The liver is the largest organ in the body. It is found high in the right upper abdomen, behind the ribs. It is a very complex organ and has many functions. They include: Storing energy in the form of sugar… Read more

The liver is the largest organ in the body. It is found high in the right upper abdomen, behind the ribs. It is a very complex organ and has many functions. They include: Storing energy in the form of sugar… Read more

The hiatus hernia is one of the more misunderstood and maligned conditions in medicine. People blame this hernia for much more than it ever does. Patients with a hiatus hernia need to understand what it is and what might occur… Read more

What is Dietary Fiber? All fiber comes from plants, bushes, vines or trees.  Of course, the ones that we eat provide us with fruits, vegetables and grains.  There are many different types of fiber but the three that are most… Read more

Understanding IBD. What is inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)? The term inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a category of gastrointestinal illnesses that encompasses two conditions: Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Both Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are illnesses that cause inflammation of the gastrointestinal… Read more

Medically, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is known by a variety of other terms: spastic colon, spastic colitis, mucous colitis and nervous or functional bowel. Usually, it is a disorder of the large intestine (colon), although other parts of the intestinal… Read more

IBS is a very common disorder. Please refer to the essay Irritable Bowel Syndrome for details about this disorder. This information is directed to dietary considerations. The large bowel or colon is the site of many beneficial bacteria.  However, the… Read more

Lactose intolerance develops when the body has difficulty digesting whole and skim milk and other dairy products. Lactose is a milk sugar and like most sugars, it is broken down by enzymes in the intestinal tract so it can be… Read more

For a regular healthy diet, it is recommended that of the total calories eaten, no more than 30% should come from fat. However, certain diseases and medical conditions can make it difficult for the body to tolerate even that much… Read more

Dietary fiber is the undigestible part of plants that maintains the structure of the plant.  Dietary fiber includes cellulose, hemicellulose, polysaccharides, pectins, gums, mucilages, and lignins.  Although they are chemically unrelated, they all resist digestion by the human body.  It… Read more