By Eryn Brown September 18, 2013, 2:58 p.m. Getting a colonoscopy is not something most people look forward to — but a new analysis suggests that it’s worth it to follow screening recommendations and have the test done every 10 years (or every five for those at high risk.) Writing in the New England [...]
In 2009 almost 150,000 cases of colon cancer occurred with nearly 50,000 deaths. Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer mortality in the United States and is an equal gender offender – both genders are affected to the same degree. Over the past 20 years these numbers have not improved dramatically despite [...]
“You are what you eat”, a statement emphasizing healthy eating was derived from a phrase in 1826 “Tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you are”. Research on the digestion and absorption of food has clarified the relationship between content, volume and timing of meals vis a vis our sense [...]
If you are 50 or older and have not yet been screened for colon cancer, you are taking a significant but unnecessary risk. Colon cancer develops from a benign lesion called a polyp (adenoma-carcinoma hypothesis). The National Polyp study in 1991 demonstrated that by detecting and removing polyps, colon cancer could be prevented from [...]
Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) is the term for reflux of stomach contents (acid, food, air, bile and pancreatic enzymes) into the esophagus. GER is prevented by the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) which separates the esophagus from the stomach. Upon swallowing, food is propelled through the esophagus, the LES relaxes and food enters the stomach whereupon [...]