Iron is an essential component of hemoglobin, found in red blood cells. In your bloodstream, iron helps transport oxygen from the lungs to the heart and then throughout your body. Foods rich in iron include meats, green leafy vegetables and dried...
Yoga has been an effective exercise technique, offering health benefits, including increased breathing and circulation, improved muscle tone and decreased stress and anxiety. Exercises in the form of postures, or poses, have targeted muscles,...
A fatty liver, also known as steatosis, describes a liver condition in which fats, or triglycerides, accumulate in the cells within the liver. Although a fatty liver often fails to cause any noticeable symptoms, if the condition goes undetected...
If you develop sudden diarrhea, vomiting and nausea, you may have the stomach flu, or viral gastroenteritis. Certain foods should be avoided once you have the stomach flu, because some foods can cause greater irritation. If you develop common...
The risk for various digestive disorders increases with age. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, close to 40 percent of all older adults experience digestive symptoms. Such symptoms may indicate conditions such as gallstones, diverticular disease...
The appendix is a small, worm-shaped organ attached to the large intestine. It has no known use in modern man and can become infected, a condition known as appendicitis. This can occur when stool becomes trapped in the appendix. Appendicitis may...
The most common diseases vary depending on where you live in the world. Many diseases still common in impoverished areas do not exist in developed countries. The most common diseases in the United States account for 7 out of 10 deaths each year,...
Inflammation is an immune response that occurs when you experience tissue damage due to factors such as bacterial infection, injury or toxin exposure. Unchecked inflammation has been associated with aging and disease, but by making certain dietary...
Dry mouth, known as xerostomia in medical terminology, is a common disorder characterized by a reduction in or total lack of saliva. The condition is a potential side effect of hundreds of prescription and over-the-counter medications, according...
Cholesterol is a fat-like substance found in the cells of your body. Cholesterol is carried through your body by a combination of fats and proteins called lipoproteins.Your liver manufactures cholesterol, which is used to make bile. You need bile...
Liver failure and cirrhosis are closely related -- chronic liver failure is one of the many causes of cirrhosis. Although you cannot reverse the damage of cirrhosis, the food you eat can slow the progression of this disease, preventing further...
The digestive system is responsible for mechanically and chemically breaking food down into its constituent molecules, and absorbing those molecules into the bloodstream. In general, diseases of the digestive system affect the system’s...
A common gastric symptom of a wheat allergy is diarrhea. If you're allergic to wheat, diarrhea can occur a few minutes or up to an hour after ingesting it. Diarrhea occurs as the result of inflammation in the digestive tract that is commonly...
Food poisoning is the result of eating or drinking foods or beverages that are contaminated with bacteria. Food poisoning symptoms can develop within a few hours or up to one day after you ingest a food or drink that is contaminated. Symptoms...
The gallbladder is a small sac located in the abdomen above the liver. Gallstones are formed when liquid that is stored in the gallbladder, bile, hardens into small pebble-like pieces. There are two types of gallstones--those made of cholesterol...
Cirrhosis of the liver is a condition in which the tissue of the liver slowly deteriorates. As a result of chronic damage, non-functional scar tissue replaces functional liver tissue. The progression of cirrhosis is described in four distinct...
Digestive problems are a common cause of abdominal pain or discomfort and other symptoms. The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse states that between 60 to 70 million people in the United States are affected by digestive...
According to the Centers for Disease Control, 58 percent of deaths in men are caused by heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes. All of these have the potential to be prevented by maintaining a healthy weight, or by losing weight if you are...
Almost all women experience stress at some point during pregnancy. Mood swings and emotional disturbances are a completely normal reaction to the physical, emotional and lifestyle changes associated with pregnancy. While normal levels of stress...
The hepatitis C virus or HCV is a known cause of chronic liver disease. It is linked with a large number of deaths annually within the United States, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. Hepatitis C may cause...
Figuring out how much you should weigh can be difficult, because self-image rarely reflects reality. But it can be done by calculating your BMI, or body mass index. Using height and weight, it estimates a normal weight range and can tell you if...
Genetic diseases or disorders are caused by mutations or changes in the number of chromosomes or genes. This genetic information is passed down through the generations from parents to children. Sometimes parents are only the carrier for the...
Alcoholism is a chronic condition, which is considered terminal when left untreated. The Greater Dallas Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse notes alcohol is the most widely used substance frequently causing fatal results, either due to medical...
No matter the cause of liver disease, the American Liver Foundation indicates that it generally progresses in a similar manner. Unless an individual receives treatment, liver damage due to disease will progress to liver failure; however, with...
The digestive system, which consists of the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum, anus, liver, pancreas and gall bladder, functions to breakdown food particles, move the contents through the digestive tract and...
All those abdominal exercises you do at the gym help strengthen your muscles, but your belly will not appear flat until you diminish excess fat and bloating. Achieving a flat belly is not just an issue of vanity, people age 50 and over with a...
People with diabetes mellitus have abnormal glucose regulation, which leads to elevated blood sugar levels. Medication, restricted intake of dietary carbohydrates and exercise help control blood sugar levels. In certain circumstances, however, the...
A diaic diet plan applies to renal patients with compromised kidney functioning who are undergoing hemodialysis. An efficient plan can increase your dialysis success and overall health. Continual adjustments are needed to assure proper nutrition...
Nutritional factors, including the consumption of too much protein or too much fat, can contribute to diseases that affect organs of the digestive system like the pancreas and the liver. Excessive alcohol consumption also contributes to diseases...
