Digestive Health

I'm sorry to hear about your issues with diverticulitis.Diverticulosis is a very common problem. Diverticula form at points of weakness within the colon wall. Once you developed diverticula, they are unlikely t... continue reading  about  I have diverticulitis and a few months ago had a serious attack. I was treated with 14 days of antibiotics and I'm okay now. I had a colonoscopy and the report said "severe diverticulitis of entire colon." Is there any way to get rid of these "pockets”?

When we're talking about reactions to food, most people think any reaction must be allergic in origin. Not true. There are many reasons why one may have an adverse reaction to a food. A few examples: coffee may... continue reading  about  How can I know if I have a lagging reaction to a specific food?

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!

Taking care of your GERD is like calming your inner volcano. Let's get that stomach acid eruption under better control! Even though you can't link your symptoms with specific foods, it may be time to take a loo... continue reading  about  I have been diagnosed with "silent GERD". I don't want to take medication the rest of my life. Any suggestions? I have phlegm in my throat that I cannot associate with any specific foods.

Estrogen, or the withdrawal of estrogen, is not known to change stool or bowel habits as described. That said, I think of estrogen as all-powerful. Anything is possible. One way to know would be to go back on e... continue reading  about  I'm a senior citizen in good health. I stopped taking estrogen two months ago. Within 10 days I started having soft, gray colored stools and gas. A recent colonoscopy test was normal. I don't eat dairy products. Could stopping estrogen be the cause?

For patients who have a diagnosis of celiac disease, the small intestine will typically heal once exposure to gluten is eliminated. This means that the "fingers" of the intestine, which are known as villi,... continue reading  about  I've been on a gluten-free diet for a year. Does that mean that the "fingers" in my small intestine are back to normal? I still have problems with eating too much fiber at one time, causing looser and somewhat urgent bowel movements the next morning.

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.

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?

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?