Gastroenterology
What You Should Know about Crohn’s Disease
How would you feel, at 18 years of age, if suddenly you were diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease (CD)? It would be devastating news. Unlike other well-known diseases, you would probably know nothing about this illness, and even its name sounds ominous. But you would not be alone. Crohn’s Disease is not a household word and, in spite of its importance, receives little in research dollars. Crohn’s Disease affects 600,000 people in North America. Normally, it strikes those between 20 to 35 years of age, with another peak in the 50s, but no age is immune to this disorder. And smokers are three times more likely to develop this disease. It shows no sex bias as it affects both equally. In about 20...Read More
Gastroenterology
How to Escape Dinner Invitations
“Where do most hernias occur?” Ask this question and nearly everyone will reply that a hernia is a mass that occurs in the lower abdomen. But most are unaware there’s another location for the common hernia. It develops in the large intestine and can, at times, be a major problem requiring surgery. And one New Zealand doctor has a novel way to prevent this problem, known as diverticulosis. That is, if you have no desire to be invited to the next dinner party! Diverticulosis is the occurrence of small pouches that penetrate muscle layers of the large bowel. The majority of patients never know they’re present and problems rarely occur before 50 years of age. The most common symptoms are abdominal cramps,...Read More
Gastroenterology
Take a Look Before You Flush the Toilet
Readers tell me they often discuss my column at dinner parties. But at this festive time of year I doubt that will happen with this column. Today, it’s Course 101 on Poop. So, why would you want to look into the toilet before flushing it? It could save your life. But it might also scare you half-to-death. A look into the bowl after a bowel movement has this advantage. Eventually, you learn that a normal stool is generally brown, usually the shape of a banana, and soft. This means you’re eating the right amount of fiber. Stools are about 75 percent water. And fiber, by holding onto water, makes stools as soft as toothpaste. But suppose the colour changes? A black tarry...Read More
Cancer, Gastroenterology
How to Prevent Dying the Tough Way
Humans are inconsistent when it comes to preventing cancer. For instance, I have often written that mammography, a popular test, is an inefficient and deceptive procedure to prevent breast cancer. Yet millions of North Americans never get the one test that can save their lives, colonoscopy. Large bowel cancer is not a rare disease. Rather, it is the second leading cause of death in this country. But it does not have to end so many lives because colon malignancy does not develop overnight. Colon cancer normally starts after a soft fleshy-like polyp forms in the large bowel. The polyp can remain non-malignant for years, but it may also develop into one that kills. Studies show that, over the age of 50, one...Read More
Gastroenterology, Infection, Medicine, Miscellaneous
How Many Would Agree To a Fecal Enema?
John Dillinger, the notorious bank robber, was once asked why he robbed banks. He replied, "That's where the money is." Today, if you asked infectious disease experts where Clostridium difficile resides, they would reply, "It's in hospitals. It's dangerous and can be lethal." Other experts might warn that many C difficile infections could be avoided if North Americans would stop looking for pills to treat every human complaint. Rather than seeking pills they should be following a healthy dietary lifestyle. In fact, getting smart could even save 40 bowel movements a day, and, at times, a life. We have millions of bacteria living in our large bowels, usually not making war with one another. Studies show that about 3 percent of adults...Read More
Gastroenterology
Bull Elephants and Their Advice for IBS
Would you like to have your picture taken in the nude, sitting on a toilet? Then have the photo published in a national newspaper? Surely, we'd all sue for such an indignity. But once a photo showed Diew, a bull elephant, who'd been trained to sit on an elephant-sized toilet. No doubt the photo was meant to show that the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is an elephant-sized problem. But editors published the wrong photo. It's ironic that an elephant can be trained to sit on a toilet seat but humans can't be taught how to avoid IBS. It's estimated that 25 percent of North Americans suffer from this disconcerting disease. Diew, sitting on his throne, might question whether IBS is actually a...Read More
Gastroenterology, Infection
The Worm, a Sight You Will Never Forget
"Would you like ice in your drink?" To this, I normally say "yes". But there are times when I say an emphatic "no". I know, when travelling in the less affluent parts of the world, having an icy drink may result in the "Hong Kong Trots" or "Montezuma's Revenge". On an unlucky day, even hepatitis B infection. Even in some North American locations, I sometimes decline ice. Why? Because I never want to see Ascaris lumbricoides in the toilet bowel. If it ever happens to you, it's a sight you will never forget. During my time as a family doctor, a family arrived with their young frightened son. Following a bowel movement he had noticed what he described as a "garden...Read More
Gastroenterology
10 Things to Know About the Fire in Your Belly
Nietzsche, the German philosopher wrote, "The belly is the main reason why man does not mistake himself for a god." Heartburn reminds us we are quite human. It should also remind us that ignoring this common symptom can also be dangerous. So what should you know about it? One - It's common and expensive. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases reports that, in the U.S., 50 million people suffer from heartburn every month. And the average person with this problem spends $3,355 a year on medication and other treatments. Two - If you have heartburn you're doing something wrong. Don't blame the restaurant for the fire in your stomach. You're obviously eating too much and often the wrong foods. This...Read More
Cardiovascular, Gastroenterology, Medicine, Pain
How to Decrease the Risk of Pain Relievers
"Remember, you never get anything for nothing". That's a caution I've repeated over and over to patients. Why? Because some people naively believe it's possible to get health benefit without risk. Today, millions are popping a variety of over-the-counter pain relievers while ignoring important red flags warning they may result in death. Heart and Stroke Risk The American Heart Association reports that, with the exception of acetylsalicylate acid (Aspirin) and possibly naproxen (Aleve), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Motrin and Advil) increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. This is particularly true for those who have already suffered heart attack or are at high risk of cardiovascular disease. Now, a report in the Journal "Circulation" has more disturbing news. Dr....Read More
Alcohol, Gastroenterology, Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Sports
The Perfect Pass, Self Destruction, then Recovery
What would it be like to be the highest paid athlete in the world, the toast of Boston, the winner of two Stanley Cups, the rich devil-may-care playboy? Then to find yourself broke, alcoholic, drug addicted and sleeping under bridges? In the space of 12 years this all happened to Derek "Turk" Sanderson. I recently interviewed Derek Sanderson, the NHL hockey player, in Toronto during a dinner sponsored by Healthy Minds Canada. I was interested in his story as I had attended the same school, lived on the same street and watched Sanderson as he started his hockey career with the Niagara Falls Flyers. I knew his loving parents, who tried to instill the right virtues in their son. Multiple...Read More
Alternate Treatments, Gastroenterology, Miscellaneous, Nutrition
A Unique Way to Stop Bean Flatus
Do you suffer from chronic abdominal pain, bloating, gas, stomach cramps, diarrhea and constipation? If so, there's a good chance the diagnosis is "irritable bowel syndrome" (IBS). This condition is one of the most commonly diagnosed problems in this country. However, most people are treating it the wrong way, destroying their bowels with laxatives. It's smarter to use natural therapy. Dr. Linda Lee, Professor of Gastroenterology at Johns Hopkins University, says that when patients complain of IBS symptoms she first rules out serious disease such as stomach ulcers, ulcerative colitis and bowel malignancies. These more serious problems are more likely to be present if patients also complain of weight loss, being wakened by pain, or seeing blood in the stool. Dr. Lee...Read More
Gastroenterology
Do You Really Need a Colonoscopy?
Is there any way that you can avoid having a colonoscopy? A survey showed that many believed the test isn't needed until symptoms occur. Others said their doctor never suggested one, or they were too embarrassed to discuss it. Still others said it was too painful. If you're thinking this way, think again, it may cost you your life. But there is some good news about colonoscopy. A report from the University of California says it's time to stop offering this procedure as the only way to diagnose large bowel cancer. Instead, doctors should also be suggesting sigmidoscopy and the fecal occult blood test (FOBT). So why this change in thinking? One prime reason is that colonoscopy is always a hard sell....Read More
Gastroenterology
Do Not Take the Easy Route to Treat Heartburn
How could North Americans have so many ill stomachs? Why does treatment cost so many billions? And why are so many taking the wrong medication? According to the Canadian Institute for Health Information, 10 years ago one in eight Canadians over 65 years of age was taking PPIs (proton pump inhibitors), the strongest medicine available to stop gastric acid secretion. Now, one in five is on this medication. A report from Johns Hopkins University says that every year 113 million Americans take these pills. But how many people need PPIs and what are the dangers of long-term use? In 2009 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned those taking PPIs along with...Read More
Gastroenterology
What You Should Know About Crohn’s Disease
How would you feel at 18 years of age if suddenly diagnosed with Crohn's Disease (CD)? It would be devastating news. Unlike other well-known diseases you would know nothing about this trouble and even the name sounds ominous. But you would not be alone. Crohn's Disease is not a household word and in spite of its importance receives little research dollars. Crohn's Disease affects 600,000 people in North America. Normally it strikes those between 20 to 35 years of age, with another peak in the 50s but no age is immune to this disorder. Smokers are three times more likely to develop this disease. There's no sex bias as it affects both equally. In about 20 percent of cases a blood relative...Read More
Cancer, Gastroenterology
Laws of Physics Cause Esophageal Cancer
Do you suffer from a hot fire beneath the breastbone following a heavy meal? One that's often accompanied by belching and regurgitation of bitter fluid? If so, you're most likely suffering from heartburn. This common problem can be the forerunner of serious disease. But there are several ways to decrease the risk of developing one of the deadliest cancers. Heartburn is triggered by several factors. Like other muscles, the lower esophageal sphincter muscle (LES) at the lower end of the food pipe (esophagus), can become weak and inefficient. And if you eat "the whole thing" the laws of physics cause heartburn. Large meals trigger more gas and something has to give. Then the LES opens and gas, along with the stomach's...Read More
Gastroenterology
Don’t Let Your Dignity Kill You – Colonoscopy
"Why in the name of Heaven do I submit to this procedure every five years? To be forced into such an undignified position makes me wonder each time if there's a God." My answer remains conclusively the same. I'd rather face15 minutes of immodesty to months of dying slowly from cancer of the large bowel. So don't be fooled by a recent newspaper headline stating that colonoscopy isn't 100 percent foolproof. If you use this report as an excuse for not lying on the colonoscopy table it could be a fatal error. The gold standard for diagnosing colon cancer has always been colonoscopy. But scientists with the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences and the Universities of Toronto and Western Ontario recently reported...Read More
Gastroenterology
Natural Treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Dr Basil Morson, a pathologist in London, England, is a world authority on colon cancer. Dr Morson says, "All colon cancers come from polyps". In effect, you do not develop cancer of the large bowel unless you first grow a polyp. These fleshy growths arise from the inside lining of the bowel. It's estimated that about one person in three over the age of 50 has one or more colon polyps. A report from The Mayo Clinic shows that after five years 2.5 percent of polyps become malignant. Ten years later the figure jumps to 10 percent and after 20 years 24 percent. Is there any way to decrease the risk of this common malignancy? Some authorities believe that eating less fat may...Read More
Gastroenterology
Bull Elephants Advice on Treating IBS
Would you like to have your picture taken in the nude sitting on a toilet? Then have the photo published in The Globe and Mail, Canada's national newspaper? Surely, we'd all sue for such an indignity. But a recent photo showed Diew, a bull elephant whose been trained to sit on an elephant-sized toilet. No doubt the photo meant to stress that the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is an elephant-sized problem. But editors published the wrong photo. It's ironic that an elephant can be trained to sit on a toilet seat, but humans can't be taught how to avoid IBS. It's estimated that 25 percent of North Americans suffer from this disconcerting disease. Diew sitting on the throne, would question whether IBS...Read More
Gastroenterology
Can A Fart Kill?
What are the Ig Noble prizes? These prestigious awards are given each year at Harvard University to those engaged in strange scientific research such as fast repetitive ticks (FRTs). Canadian researchers showed that farts can actually be lethal. Ig Noble Prizes were awarded to the Vatican and a soft drink company to show that Harvard's horn-rimmed professors also have a sense of humour. Rectal gas (flatus) happens to Kings, Queens and the rest of us, and is a constant reminder that we're all quite human. And when the urge to pass flatus happens in delicate situations, we would prefer to be in the middle of the Sahara Desert. It's never been easy to obtain medical information on flatus. After all, what doctor...Read More
Gastroenterology
Charcoal Activated Underwear For Distressing Flatus
An embarrassed patient once asked me, "Doctor, what can I do to control flatus (farts)? I'm becoming a social pariah." I didn't have an answer for this distressed woman at the time as no one had discovered the ultimate cure. But I've finally found the right prescription, "Charcoal Activated Underwear". We've all heard about the whoopee cushion used to embarrass friends at parties, and the usual jokes about passing gas. However, it's not amusing for those who have food allergies or suffer from bowel problems. But it's never been easy to get information about flatus. After all, how many researchers want to say, 'I'm a specialist in farts?" Kings, Queens and the rest of us pass flatus discreetly 15 to 25 times...Read More
Gastroenterology
What Caused The Death of The Grand Admiral?
Today, let's turn back the clock nearly 200 years, to an important moment in medical history. At that time a certain disease was invariably fatal. It still can be without speedy diagnosis and treatment. But, if by chance, you're in a specific English pub when this condition strikes, you're lucky. The pub owner can make the diagnosis quicker than most physicians. I wonder if you can diagnose what happened on October 30, 1723. Dr. Anthony S Patton, a retired surgeon in Salem Massachusetts, reports in the Harvard Medical Alumni Bulletin, that a celebrated Admiral of the Dutch navy, Baron Jan Gerrit van Wassenaer suffered from chronic stomach problems. For three days he had fasted. But he had recovered sufficiently to enjoy a...Read More
Gastroenterology, Nutrition
Detox Diet – It’s Like Sticking A Potato In The Car’s Exhaust Pipe!
"Do you think my daughter and me should agree to a "detox diet?" a reader asked me. She added that several friends had already undergone detoxification and had never felt better. So does it make sense to purify our body? After all, who doesn't want to feel healthier. Proponents of this therapy have a rationale that's appeals to medical consumers who are apprehensive about our polluted world. They contend were'e constantly accumulating toxins in the body from air, chemicals in the water, processed foods, perfumes, artificial drinks and a host of other things. And, that in today's society, it's virtually impossible not to have a polluted large bowel. And that if you think you're an exception, think again. Web sites provide detox...Read More
Gastroenterology, Surgery
Napoleon Didn’t Have a Choice For Treating Hemorrhoids
Would Woodrow Wilson have negotiated a more lasting peace treaty following World War I if he had not complained about tight-fitting shoes? Would Napoleon have won the Battle of Waterloo if he had not been suffering from hemorrhoids (piles) while directing the battle on his horse? Small annoyances might have changed history? But unlike Napoleon patients today no longer have to endure the pain of hemorrhoids. Piles affect 90 percent of the population at some time in their life. And in spite of being a common condition little research has been done on this problem. After all, cancer and cardiovascular research is well respected, but what doctor wants to tell people he's a pile expert. It was due to this lack of...Read More
Gastroenterology
There Are Stools And There Are Stools
This column is written with tongue in cheek. But are you bored as I am, at holiday dinner parties listening to friends talk about their blood cholesterol level or the latest treatment for arthritis? If so, and you don't mind not being invited again, start discussing stools. The point is that not all stools are created equal and their composition often tells the difference between being healthy or ill. So what constitutes a healthy stool? Dr. Michael Levitt, an Australian colonrectal surgeon, has written a witty book titled, "The Bowel Book". He says that the human gastrointestinal tract (GIT) was designed to operate best when stools resemble the shape and consistency (although not the same colour) of an unripe banana. There's no...Read More
Gastroenterology
Anusitis and Other Causes of Rectal Bleeding
"Why didn't you come to see me earlier? It could have saved you months of worry," I recently questioned a patient. She had delayed seeing me because of rectal bleeding and she was terrified I'd tell her the diagnosis was cancer. Yet her only complaint was anusitis, an often overlooked rectal condition. But whether it's anusitis or a serious problem a cardinal rule is never, never to ignore rectal bleeding. Many people think they're suffering from hemorrhoids but the cause is often anusitis, an inflamed area just inside the anus, which causes a burning sensation, discharge and wetness. This results in multiple tiny cracks that trigger itching. For many, relief is as close as the refrigerator door. For years doctors have used...Read More
