Clostridium difficile infection (C diff) is a bowel infection caused by toxin-producing bacteria. C diff is a serious infection that can range from mild diarrhea to severe inflammation of your colon that can be life threatening. C diff is not caused by anything you eat and you can’t cure it … Read More
It happened just like that. You sat on the couch, spoon in hand, to enjoy a few spoonfuls of your favorite ice cream. Suddenly, you were staring down the barrel of an empty carton, with remnants of Rocky Road splattered on your chin. “Not again,” you cried. As you pondered … Read More
Do you use the Bristol Stool Chart?’ The Bristol Stool Chart is a human-poop evaluation guide developed at the British Royal Infirmary in 1997. It can help you determine if your feces are normal. The Bristol Stool Chart—also called the Bristol Stool Scale—s widely used in clinical settings, especially with … Read More
If you’re experiencing symptoms associated with c diff, or clostridium difficile, you’re undoubtedly considering trying C diff treatments on your own. It’s mostly diarrhea with some stomach cramping, right? Surely, you don’t need a doctor? Aren’t most C diff treatments just anti-diarrheal? Wrong, wrong, and absolutely not. Just treating the … Read More
Many people believe using probiotics and antibiotics together is a necessity. That’s because antibiotics do not discriminate. They wipe out all bacteria in their path, whether harmful or good, which can upset healthy balances in the gastrointestinal tract and other body functions. To avoid losing the good bacteria, many people … Read More
At any given time, trillions of bacteria live in your body, many of which reside in the large intestine. This colonic community of bacteria, known as the gut microbiota, plays a key role in immune function, digestion, weight management, and blood-sugar control, among other functions. Some of these microorganisms cause … Read More
Bacteria are one-cell organisms that are everywhere. Literally. Most bacteria are harmless, and many are beneficial. We need “good” bacteria to digest our food and help arm our immune system. And “good” bacteria destroy “bad” bacteria that may ultimately cause a bacterial infection. A bacterial infection can be serious, especially … Read More
Up to 15 million Americans every day are thought to suffer from heartburn—a form of indigestion that feels like a burning sensation in the chest. It isn’t normal, however, to have heartburn after every meal, according to Mount Sinai gastroenterologist Brijen Shah, MD. “If you do," he warns, "it’s possible … Read More
The prevalence of clostridium difficile—or C diff —is staggering. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates there are almost half a million cases per year. Of those, 15,000 patients die from C diff, which is a bacterial infection. While those statistics might make you think, “I need medicine … Read More
