Nobel Prize for H. pylori Discovery The Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden awarded the 2005 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine to Dr. Barry J. Marshall, 54, and Dr. J. Robin Warren, 68, for their discovery of the Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) bacterium and its role in gastritis and peptic ulcer [...]
Click here to download a PDF of this information. Lactose Intolerance What is lactose intolerance? Human infants produce an enzyme called lactase to help digest lactose, the sugar found in human and other animal milk. Interestingly, lactose is also found in forsythia flowers and a few tropical shrubs. Past infancy, some individuals do not continue [...]
Inflammatory Bowel Disease and the Balanced Dinner Plate All together, a familiar message is beginning to come through: a balanced diet that is rich in fruits, nuts, and vegetables, and not heavily based on certain types of meat (such as red, processed, or fried) might decrease an individual’s risk for developing IBD and might also [...]
Living with IBD Videos Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) typically refers to two diseases: Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, although there are several other types. These diseases all involve inflammation in the digestive tract and can cause many debilitating symptoms, including diarrhea that occurs dozens of times per day, rectal bleeding, painful abdominal [...]
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 [...]
Achalasia Achalasia is a rare disorder, with a prevalence of 10 in 100,000. It affects the esophagus and makes it difficult to swallow food or beverages. The esophagus is a narrow tube that connects the back of your throat to the top of your stomach. The bottom two thirds of the esophagus is surrounded by [...]
Biomarkers Video Video Transcript The human body contains chemical signatures, called biomarkers, in DNA, RNA, blood, urine, and all tissues. These can tell us valuable information about our health. Simply put, the results a healthcare professional gets from the laboratory after you go for a test can signal that all is well or [...]
Click here to download a PDF of this information. Pancreatic Cancer Pancreatic cancer is a rare disease, affecting less than 0.0002% of the population each year, yet it is the third most common cause of cancer-related deaths in Canada. It has a devastatingly low five-year survival rate of only 8%, which is one of the [...]
Dowload a PDF of this report. Obesity Journey Survey Report Click the image to download a PDF of the report. Obesity is a multi-factorial chronic disease that can affect individuals in myriad ways. Each person has a unique experience, but there are common threads that stitch the stories together. Shame, stigma, and judgement [...]
Maybe it isn’t Gluten’s Fault While there is no doubt that gluten is to blame for the debilitating symptoms of celiac disease, we might have been too quick to assume that this protein, found in wheat and some other grains, is also responsible for the symptoms associated with non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS), often colloquially called [...]
Following Doctor’s Orders With an increase in lifespan and the prevalence of chronic disease, the number of new medications also continues to rise. However, recent advancements in alternative treatments and a better understanding of how lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise affect our health may cause many individuals to feel a general reluctance toward [...]
Minerals: We are what we absorb Introduction We are what we eat? Well, “we are what we absorb” might be the more precise statement. It is possible to eat enough to meet the recommended nutritional needs on paper, but if your body is not absorbing those nutrients, then it is simply not enough nourishment, and [...]
Click here to download a PDF of this information. Hemorrhoids Hemorrhoids, also called piles, are enlarged or varicose veins of the anus and rectum. They are common, particularly in developed countries, where they affect nearly 5% of the population. There are two types of hemorrhoids, external and internal, which can occur separately or in combination. [...]
Click here to download a PDF of this information. Obesity Obesity is a multi-factorial, chronic, relapsing disease that occurs when a person has an abnormal or excessive accumulation of body fat (adipose tissue) leading to an increased risk of health complications. Over the past few decades, obesity has grown in prevalence in Canada and [...]
Capsule Endoscopy Capsule endoscopy refers to the ability to assess the gastrointestinal tract with a wireless capsule. The test is primarily designed for assessing a variety of small intestinal disorders. Approved for use in Canada and the United States in the fall of 2001, capsule endoscopy has rapidly gained acceptance as an important diagnostic advance [...]
BC Colorectal Cancer Screening Test Suspended One type of colorectal cancer screening test, the fecal immunochemical test (FIT), is currently unavailable in British Columbia due to a manufacturing defect with the liquid reagent used in this test. All BC labs have suspended use of this test until they fix the problem, which may take up [...]
Colorectal Cancer Update Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in Canada, after lung cancer, and is the fourth most commonly diagnosed cancer in Canada after prostate, lung, and breast cancers. The Canadian Cancer Society estimates that Canadian physicians will diagnose 22,200 new cases during 2011, half of whom will not have [...]
Dealing with Chronic Pain “Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional.” These wise words from the Buddha remind us that life will inevitably offer difficulties, challenges, and struggles, but each one of us is responsible for our own happiness. How we view these situations, the meaning we attach to them, and our attitude toward them, [...]
Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome An Under-Recognized Gastrointestinal Condition Cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS) is a functional gastrointestinal (GI) condition, which causes recurring episodes of severe nausea and vomiting. Episodes, or attacks, occur suddenly and can last from hours to days. Individuals with CVS typically do not experience any symptoms (asymptomatic) during the weeks to months between episodes. [...]
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