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Ask an Expert
Katerina P. Shetler, M.D.
Palo Alto Medical Foundation
I have intestinal scarring from scleroderma, which now is in remission. I have trouble digesting food and suffer from diarrhea, constipation, digestive pain and rectal cramps. What foods are best for me and what should I avoid?
I am sorry to hear that scleroderma affected your bowel.The scleroderma may affect motility of the small bowel and stomach. It can also lead to the recurrent small intestine bacterial overgrowth. Patients with ... continue reading about I have intestinal scarring from scleroderma, which now is in remission. I have trouble digesting food and suffer from diarrhea, constipation, digestive pain and rectal cramps. What foods are best for me and what should I avoid?
Deborah Kurzrock, R.D.
Mills-Peninsula Medical Center
I've been diagnosed with diverticulitis (no longer acute) and have been told to avoid nuts and seeds. Do things like peas, beans, corn count as seeds? What is a good diet to avoid another bout of diverticulitis? (I'm also lactose intolerant.)
In the past, many doctors recommended that people with diverticulitis avoid nuts and seeds. It was thought that these small particles could lodge in the diverticula and cause inflammation (which is diverticulit... continue reading about I've been diagnosed with diverticulitis (no longer acute) and have been told to avoid nuts and seeds. Do things like peas, beans, corn count as seeds? What is a good diet to avoid another bout of diverticulitis? (I'm also lactose intolerant.)
Ask the Expert Team
Sutter Health
What does gallbladder pain feel like? How do I know if I need medical attention?
The gallbladder is a sack about the size of a fig that is attached to the underside of the liver. Its function is to store bile, which is a substance made in the liver that is necessary to digest fat. When you ... continue reading about What does gallbladder pain feel like? How do I know if I need medical attention?
Frank L. Anderson, M.D.
Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation
I just purchased a gluten lactase enzyme medication that claims to let me eat anything safely. I have recently been diagnosed with celiac disease, and also feel lactose intolerant. Will this product work, or did I just waste my money?
That sounds like a product too good to be true and I would imagine persons suffering from celiac disease and lactose intolerance would be very receptive. Unfortunately these are two very different problems whic... continue reading about I just purchased a gluten lactase enzyme medication that claims to let me eat anything safely. I have recently been diagnosed with celiac disease, and also feel lactose intolerant. Will this product work, or did I just waste my money?
Frank L. Anderson, M.D.
Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation
What does stool color tell me? Aside from bloody or black, are there other colors I should be concerned about?
That's a great question and one everyone has thought about at some point. Stool color is determined by a combination of bile, what you eat that isn't absorbed, and how fast or slowly the intestinal stream moves... continue reading about What does stool color tell me? Aside from bloody or black, are there other colors I should be concerned about?
Deborah Kurzrock, R.D.
Mills-Peninsula Medical Center
I have a gluten and a dairy intolerance as well as high cholesterol. Do you have a diet suggestion that may address these issues and still allow me to enjoy meal times? I hate tofu!
You definitely have a challenging dietary situation, but you do have some good options beside tofu.There are plenty of legumes and nuts that you can incorporate into your diet. You could make a bean vegetarian ... continue reading about I have a gluten and a dairy intolerance as well as high cholesterol. Do you have a diet suggestion that may address these issues and still allow me to enjoy meal times? I hate tofu!
Deborah Kurzrock, R.D.
Mills-Peninsula Medical Center
How can I get enough calcium when I am lactose intolerant?
It is possible to get enough calcium in your diet without milk products, although it is more difficult. For absorption, calcium relies on other vitamins and minerals, so it is important to eat a balanced nutrit... continue reading about How can I get enough calcium when I am lactose intolerant?
Michelle Smith, R.N.N.P.
Sutter Gould Medical Foundation
Why is it that recently, at my age of 44, I get extremely bad stomach aches and feel really bloated, one to two weeks before my period? I've never had this before.
Welcome to life in your 40s! A lot of changes can and do happen. My first recommendation is to see a gastrointestinal doctor or nurse practitioner. Stomach aches and bloating often occur with irritable bowel sy... continue reading about Why is it that recently, at my age of 44, I get extremely bad stomach aches and feel really bloated, one to two weeks before my period? I've never had this before.
Vinod K. Kurupath, M.D.
Sutter East Bay Medical Foundation
I have been diagnosed with a digestive disorder and I may be a candidate for an endoscopic ultrasound. What are the benefits of this procedure?
In conventional endoscopy, the gastroenterologist can only view the innermost lining of the digestive tract. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) allows a doctor to look at more than the inner layers of the gastrointest... continue reading about I have been diagnosed with a digestive disorder and I may be a candidate for an endoscopic ultrasound. What are the benefits of this procedure?
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