Volunteering Volunteers join our team for a variety of reasons: for personal growth and experience, because they or a loved one suffer from a digestive condition, or because they recognize the importance of our work and want to give back to their community. Here are a few of the different ways that volunteers contribute to [...]
Andrew Wakefield’s Harmful Myth of Vaccine-induced “Autistic Entercolitis” On January 5, 2011, The British Medical Journal declared fraudulent the published medical study that launched a global vaccine scare.1 How the MMR Vaccine Scare Began In 1998, a major medical journal based in the UK, The Lancet, published a report2 headed by Andrew Wakefield, who was [...]
Polyethelyne Glycol vs. Lactulose Which relieves chronic constipation more effectively? Chronic constipation is a disorder in which an individual experiences lumpy or hard stools that are difficult to pass. It affects 15-30% of Canadians, and is more common in children, the elderly, and women. Many treatments are available to increase elimination frequency and soften stools, [...]
Behaviour Linked to Gut Bacteria Chronic gastrointestinal conditions, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), are often associated with anxiety and depression. The intestinal bacterial content of these patients is less diverse than that found in healthy individuals and its composition can become unstable over time.1 In a small study recently [...]
Celiac disease hidden among IBS patients? Diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and relief following a bowel movement are symptoms shared by different gastrointestinal conditions. To ensure an accurate diagnosis, researchers now recommend routine blood test screening for celiac disease in patients who have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms.1 In a recent study published in The European Journal [...]
Health Canada Warnings Contaminated Natural Health Products Health Canada warns consumers to use caution when purchasing natural health products, especially if they are buying them online or from an unknown source. There is an increasing problem with products that may not have been approved for sale in Canada, but which are readily available [...]
Diagnosing Celiac Disease: is Biopsy Necessary? Currently, the gold standard for diagnosing celiac disease is to biopsy a tiny portion of the small intestine to look for specific signs of intestinal damage. These tests are costly and invasive, and since the prevalence of celiac is greater than 1% of the Canadian population, there is an [...]
Celiac Disease? You might need another Hep B shot! Hepatitis B vaccine often fails the first time for those with celiac disease If you have celiac disease, it is important for you to be aware that individuals with this disease have a very high rate of non-responsiveness to the hepatitis B vaccine. This means that [...]
Progressive Diseases of the Esophagus What is GERD? Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) occurs when the upper portion of the digestive tract is not functioning properly, causing stomach contents to flow back into the muscular tube linking the mouth to the stomach (esophagus). In normal digestion, a specialized ring of muscle at the bottom of the [...]
Polluted Air Affects Appendicitis We already know that air pollution hurts the environment, makes our cities smoggy, smells bad, can damage our lungs, and causes many other ill effects. Recent evidence now shows that it could also increase the incidence of appendicitis. The appendix is a tube-shaped sac extending 3-6 inches from the ascending colon, [...]
Diverticular Disease Updates Diet Plays a Big Role in Diverticular Disease & Other New Insights Diverticular disease (also called diverticulosis) is characterized by the presence of small sac-like out-pouchings (diverticula) of the colon lining, which balloon through the outer colon wall. Symptoms can include constipation, diarrhea, or alternating between the two stool extremes. Many individuals [...]
Family Dynamics during Holidays Ever asked Santa for a valium before going home for Christmas? I had a good laugh once, when a police officer was noted in the newspaper saying that every year at Christmas, when family members who don't usually see each other during the year get together and have lots to drink, they [...]
Sleuthing for Cause and Cure of IBD Could an artificial sweetener be the link that will solve the mystery? As in the classic game of Clue®, one researcher has used the investigative tool of deduction to come up with what might be one of the most important risk factors for inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s [...]
Peppermint and Irritable Bowel Syndrome Pain Relief Famous botanist, Carolus Linnaeus, was the first to describe peppermint, a sterile hybrid of spearmint and watermint, when he collected it in England in 1753, but people used peppermint as a medicine for centuries before this. Alternative medicine practitioners have implemented peppermint with a number of beneficial results, [...]
Gut Directed Hypnotherapy for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) As many as 20% of Canadians suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a chronic, often debilitating, functional gastrointestinal disorder with symptoms that include abdominal pain, bloating, and altered bowel behaviours.1 IBS can also involve numerous other colonic symptoms. There is an increasing body of evidence showing that [...]
Physical Activity and Digestive Health: It’s Complicated! Exercise for the gastrointestinal (GI) patient can be a complex issue, but implementing the right level and combination of physical activity should be beneficial for most. Some forms of physical activity can have significant negative effects on GI conditions, whereas others have a known protective effect against specific [...]
Functional Dyspepsia: Highly Connected to Other Illnesses If you have a gastrointestinal (GI) disorder, you know that managing it can be difficult enough on its own; however, new research reveals that individuals suffering from certain GI disorders are also more likely to have other health problems. Past research has demonstrated that people with irritable bowel [...]
Two Thoughtful Ways to Avoid Bitterness When we have a bad experience, or fail to achieve a goal or overcome a challenge, many of us let these experiences roll off our backs and we move forward only slightly affected. However, according to Carsten Wrosch, a psychology professor from Montréal,1 for those who are unable to [...]
Dying from Diarrhea The Cause Might Surprise You Celiac disease is an autoimmune gastrointestinal condition that affects about 1% of the North American population.1 The worldwide prevalence is unknown, due to lack of awareness and testing in developing countries and insufficient research. A group of international researchers recently completed a study that they hope will [...]
Ulcerative Colitis Diagnosis 50+? An article published in the journal, Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, sheds light on ulcerative colitis diagnosed in the later stages of adulthood.1 Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory bowel disease consisting of fine ulcerations in the inner mucosal lining of the large intestine (colon). Its primary symptoms are rectal bleeding and [...]
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