessing the file please let me know.
Kind regards,
Justin
Customer Care
I am intolerant to some of the ingredients in your products. Wish you had a way to order custom bases and then the aminos could be added. I was in the hospital for several weeks and could not tolerate any of the elemental formulas due to my food sensitivities. I lost 50 lbs and am still struggling. Dx was findings consistent with eosinophilic esophagitis, chronic gastritis, chronic duodenitis and mast infiltration of the small bowel. Eating is no fun for me.
Hi Hope,
Which ingredients aren’t you able to tolerate, specifically? Also, are you referring to Jini’s Absorb Plus product? We carry two types of protein (whey-based and vegan) for people who can’t afford or tolerate Absorb Plus and want to make their own shakes. These are also both very good as maintenance shakes when not in an active disease condition:
Vital Whey:
http://shoppe.listentoyourgut.com/vital-whey-natural-unflavored-600g/
Sun Warrior vegan protein:
http://shoppe.listentoyourgut.com/sun-warrior-classic-protein-raw-vegan-natural-1-kg/
Kind regards,
Justin
Customer Care
Hi Hope,
Your wish is my command! I have just made live in the Shoppe a way for people to create their own elemental shakes. We feature the Vegan proteins (since they are least allergenic), but if you can tolerate the grass-fed whey, then you can just switch them out:
http://shoppe.listentoyourgut.com/vegan-elemental-shakes/
We expect to have all the ingredients in stock in the next few days (by August 3, 2013)
Last month, I was diagnosed with diverticulitis. I found your site and used oil of oregano and aloe vera juice to help combat the 2nd flare up 2 weeks ago. I like the idea of your Absorb Plus but feel I might not need a hugh amount. Is there a smaller amount which can be purchased or a sample amount? I would like to have it on hand in case of another flare up but find it hard to come up with nearly $70 without trying the product first.
Hi Gail,
I’d be happy to send you a free sample to try. You can e-mail your shipping address and flavor preference to service@listentoyourgut.com and I’ll get the sample out the door for you. The sample contains 1 serving (100g) of Absorb Plus and the full sized tubs contain 10 servings, just for reference. If you have any additional questions you can reply here or include them in your e-mail.
Kind regards,
Justin
Customer Care
I have been using the shakes for all my meals, but the diarrhea is worsened. I am recovering from C diff and Leucocytic colitis and had achieved remission, with a few accidents. But now I’m wondering if there is something in the shake that is upsetting me. There are very few foods that I can eat now and I hoped this would give me a break.
Hi Sonya,
Jini just posted some new shake recipes this week if you want to try something a little different to see if an ingredient in Absorb Plus isn’t agreeing with you. Here’s a link to the post:
https://blog.listentoyourgut.com/easily-tolerated-weight-gain-shakes/
Kind regards,
Justin
Customer Care
So glad to hear you are moving away from corn based (GMO) maltodextrin! That is the key reason I decided to create my own shakes for the elemental diet based on your suggestions in the book. I found organic, rice based maltodextrin that is non GMO and organic. This is a great change so thank you for taking the steps to make your shake a healthier option.
Hi Delicia,
Thanks for writing in, we appreciate the feedback! We actually changed all flavors of Absorb Plus from a corn maltodextrin to tapioca maltodextrin in 2012. We also now offer a vegan shake kit option which uses tapioca maltodextrin alongside a rice based protein from Sun Warrior:
http://shoppe.listentoyourgut.com/vegan-elemental-shakes/
Kind regards,
Justin
Customer Care
hi i have had 2 diverticulitis attacks —the 1st one in jan an the 2nd in june– I just recently was discharged from the hospital and did intravenous antibiotics at home and had drainage for abcess. the doctor wants to do surgery the end of august. Do you think this is necessary and can the absorb help the diverticulitis heal?
Hi Kim,
I’m afraid that we’re unable to comment on surgical procedures as we’re not qualified to do so. If you are looking for more information about healing your diverticulitis naturally, a good place to start is at Jini’s diverticulitis symptom page at the link below:
http://www.listentoyourgut.com/symptoms/7/diverticulitis.html
When you’re at that page, don’t forget to sign up for the free eBook in the little pink box on the left side.
Kind regards,
Justin
Customer Care
I was just diagnosed with IBS and have just purchased your shakes what else can. I ?
Hi Linda,
I’m sorry, you’ll need to be a little more specific with your question. The best info we have is in your Listen to Your Gut book but if you have any questions about Jini’s protocols or anything you find in her books I’d be happy to help!
Kind regards,
Justin
Customer Care
Help tried often to speak to someone. Have high blood sugar around 13 (Canada ). Need so badly to gain weight. Help
I took 2 scoops of Absorb plus powder with half of avocado and I felt stomach discomfort, little bloating and nausea. I wonder why?
Hello Ruth,
Thank you for the inquiry. Sometimes people have had some side effects with the Absorb Plus powder. Please see this advice on that from Jini: https://blog.listentoyourgut.com/bowel-issues-on-an-elemental-diet/
If you continue to have issues after looking into that advice please let us know, as we do have some other shake options on the website for those that do not handle the Absorb Plus well. One of them being the Vegan Shake option you can see more of here:
https://blog.listentoyourgut.com/how-to-make-a-vegan-elemental-shake/
http://shoppe.listentoyourgut.com/vegan-elemental-shakes/
Please let us know if we can help with anything else.
Kind Regards,
Rachel
Customer Care
Hello Jini,
This is Sunil i was diagnosed with crohns in 2010, since then i was on Aathioprine 200 mg a day and i was on remission until Aug 2016 . on aug 2 2106 i was admitted to hospital for severe obstruction (symtopms : naushea, vomitting,) then they put me on prednosone 40 mg, and azathioprine and discharged from hospital. so last week oct 2 2016 i was again admitted to hospital for severe obstruction then discharged after three days increase the prednosone dosage back to 40 mg perday. in the colonoscopy dr saw there in severe obstruction . i am completely dependent on absorb plus now right now i a m taking 4 sccops in morning, along with absorb plus. what other minerals whouls i drin??. i have UDO oil and probiotis which i brought from LTYG. i am regular cutomer. please help me, i dont to get admited in hospital again.
Hello Sunil,
Thank you for your inquiry. Glad to hear you were able to find us and the Absorb Plus is helping you. The probiotics and Udo oil can also be very beneficial if taken correctly. This link has some beneficial information for treating bowel obstruction: http://listentoyourgut.com/symptoms/20/intestinal-stricture-or-bowel-obstruction.html
We would also highly recommend getting the Listen to your Gut book. It has a lot of information on all of the protocols, supplements, diet, etc for treating Crohns disease. You can see more about it here: http://listentoyourgut.com/healing-resources/6/listen-to-your-gut-the-complete-natural-healing-program-for-ibs-and-ibd.html
THE IBD Remission Book may be beneficial as well for the information on the best way to take the Absorb Plus, and do the elemental diet, as well as how to incorporate in other foods after it. You can see more on that here: http://listentoyourgut.com/healing-resources/5/the-ibd-remission-diet-achieving-long-term-health-with-an-elemental-diet-and-natural-supplementation-plan.html
Also number 5 on the list on this page for Crohns disease is Jini’s best recommendations for vitamin and minerals for any nutrition deficiencies: http://listentoyourgut.com/symptoms/14/crohn-s-disease.html
Jini also does recommend getting off prescriptions if you are able to, as sometimes they can make the condition worse. We would recommend researching this as well.
Please let us know if you had any other questions.
Kind Regards,
Rachel
Customer Care