Digestive Health

Cognitive Therapy Eases Retractable IBS

Feb 21, 2020 · Carrie Adkins-Ali · Digestive Health

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a well-known strategy for addressing a variety of mental health issues, but researchers at the University of Southampton and King’s College London report that it can help physical ailments too. As little as two to eight hours of therapy, delivered over the phone or online, … Read More

Sip Kombucha Well

Feb 20, 2020 · UHN Staff · Digestive Health

You may just be seeing it on your grocery store shelves recently, but kombucha has been around for more than 2,000 years. For most of its existence, kombucha was brewed at home, but in the last two decades companies have begun mass producing it, making it readily available to everyone. … Read More

Crohn’s Disease: Healing With Nutrition

Feb 20, 2020 · UHN Staff · Digestive Health

Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that affects about 2 in 1,000 Americans. Crohn’s and other forms of IBD are autoimmune diseases, which means the immune system attacks the intestinal lining, resulting in chronic inflammation. The disease can affect any part of the intestine, but usually affects … Read More

Eating to Fight Peptic Ulcers

Feb 20, 2020 · UHN Staff · Digestive Health

People used to say stomach ulcers were caused by too much stress or spicy food, and the best thing to do when the pain flared up was to drink a nice big glass of milk. It turns out everything about that statement was wrong. What They Are. Peptic ulcers are … Read More

Top 10 Tips for IBS Relief

Feb 20, 2020 · UHN Staff · Digestive Health

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), an unrelenting intestinal disorder, occurs in up to 1 in 5 Americans, presenting with bloating, alteration in bowel habits, pain, and cramping. Diet may be your first line of defense. Here are 10 evidence-based strategies that may minimize symptoms: Try a low FODMAP diet. The low … Read More

5 Natural Ways to Fight Constipation

Feb 20, 2020 · UHN Staff · Digestive Health

Americans spend nearly three quarters of a billion dollars a year trying to deal with constipation. It’s a side effect of certain drugs, a complication of some medical conditions, and a common complaint of aging, but constipation can also be caused by dehydration, a low-fiber diet and/or a sedentary lifestyle. … Read More

Q&A: Medicare; Nocturia

Jan 21, 2020 · Carrie Adkins-Ali · Digestive Health

Q: I would like to buy additional coverage to cover my Medicare copays. It looks like Medicare Advantage covers many services. Is that a better option than Medigap? A: Once you turn 65, you have three options for health coverage: Medicare, Medicare plus Medigap, and Medicare Advantage. Traditional Medicare covers most, but … Read More

Swallowing Difficulties Can Cause Serious Complications in Seniors

Dec 16, 2019 · Kate Brophy · Digestive Health

Swallowing difficulties—officially termed dysphagia—affect up to one in five seniors and can put you at risk of severe complications, according to Leanne Goldberg, MS, CCC-SLP, director of speech-language pathology at Mount Sinai’s Grabscheid Voice and Swallowing Center. “The main concern for dysphagia in older adults is aspiration of food or … Read More

Glossary

Dec 5, 2019 · Lynne Christensen · Digestive Health

achalasia: A disorder in which the lower esophageal sphincter fails to relax and open wide enough to allow food to enter the stomach. anal fissure: A small tear in the lining of the anal canal. anaphylaxis: A life-threatening allergic reaction in which breathing becomes difficult, blood pressure drops, and the … Read More

Is Your Sense of Taste Less Sharp?

Nov 18, 2019 · Kate Brophy · Digestive Health

Many seniors find that their sense of taste is less sharp than it was, but as you get older your sense of smell also may diminish. “The sensations of taste and smell are intertwined, since the smell of food is one of the most important contributors to flavor,” notes Mount … Read More