A low-fiber diet is for people who need to rest their intestinal tract. A low-fiber diet limits the amount of food waste that has to move through the large intestine.

What is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)?

Irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS is a condition associated with symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, and altered bowel function (constipation, diarrhea, or alternating pattern of constipation and diarrhea). Doctors call IBS a functional disorder. This means there is not a structural abnormality in bowel. Instead it is a problem with the way the bowels work. In IBS the nerves that control contractions in the bowels are extra sensitive to certain kinds of food, hormones, or stress.

How is IBS diagnosed?

There are defined criteria for the diagnosis of IBS. The diagnosis is based on a patient's symptoms and how long and how often the symptoms are present.

What is cancer risk evaluation?

Cancer Risk Evaluation is the process of determining your personal risk of cancer and is usually based on both your personal medical history and your family's history of cancer. Your physicians then recommend appropriate screening tests to reduce your risk of developing cancer. This evaluation should be part of everyone's routine checkup with their primary care physician. For some people this is not enough. People with blood relatives who have had cancer often may need a more detailed analysis called "Hereditary Cancer Risk Evaluation". This evaluation helps determine both your personal risk for cancer and risks that might extend to your relatives.

What is constipation?

Constipation is either a decrease in the frequency of bowel movements (BMs), or the painful passage of stool.

Key Points:

• Diverticulosis occurs when small pouches, called diverticula, bulge outward through weak spots in the colon (large intestine).
• The pouches are believed to form when pressure inside the colon builds, maybe because of constipation.
• The main cause of diverticulosis may be a low-fiber diet because it increases constipation and pressure inside the colon.
• Most people with diverticulosis never have any discomfort or symptoms.
• Diverticulitis occurs when the pouches get infected or inflamed.

Gluten Free Food List

Gluten Free Restaurant Guide

Celiac disease, also known as celiac sprue or gluten sensitive enteropathy, is a digestive disease that causes damage to the small intestine. This sheet is not meant to give exhaustive information about celiac disease, but to give you further resources where you can gain current, helpful information.

What is celiac disease?

For people with celiac disease, eating foods containing gluten causes damage to the lining of the small intestine.

Learn more about a low fructose diet (pdf)

Fructose is a naturally occurring simple sugar found in fruit, vegetables, and honey. Fructose intolerance can occur in anyone and is identified by special breath testing. If you are one of those people who are fructose intolerant, ingesting fructose could cause intestinal problems such as, gas, bloating, abdominal cramping, and diarrhea. Glucose is another type of naturally occurring sugar but is more intestinal friendly than fructose.

Lactose Intolerance

Lactose intolerance is the inability to digest significant amounts of lactose, the major sugar found in milk and dairy products.

What causes lactose intolerance?

Lactose intolerance results from a shortage of the enzyme lactase. Lactase breaks down milk sugar into simpler forms that can be absorbed into the blood stream. When there is not enough lactase to digest the amount of lactose consumed, the results are not dangerous, but the symptoms of lactose intolerance can be uncomfortable.

What are the signs and symptoms of lactose intolerance?

Common symptoms may range from mild to severe including nausea, cramps, bloating, gas, and diarrhea.

What is eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE)?
Eosinophilic esophagitis is one of many types of esophagitis (inflammation of the esophagus). It is not as common as reflux esophagitis, but has many of the same symptoms. It is caused by an abnormal accumulation of eosinophils in the lining of the esophagus (swallowing tube). Eosinophils are a type of blood cell that can be seen in the esophagus. In this condition they are present at an increased level. The reason for this increased accumulation is unknown. Often individuals with eosinophilic esophagitis have allergies or an allergic disorder (i.e.

What is GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease)?
To understand GERD, we need to understand how our digestive system works. Normally when we eat, our food is chewed into small pieces that are easy to swallow. As we swallow the food it travels down our esophagus (tube between our mouth and stomach) to the stomach.