Patients with irritable bowel syndrome often have a list of foods that can trigger uncomfortable symptoms like bloating, diarrhea, constipation and abdominal discomfort. This chronic disease affects between 10-15% of the population in the United States more commonly affecting women. In addition to foods, other factors and lifestyle choices can also trigger IBS symptoms. Here’s
There are thousands of enzymes in our bodies, categorized into metabolic, digestive and food enzymes. While all are important, we’ll focus on the digestive enzymes and their impact on gut health. Digestive enzymes are a critical component of your digestive system and your overall health. They’re responsible for breaking down food, making digestion easier, and
Gut health can change for a variety of reasons, through aging, with diet and lifestyle changes, as an effect of a medical issue, or even with the seasons. As we move into the colder winter months, your digestive needs may change. The gut refers to the entire digestive tract, made up of several organs responsible
Spend your holidays focused on celebration, family and friends, and not on gastrointestinal issues. Whether it’s the stress of the festivities or the rich, delicious sweet treats, here’s our tips for making sure your events aren’t cut short due to digestive discomfort. Know the Triggers. There are many foods to avoid during the holiday season.
It’s no secret that your body changes as you age, from muscle strength and skin elasticity, to hair color and metabolic rate. Body systems like your immune system can also slow or weaken, and you may find yourself experiencing illness or ailments more frequently. The same is true for your digestive system, where gastrointestinal problems
The digestive system produces enzymes to help your body break down food and absorb nutrients. The pancreas is a key component of this system, producing many of those important enzymes. When the pancreas doesn’t make, or deliver, the appropriate amount of enzymes, Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI) can occur. Patients who are diagnosed with this disease
When you think of summer activities, you might think of baseball games, cookouts, amusement parks, and scoops of your favorite ice cream or sips of your favorite cocktail. And while we’re ready to cheer on our favorite teams and enjoy the longer, warmer days too, many of these activities can be difficult for our patients
You might be familiar with the signs of stress, but can you recognize when it is impacting your gastrointestinal health? There’s a reason they call it a “gut-wrenching” decision. Stress is defined as a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances and can worsen with time or
Chances are, you’ve experienced heartburn at some point in your life. With symptoms of burning or aching in your chest and triggers including diet and lifestyle choices, it is estimated that at least 60 million Americans experience heartburn at least once a month, with 15 million experiencing symptoms each day. And while heartburn is common
February is widely recognized as the month of love, but it’s also American Heart Month. Your heart health, and your gut health, work simultaneously and can have significant effects on one another. It’s important to understand how heart health and gut health co-exist, as heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and
Pancreatic cancer makes up 3% of all cancer diagnoses, affecting approximately 57,000 people in the United States. This small, but important, organ is often overlooked, and it can have a significant impact on your digestive and overall health. There are many ailments other than cancer that can affect your pancreas, including pancreatitis and cystic fibrosis.
What is the purpose of a clear liquid diet before medical procedures? A clear liquid diet is often used in gastroenterology in preparation for procedures (such as a colonoscopy) or before or after surgery that involves the digestive tract or intestines. Unlike other diets, it is not used for weight loss or for cholesterol management,
Food sensitivities and allergies such as gluten, lactose, tree nut and fish or shellfish intolerances affect an estimated 32 million people in the United States. These allergies can affect anyone of any age, with 11% of those affected being age 18 or older. Milk allergies can affect more than your digestive system and involve an
Hydration is a key component in digestive health and it also affects almost all of the major systems in the body. Drinking enough water can help to prevent kidney stones and hypertension, but few people are actually staying hydrated at the recommended levels. According to the CDC, adults in the United States drank approximately 39
It hardly needs to be said, but the world is experiencing a unique and stressful time at the moment, due largely to COVID-19. No matter your chances of catching this dreadful virus, many aspects of daily life have been closed down including for many, their employment. These are indeed stressful times. The pandemic has reopened
The world is currently suffering from a global pandemic, the likes of which have never been seen in the modern age. It has been roughly one hundred years since the last global viral catastrophe, and although the worldwide effort has in many cases been commendable, the COVID-19 virus has already claimed thousands of lives in
The world is currently experiencing a global pandemic the likes of which has not been seen since the Swine Flu pandemic in 2009 and 2010, although thanks to treatment, swine flu ended up being no more deadly than seasonal influenza. COVID-19, or the coronavirus (so-called because the virus itself looks like a crown, and ‘corona’
When it comes to problems associated with the gastrointestinal tract (the human body’s digestive system that includes the stomach, the small intestine, the large intestine and the colon), the two that are perhaps the most well-known are irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Despite their prevalence, when conditions of the gastrointestinal tract
During the holiday’s people tend to overindulge in food and alcohol while neglecting their habitual healthy habits. There’s nothing wrong with this (with moderation), as long as such behavior is not repeated throughout the rest of the year! It’s easy to get your gut back on track for 2020! Just follow these 5 tips for
A gastroenterologist is someone that specializes in ailments related to the gastrointestinal tract. This is your entire digestive system, from your stomach, through your intestines and right down to your colon, rectum and anus. It’s the system that your body uses to process food and expel the waste your body doesn’t need. If you keep
At Great Lakes Gastroenterology, we treat many patients who are suffering from ulcers. The most common types of ulcers we see are peptic ulcers which are defined as open sores inside the stomach lining and/or upper part of the small intestine. Peptic ulcers typically can be broken down into the following: Gastric ulcers – These
If you’ve recently experienced the pain of gallstones, you may have visited a doctor and become interested in learning more about this medical condition. At Great Lakes Gastroenterology, we’re extremely experienced in helping individuals deal with gallstones and we thought it would be a good idea to put together a useful guide that explains more
There are plenty of organs in the body that most people know about, and what those organs do. The brain is where we do our thinking, our hearts keep us alive by pumping blood and our stomach processes what we eat. But what about other organs, like the liver or the kidneys? What exactly do
If you are consistently experiencing issues with your digestive system including heartburn, then you may be suffering from Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease or GERD for short. If this is becoming a problem for you, then don’t worry as the good news is that treatment is available. What is Gastroesophageal Reflux (GERD)? The term ‘gastroesophageal reflux’ is
You may think that you are ‘you’, but you actually share your body with millions and millions of other organisms, all of whom you simply could not function without. For example, inside your intestines there are around 40 trillion organisms that make up your gut bacteria. The majority of your ‘gut microbiota’ are good for
March is colorectal cancer awareness month. Colorectal cancer is one of the biggest killers in the United States, but it is a treatable disease as long as it is caught early. One of the main reasons that so many people die of colorectal cancer is because there are no easily visible symptoms, as the cancer
Did you know that colon cancer is the third most common form of cancer in the United States? Colon cancer – or colorectal cancer which refers to cancer of the colon or the rectum – is a common killer, and early prevention is crucial. Because both the colon and the rectum are internal organs, problems
The holidays are here, which tends to give people an easy excuse for over indulgence. While it’s fine to enjoy a treat every once in awhile, going overboard will simply make you feel bloated and tired. Instead, try and be kind to your body and therefore kind to yourself by balancing festive treats with healthy
There’s no denying that obesity is an epidemic in the US. In fact, data from a recent CNN article shows that roughly 40% of Americans over age 20 are considered obese. An adult is considered obese if they have a BMI (body mass index) of 30 or more. The sneaky thing about weight gain is
“Abdominal pain,” “Diarrhea,” and “Fatigue” are all words and symptoms that are frequently used by patients who have Crohn’s disease. Crohn’s disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease that specifically affects the gastrointestinal tract. At Great Lakes Gastroenterology, we have seen many patients who are dealing with Crohn’s and its symptoms. While no cure
