The evidence continues to mount: Rising obesity rates in the United States are leading to a rise in obesity-related cancers, including colon cancer. When smoking was directly linked to lung cancer, many smokers took the necessary steps to beat their addiction. They recognized the risk and did what was needed to minimize it. It’s interesting now to look back at … Read More
How ‘bulky’ is your fiber knowledge?
Are you trying to follow a healthier lifestyle? If you’re looking for ways to boost your efforts, fiber can play an important role in helping you achieve that goal. Chances are you’ve heard before that consuming the recommended amount of dietary fiber is important for good health. Understanding the “why” behind that advice may strengthen your resolve to follow the … Read More
Fecal incontinence follow-up: New report indicates severity of problem
On the heels of our blog post about fecal incontinence, the National Center for Health Statistics has issued a report documenting the severity of incontinence in the United States. If you’re tempted to dismiss the topic as one that isn’t far reaching, take note that it is much more prevalent than you may realize. More than half of Americans aged … Read More
Fecal Incontinence: Don’t Suffer in Silence
Fecal incontinence significantly affects quality of life, but sufferers tend to stay silent because of embarrassment or the belief that nothing will change the situation. There are treatments that can help you regain control of your life, including a promising new option. The condition ranges from occasional bowel leakage while passing gas to a complete loss of bowel control. Some … Read More
Probiotics: As good as advertised?
“Take a few billion bacteria and call me in the morning.” With all the advertising attention paid to probiotics these days, it seems that this unlikely remedy might be the best prescription for many ailments. Are the results as good as advertised, and are these “good” bacteria really safe? Recent research sheds some light on the subject.
New drug shows promise in treating symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome
The colon – also called the large intestine or large bowel – consists of the last five feet of the digestive tract. Its main function is to conduct indigestible portions of food, or waste material, out of the body. Any disruption of this function can lead to a change in bowel activity – to diarrhea or constipation – and abdominal … Read More