If you’ve ever suffered through a bout of severe vomiting, you also may have experienced the uncomfortable occurrence of regurgitating a bitter, greenish-yellow fluid. That fluid is bile, a substance produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder that aids in the digestion of fats. If you’re suffering from chronic heartburn or have been diagnosed with GERD that is … Read More
Yale Study: Colorectal Cancer Screening Saves Lives
The evidence continues to mount: Colorectal cancer screening saves lives. According to a recently released study by the Yale Cancer Center, widespread screening has resulted in an estimated 550,000 fewer cases of colorectal cancer over the past three decades. That’s more than a half-million people who have avoided hearing the devastating diagnosis: “You have cancer.” The research team, led by … Read More
Are Antibiotics Making Patients Sick?
When you get sick, do you immediately think a prescription for antibiotics would help? Worse yet, do you take what’s left of an old antibiotic prescription? There is no doubt that antibiotics can be a vitally important medical tool that are effective in treating bacterial infections, certain fungal infections and some kinds of parasites. They are not, however, useful in … Read More
Good news for southern women: reduced risk of inflammatory bowel disease
A recent study presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology suggests that in the United States southern women are less likely than their northern counterparts to suffer from Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. Researchers believe this is attributable to the extra time that southern women spend in the sun’s ultraviolet rays, thereby increasing their Vitamin D levels.
Osteoporosis Medications Can Cause Gastrointestinal Discomfort
Fifty-four percent of postmenopausal women in the United States have a low bone mass density, increasing their risk for hip and vertebral fractures. To combat this risk, a growing number of physicians are prescribing osteoporosis medications. Bisphosphonate, an ingredient in medications such as Boniva, Actonel and Fosamax, has been linked to stomach pain, heartburn and ulcers. A recent Oxford University … Read More
Irritable Bowel Syndrome can be more than just an Irritation
Over 55 million Americans suffer with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). It is extremely common and often ignored. Symptoms of IBS include diarrhea, constipation, abdominal cramps and bloating. For some people, symptoms are mild; many don’t even seek treatment for the condition. For others it can be very distressing and make it difficult to carry on normal daily activities.