Toddlers often have rather odd-looking stools, depending on what they last ate, but white or light-colored diarrhea deserves evaluation. While white diarrhea could be a temporary reaction to a intestinal infection, it could also indicate a serious...
Gastrointestinal surgeries are operations that involve any part of the digestive system, such as the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine. Like any other surgical procedure, there are many risks involved in a GI surgery....
Loose stools, or diarrhea, affect everyone at some time or another. When it becomes frequent or chronic, the underlying cause needs identification and treatment. Diarrhea passes a large volume of body fluid with the stools. Frequent loose stools...
Oregano oil is pressed from the aromatic herb that is native to the Mediterranean, but is grown worldwide. Oregano oil has been used for centuries to treat a number of different medical ailments. Oregano oil has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal...
The lymphatic system is a structure consisting of lymph nodes, the thymus gland, spleen and lymph vessels, designed to neutralize and eliminate toxic waste from your body. Unlike the circulatory system, the lymphatic system does not have a super...
Yeast, or Candida albicans, is a fungal organism found in the digestive tract of most people, according to the Women to Women website. Food allergies, and too much sugar and alcohol can all contribute to an overgrowth of yeast in the body. Yeast...
The rice and toast diet or BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce and toast) is a restricted food plan used to ease the symptoms of gastrointestinal distress, such as diarrhea and vomiting. The rice and toast diet provides nutrients to replenish...
Candida albicans, commonly known as candida, is a type of yeast present mainly in your digestive tract. Candida belongs to a group of cells called eukaryotic cells whose main functions include metabolism and energy conversion. Normally, your...
If you have developed a vaginal yeast infection or have symptoms of mental fogginess, fatigue or abdominal bloating, these are all common signs of yeast overgrowth in the body. Yeast is always present in the gastrointestinal tract (GI) and on the...
Cytomegalovirus, also known as CMV, is a virus that belongs to the herpes virus family. Once infected, CMV stays in the body for a lifetime, a characteristic of all herpes viruses. CMV infects people worldwide and usually causes no symptoms,...
Bacterial infections in humans result from the invasion of a pathogenic, or disease-causing, form of bacteria. Typically picked up from the environment or other infected people, bacterial infections can cause problems ranging from mild to severe....
Long term excessive alcohol intake causes chronic diseases in several organ systems, particularly the liver. Alcohol causes a range of liver diseases. It can cause the liver to become fatty, termed alcoholic steatosis. The liver may become...
If you're pregnant, you're probably aware of the risk of eating fish high in mercury. Mercury can cause central nervous system disorders, including brain damage and nervous system damage. But mercury isn't the only contaminant that can cause...
Acid reflux is when stomach acid or bile flows back up into the esophagus, which can irritate the esophageal lining. Signs and symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, include both acid reflux and heartburn and may also include chest...
Gastrointestinal disorders are common and can be caused by functional disorders, according to the Cleveland Clinic. In a functional disorder, the bowel appears normal but does not work as it should; these types of disorders can be caused by...
Helicobacter pylori is a spiral-, or helical-, shaped bacterium which infects the stomach and causes a variety of different illnesses and related symptoms. According to the Centers for Disease Control, H. pylori infects up to two-thirds of the...
Your immune system is your body's first line of defense against infection and disease. The gastrointestinal tract, or GI tract, composed of your stomach and intestines, plays a key role in digestion and is also an important component of your...
The GI virus is also referred to as the gastrointestinal virus. It can be easily confused with the stomach flu although it is not an influenza. The GI virus is an intestinal virus that is derived from a variety of other viruses such as the...
Fenugreek is an herbal approach to treating a number of illnesses. According to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, fenugreek is an ayurvedic medicine that comes from the dried seeds of the fenugreek plant. Ayurvedic practice is a holistic...
Irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, is a chronic illness in which the bowels do not function properly, causing significant distress. The causes, diagnosis and treatment of IBS are currently active areas of research. Consult with a physician or other...
A gastrointestinal soft diet is a low-residue, low-fiber diet composed of foods that are soft in texture, easily digested and well tolerated. This diet is nutritionally adequate and may include many semi-solid foods. A gastrointestinal soft diet...
Hydrastis Canadensis L, an herb better known as goldenseal, has been used for centuries to treat infections, inflammation and even the common cold. This plant has been used primarily to treat maladies of the mucous membranes of the digestive...
Stomach parasites, which are often called intestinal parasites, are organisms that live in the digestive tract of humans, feeding off human tissue. Most of the human stomach parasites are either single celled organisms called protozoa or...
Digestive diseases refer to diseases along the gastrointestinal tract from the mouth to the end of the system and includes several other organs such as the liver, gallbladder, biliary tree and pancreas. There are many causes of digestive diseases....
Lactobacillus acidophilus is a probiotic that is one strain of live cultures found in some yogurts and is consumed to improve digestion. Probiotics include several strains of live cultures that can be consumed in live culture yogurt, in certain...
Diabetes, also known by its full name, diabetes mellitus, is a disease in which your blood glucose levels are too high, yet your body is not using enough of the glucose. Glucose is important because it is the main "fuel" used by muscle and tissue...
If you or someone you know was recently diagnosed with Crohn's disease you may be wondering what kind of foods you can eat. You may be surprised to find out the importance of food and Crohn's disease. Crohn's disease may not have a cure, but with...
Vitamin B-12 is also known as cobalamin. It is responsible for the formation of blood normal functioning of the nervous system and cell metabolism, particularly of DNA, fatty acids and the production of energy. Vitamin B-12 deficiency can cause...
Stool form, color and texture can vary from baby to baby and even from bowel movement to bowel movement. However, normal stools of breastfed babies are usually yellow in color, loose in consistency, and seedy in appearance. The normal stool of a...
