Enjoy your summer and prioritize eating well

Summer is a time for barbecues and outdoor family fun. While summer activities may look different this year during a pandemic, it does open the door for new experiences. It’s time to get creative, try some new things and prioritize eating well. Stress from upended work, school and social routines can lead to unhealthy habits that result in weight gain. … Read More

Make healthy choices in 2019 with these tips

Improving overall health is a hot topic as the new year begins. Over the course of the holiday season, we tend to consume more calories and exercise less, which can lead to unwanted pounds and digestive issues. Reversing our bad holiday habits isn’t always easy, but the solutions are simple. If you’ve made a commitment to stop overeating, we commend … Read More

How to survive and thrive during food holidays

Holidays that revolve around food, like Hanukkah and Christmas, are opportunities to reconnect with family and friends, but it’s also a time when we can get sidelined by sickness or stress. By intentionally focusing on digestive issues during the holidays, you also end up improving your overall health. You can fully savor the holidays while keeping your stomach happy and … Read More

Celiac Disease Awareness Month: Don’t go undiagnosed

Johnny Altawil

Celiac disease is not uncommon – an estimated 1 in 133 Americans, at the least, has the condition – but it often is undiagnosed or confused with another medical disorder. May is Celiac Disease Awareness Month, so let’s take a look at what it is, how it affects people, and what you can do about it. What is celiac disease? Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder in which the … Read More

Gastroenterologists urged to take leadership role in battle against obesity

We continually strive at Gastrointestinal Associates to achieve the best possible outcomes for our patients and to pioneer gastrointestinal health care. Towards that goal, we launched GIA 180, a comprehensive weight loss program designed to work with patients to reach a healthy weight in a healthy way. As a member of the American Board of Obesity Medicine and a certified … Read More

Fecal transplants show promise in treating C. difficile infection

Clostridium difficile infection, also known as C. difficile or C. diff infection, is a condition marked by medical issues ranging from severe diarrhea to life-threatening inflammation of the colon. It can be extremely difficult to treat, which is why the results of two studies about fecal transplants are so encouraging.

We’re losing the battle of the bulge

There’s good news and bad news in America’s fight against obesity. The good news is over the past year obesity rates held steady in all but six states, while childhood obesity rates stabilized nationwide. The bad news is, the good news pretty much ends there. Even worse news for Tennessee, ours was one of the six states with an increased … Read More

An Aspirin a Day…

Could something as simple as taking one low-dose aspirin a day help keep colon cancer at bay? Research indicates that, particularly for those at high risk of colorectal cancer, the regimen might be worth considering in addition to proper screening and a healthy diet. To shed some light on the subject, I’ll provide brief details from a few recent studies: