Vacation times are always exciting; seeing new places and experiencing different cultures and life-styles.  However, your body is used to your life-style, sleeping habits, and your normal diet; any variation from that can cause your body to respond in a not so positive way.  This is especially true if one is traveling to another country where food preparation and drinking water is very different than what you and your body is used to.&n ...

What is inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)? Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) refers to a group of disorders that cause the intestines to become red and swollen. The symptoms of inflammation tend to last for a long duration and usually recur following treatment. IBD is sometimes confused with another condition called irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). While the symptoms of both these disorders are similar, IBS results due to a wider range of disorde ...

What is ischemic colitis? Ischemic colitis is a condition characterized by swelling of certain portions of the colon (large intestine) that arises due to reduced blood supply. Ischemic colitis is generally associated with pain in the lower left abdominal region. The reduction in blood supply to the colon may occur abruptly or occur over a prolonged period of time. Ischemic colitis is noted more commonly in individuals aged above 50 years, while ...

In the United States in 2005, approximately 72,000 men and 69,000 women were diagnosed with colorectal cancer.  Of those diagnosed more than 50,000 men and women combined die each year from the disease.  The statistical rates for people contracting and dying from colorectal cancer vary by race and ethnicity, with rates higher in African American as a whole in both areas. What is Colon (Colorectal) Cancer? The term colorectal cance ...

What is stomach (gastric) cancer?   Stomach cancer refers to the abnormal and uncontrolled growth of cells and tissues that are present in the stomach. The stomach cancer generally initiates from the innermost layer of the tissues lining the stomach and spreads to the other layers at a varied pace. It has been estimated that about 21,130 new cases of stomach cancer would be diagnosed and about 10,620 individuals would die due to stomach ca ...