Digestive Enzymes
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Digestive Wellness March 2010 how to reevaluate and regain control of your digestive health At the University of Chicago Medical Center, we ask questions like this every day. Questions that have the potential to forever CAN BACTERIA change the way gastrointestinal disorders are treated. BE GOOD FOR YOU? DISCOVER FOR YOURSELF. discover.uchospitals.edu | 888-UCH-0200 digestive wellness Eating Right: Optimizing Your Digestive Health By: JESSIE M. PAVlInAC, MS, RD, CSR, lD, PRESIDEnT, AMERICAn DIETETIC ASSoCIATIon At every stage of life, from infancy through our senior years, nutrition is essential to keeping our bodies running at their best. As we age, our nutrient needs change with our bodies. But for those with digestive issues, proper food choices not only CONTENTS help them lead a healthier life, but often a more comfortable life. 2 Eating Right 3 Treating Gastrointestinal Cancers 4 Digestive Enzymes igestive issues are more 96 percent of primary care physicians in nutrition science, others may have 5 Going Organic common than most people believe the nation’s healthcare sys- little if any actual nutrition training or 5 Probiotics And Dthink —approximately one tem should place more emphasis on just mail-order credentials. Even if a Preventive Nutrition in 25 people suffers from a food al - nutrition to treat and manage chronic person holds degrees from accredited 6 Starting Early lergy and many more suffer from food disease. However, only 12 percent be- institutions, nutrition may not be his 6 Should I Go Gluten-Free intolerances. Celiac disease affects an lieve physicians currently pay enough or her specialty. 7 Digestive Wellness And estimated one percent of Americans. attention to nutrition when treating Who is the qualified nutrition Natural Alternatives And one in five experience symptoms these diseases. expert? When you need trusted, accu- 7 Know The Facts of irritable bowel syndrome, which Whether you are trying to treat dis- rate, timely and practical advice, seek Jessie M. Pavlinac 8 Panel Of Experts affects twice as many women as ease, lose weight or just make health- the advice of a registered dietitian. men. If you have a chronic digestive ier choices, it may be hard to figure With our education and experience, condition, a carefully planned diet out whom to listen to for advice. Hear- RDs have the skills and knowledge that looks like it might help you lose can make a difference. With certain ing someone is a “nutritionist” often to translate nutrition science into those last 10 pounds, take a closer diseases, what you eat may reduce makes the person sound like they’re practical meal planning. A registered look to make sure the information is symptoms. In other cases, diet can be educated and trained in nutrition dietitian can help you navigate food coming from the qualified expert in the primary treatment leading to im- science and health issues. But in many allergies; work with your healthcare food and nutrition science: a regis- DIGESTIvE WEllNESS proved health. states, titles like “nutritionist” and “diet team by helping you change your eat- tered dietitian. A special supplement produced by For those who are in need of help, counselor” are not regulated, so terms ing plan pre- or post-surgery; and help Visit the American Dietetic Asso- Mediaplanet and distributed by the who is the best expert? A recent sur- like these can be used by people who you find ways to work with health ciation at www.eatright.org to locate Chicago Tribune. vey by the American Dietetic Associa- are not qualified to give accurate nu- problems such as IBS . a registered dietitian near you. Publisher: Brandon Hale tion and the University of Tennessee trition advice. While some nutritionists The next time you hear nutrition The American Dietetic Association [email protected] Graduate School of Medicine showed may have an educational background advice on television or see a diet book is the world’s largest organization of Contributor: Jill Coody Smits food and nutrition professionals. ADA Designer: Carrie Reagh is committed to improving the na- [email protected] tion’s health and advancing the pro- fession of dietetics through research, Photos: ©iStockphoto.com the next time you hear nutrition advice on television education and advocacy. Printer: Chicago Tribune The content in this special advertis- Mediaplanet is the leading publisher or see a diet book that looks like it might help you lose ing section was not developed by the in providing high quality and in-depth American Dietetic Association. The analysis on topical industry and market those last 10 pounds, take a closer look to make sure issues, in print, online and broadcast. American Dietetic Association does For more information about not endorse any of the advertisers ap- supplements in the daily press, please the information is coming from the qualified expert in pearing within this special advertising contact Jason Howell, 1 312 337 4012 section or the companies mentioned in [email protected] food and nutrition science: a registered dietitian. the advertorial sections. www.mediaplanet.com a very special thanks to... digestive wellness Eating Right: Optimizing Your Digestive Health Treating Gastrointestinal Cancers Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers vary widely depending on which part of the digestive tools that allow disease to be found system is affected. From the esophagus to the anus, each disease site has its earlier, as well as improved treatments. “Though we have made only incre- own unique traits and each cancer its own risk factors, treatment options and mental progress in treating some dis- particular challenges. eases, the impressive strides in others help us understand the multiple ways cancer evades treatment, and may one nd though there is no com- cell of origin and the degree of spread. because cancer treatments are most day help us treat all cancers more ef- mon thread running through Treatments may include surgery, radia- successful in the earliest stages of fectively.” Aall GI cancers, there is a stan- tion, chemotherapy, or novel targeted disease. As a result, researchers and of course, the great hope of all dard approach to diagnosis that is therapies. For most GI cancers surgery oncologists are continually looking cancer patients is a cure. But Kindler critical to prescribing the best course is considered the only curative treat- for ways to diagnose earlier and says that though we may not be of treatment. ment, so it is critical for patients to more accurately. able to cure every cancer, there is “First, we must determine where select a treatment facility with the right “If we can better image tumors reason to be hopeful. At present, while the cancer comes from—what is the expertise. and use molecular markers to detect some patients can be cured, other cell of origin,” says Hedy Kindler, MD, “It is very clear that both short- and cancers earlier, we have a better patients can live with their cancer medical director of gastrointestinal long-term surgical outcomes are chance of helping patients,” says for many years, in the same way oncology at the University of Chicago better in institutions where surgeries Posner. “We have already made great that patients live with other chronic Medical Center. “That information are done more often by highly- strides in the area of colon cancer, diseases such as diabetes and high determines how the cancer behaves experienced surgeons,” says Mitchell and though we know there is a blood pressure. and helps us understand how it might Posner, MD, chief of surgical oncology sequence of events that occurs in “oncologists are eternal optimists,” respond to treatment. Then we ascer- at the University of Chicago Medical pancreatic cancer it is still much harder Kindler continues. “We never know tain whether the cancer is localized Center and president of the Society of to detect.” where the next great discovery will and removable with surgery, or if it has Surgical oncology. “not only is there In fact, survival rates for colorectal come from, and we cannot predict a metastasized and traveled to another less patient mortality, but cancer recur- cancer have increased significantly in timeline. However, as we continue to site.” rence is less likely.” the past 10 years alone, and 90 percent learn more about the underlying biol- There are some commonalities Though finding a high quality treat- of those diagnosed with stage one ogy of each cancer, and as we go from Mitchell Posner, MD and Irving Waxman, among treatment regimens for GI can- ment team is important to surviving disease can now expect to live five the laboratory to clinical trials of novel MD discuss a patient’s course of treat- ment. Collaboration among physicians cers, but different cancers will require and living with GI cancer, finding years or longer. That success is partially treatments, there is definitely hope for provides patients with comprehensive different treatments depending on the the cancer early is equally critical attributable to improved diagnostic the future.” treatment plans. IT DID FOR MARY CARLENE SHEDD. Imagine being told you have cancer. It’s scary. Terrifying even. Now imagine CAN A SIMPLE your doctor taking the time to teach you all about your disease and treatment, going so far as to sketch a diagram of your surgery. That is DRAWING MAKE ALL exactly what Mary found at the University of Chicago Medical Center after her diagnosis of colon cancer. And not only did she receive the latest THE DIFFERENCE IN treatments combined with the skill of a team of expert surgeons, but she CANCER SURGERY? found the confi dence and comfort only knowledge can provide. At the University of Chicago Medical Center, we think educating patients is an essential part of treating them.