IBD and Appendectomy The appendix – and its inflammation requiring appendectomy – may be related to risk of future inflammatory bowel disease. A 2003 study suggests that removal of the appendix may decrease the risk of ulcerative colitis while a study by the same authors from 2001 suggests its removal may also increase the risk [...]
Babies and Bacteria From the way we’re birthed to the way we’re raised, the bacteria within our digestive system play a large role in our health. There are a number of protective measures humans have naturally developed over time to ensure that our offspring grow strong and healthy. Read on to learn how different bacteria [...]
H. pylori Passed from Mother to Child A Japanese study published in The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, investigated the transmission of H. pylori within young patients and their families. Helicobacter pylori is a bacterium that weakens the protective mucous coating of the esophagus, stomach or duodenum, allowing acid to irritate the sensitive lining beneath, causing [...]
Intestinal Microbes & Prebiotics at a Glance What are microbes? Microbes, short for microorganisms, are microscopic, living organisms such as bacteria, viruses, and yeast. There are more than 400 species of microbes in the digestive tract. What do microbes do in the colon? There are two basic bacterial cell types in the digestive tract: beneficial [...]
Probiotics for Irritable Bowel Syndrome In this article, we will review evidence for the use of probiotics in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in adults. However, this does not replace the advice of your physician, whom you should always consult with for specific treatment recommendations. The World Health Organization defines probiotics as “live [...]
Carly McNaughton: The Ultimate Face-Off As a member of the Colgate University women’s ice hockey team, Carly McNaughton was spending the summer of 2004, like most summers, preparing for the upcoming hockey season. In July, Carly’s ordinary summer suddenly turned sour when she experienced a rapid weight loss of 30 pounds in three weeks. The [...]
Photodynamic Therapy for Barrett's Esophagus High Grade Dysplasia Barrett’s Esophagus You are at risk of developing Barrett’s esophagus if you have chronic acid reflux disease, also known as GERD. It is estimated that 5% to 20% of people who have chronic acid reflux also have Barrett’s esophagus.1 However, it is important to note that people [...]
Bone Disease and IBD In studies with mice, scientists have found evidence that the cause of osteoporosis-like bone disorders, inflammatory bowel disease, and celiac disease may be an abnormal regulation of a common protein, according to a recent study from the UK. Osteoporosis is a systemic skeletal disease characterized by low bone mass and micro-architectural [...]
Collagenous Colitis Collagenous colitis is a condition that was first described in 1976. Although over three decades have passed, its etiology, course of progression, and method of treatment are still unclear. A diagnosis of collagenous colitis may take several years, as this form of inflammatory bowel disease is less common, and therefore less frequently seen [...]
Colorectal Risk and Statins About Statins Statins are a class of drugs used to lower blood cholesterol. They work in your liver to block a substance needed to make cholesterol. They may also help your body reabsorb cholesterol that has accumulated in plaques on your artery walls. This helps prevent further blockage in your blood [...]
Blood Clots and IBD In a study reported in the April 2004 issue of Gut, researchers set out to determine whether venous thromboembolism (TE) is more prevalent among inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients than control groups. TE is a condition in which a blood clot (thrombus) forms in a vein. This clot can limit blood [...]
Could Pregnancy Be Good for Inflammatory Bowel Disease? Do you have inflammatory bowel disease and are worried how this might affect your ability to have a healthy pregnancy? Researchers in Europe have revealed that pregnancy might actually be good for you. In a 2006 study, published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, researchers looked at [...]
IBD and Liver Disease Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is often associated with other diseases that develop alongside intestinal and perianal involvement. These other diseases are called extraintestinal manifestations of IBD. Extraintestinal organ systems that may be involved with IBD are listed in below. The associations of these manifestations with IBD have been recognized for many [...]
Inflammatory Bowel Disease & Flu Vaccination Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a term that refers to two intestinal diseases: ulcerative colitis (UC), and Crohn’s disease. Ulcerative colitis affects only the innermost layer of the intestinal wall in the large bowel (colon). Crohn’s disease can affect any area along the small or large intestine. Unlike UC, [...]
Digestive Fallacies Researchers have only recently begun to understand the many, often complex, diseases that affect the digestive system. Accordingly, people are gradually replacing folklore, old wives’ tales, and rumours about the causes and treatments of digestive diseases with accurate, up-to-date information. But misunderstandings still exist, and, while some folklore is harmless, some can be [...]
Saliva: Going with the Flow Saliva, the watery liquid produced by glands located under your tongue, is an essential component of the digestive process. Saliva is 98% water, so it moistens your mouth and helps compact food into softened particles for easier swallowing. It is loaded with useful elements like electrolytes, enzymes, mucus, various antibacterial [...]
Smoking and The Digestive Tract Smoking cigarettes causes a variety of life-threatening diseases such as lung cancer, emphysema, and heart disease. The inhalation of smoke is responsible for changes in all parts of the body, including the digestive system. This fact can have serious consequences on health because the digestive system converts foods into the [...]
The Liver Where is your liver, and what does it look like? A large, complex, triangular-shaped solid organ, the liver is located in the upper right abdomen, just below the diaphragm and behind the ribs, extending across the midline to the left side. It is the largest and heaviest internal organ, weighing about 1.5 kilograms. [...]
Diverticulitis in Younger Populations Widely considered a disease of the elderly, since incidence increases steadily with age, acute diverticulitis now seems to be on the rise in younger urban populations. Diverticular disease is when small sac-like out-pouchings of the inner bowel lining push through the outer muscle wall of the colon. Called diverticula, these pockets [...]
Time-Tested Natural Remedies for Digestive Disorders Peppermint Mentha piperita comes from the Greek, Mintha, the name of a mythological nymph who transformed into the plant, and the Latin, piper, which means pepper. Peppermint is a hybrid of two different plants: spearmint and water mint. Throughout the ages, people have used peppermint for culinary and [...]
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