The Science of Pain Pain serves a vital purpose for living creatures with a nervous system, including humans. The unpleasant feelings of pain convince us to move away from situations that are causing damage to our bodies. Without this built-in alarm system, we would have to try hard to avoid biting our own tongues, we [...]
IBS Updates 2022 April is Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Awareness Month. IBS is one of the most common gastrointestinal conditions in the world. It affects as many as 20% of Canadians so it’s likely that you know at least one person with this functional disorder. IBS can be debilitating, and it presents with symptoms of [...]
Increase Dietary Fibre – Reduce Health Care Costs Fibre is a vital part of the diet. When consumed daily, it helps keep your digestive system moving regularly by adding bulk to stool and stimulating peristalsis, which helps reduce constipation. Certain types of fibre can also absorb excess water in the large intestine to reduce diarrhea. [...]
Elderly Onset Celiac Disease Older than 65? You should know about celiac disease in the aging population In recent years, celiac disease has gone from a relatively unknown condition to a highly discussed topic with extensive media exposure, celiac-friendly recipes, and a designated gluten-free space on the menus of many popular restaurants. Celiac disease is [...]
The Simplified Low FODMAP Diet Did you know that there is more than one way to do the low FODMAP diet? The low FODMAP diet involves removing certain fermentable carbohydrates from the diet for several weeks and then slowly reintroducing these foods to tolerable levels. It has shown great success in treating many individuals with [...]
Oxygen Therapies Oxygen is necessary for life. You may fast from food; even go without water for a while, but you can’t live without oxygen for more than a few minutes. Oxygen plays a key role in every cellular process. It supports the immune system, neutralizes toxic substances, fuels metabolism, and promotes new cell growth. [...]
Product Review Cranberry Pico-Salax® A bowel prep is a product used at home to empty the colon in preparation for a colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy. Pico-Salax®, a reliable bowel prep product for more than thirty years (in Canada since 2004), is now available in a lactose-free, cranberry flavour formulation. Both the cranberry and orange formulations are [...]
Animal Digestive Systems From new treatments for gastrointestinal diseases and disorders to the complicated ways that our gut microbiota can affect many aspects of our health, we tend to focus on what goes on in our own digestive tracts quite frequently. However, if we switch the focus away from humans, and glimpse into the animal [...]
Clinical Trials Survey Results Clinical trials are a vital step in the development of new treatments, and they contribute to well-balanced, effective healthcare. Without clinical trials, we would never be able to adequately test new treatments, including medicines, supplements, devices, dietary modifications, behavioural and psychological therapies, various procedures, and more. No testing means no new [...]
Food Allergy vs. Intolerance: Know the Difference Understanding the difference between food allergies and food intolerances can leave a person justifiably confused. With these medical conditions having potential overlapping symptoms (e.g., cramps, upset stomach, diarrhea, skin rash, and headache), it is easy to see why the line separating the two is so often blurred. Allergy [...]
Click here to download a PDF of this information. Crohn's Disease Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that can affect any area of the gastrointestinal tract, from the mouth to the anus, either in continuity or as isolated areas. The inflammation can involve the inner mucosal lining, up to the full thickness [...]
SSI Treatment for IBD Encouraging What’s new in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) research? Are there any therapies that may help restore the body’s normal immune function and innate capacity to heal? Are there any treatments designed to achieve sustained remission off all medications after a successful treatment course? Promising results from Qu Biologics, a Vancouver-based [...]
Programs & Services How We Help The GI (Gastrointestinal) Society was formed in 2008 on the foundation of its partner organization, the Canadian Society of Intestinal Research (CSIR), founded in 1976. The staff of the GI Society run CSIR, but both organizations have a separate board of directors. Funds from both organizations support our core [...]
Do gastrointestinal problems affect how you care for your bone health? Osteoporosis (weak bones) is not a natural part of aging. It is a disease. Osteoporosis is a bone disorder characterized by compromised bone strength that is prone to increased risk of fracture from low impact trauma or a fall from standing height. Several conditions [...]
Could your intestinal gas and bloating be a result of Complex Carbohydrate Intolerance or Lactose Intolerance? As more and more people are realizing the importance of healthy eating, many of us have discovered that some of the same foods that are so good for us can often cause gas, bloating, and considerable discomfort. [...]
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 [...]
Celiac Disease's Associated Risks Celiac disease is an autoimmune gastrointestinal medical condition in which damage to the inner lining of the small intestine occurs. For those who have celiac disease, a substance called gliadin (a grain protein in gluten), which is found in wheat, barley, rye, and triticale, triggers an abnormal immune response that flattens [...]
Crohn’s Disease Insights Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that can affect any area of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, from the mouth to the anus, either continuously or as isolated areas. The inflammation can involve the inner intestinal mucosal lining, up to the full thickness of the bowel wall, and consists of swelling, [...]
Product Review Enjoy Celiac-Friendly Treats with GluteNull Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that involves an abnormal immune response when an individual consumes gliadin, a protein found in gluten. This damages the microscopic villi that line the inner wall of the small intestine, which reduces the body’s ability to absorb enough nutrients from food, leading to [...]
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