Fermented dairy products like kefir may reduce the risk of colon cancer!

Posted by Frederick Gandolfo MD, on

Fermented dairy sounds rather disgusting, as the name suggests something akin to spoiled milk, but in reality most fermented milk products are actually quite delicious! Fermented dairy products are foods like yogurt, cheese, sour cream, and kefir among others. The process of fermentation is usually done by bacteria such...

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toilet paper

A Gastroenterologist Cheats on the Colonoscopy Prep

Posted by Frederick Gandolfo MD, on

I’ll just start out by letting you know that I had mixed feelings about posting this. Not because I’m embarrassed to publicly discuss my colonoscopy experience (weirdly enough, I am OK with that part), but because I don’t want to be responsible for people interpreting what I’m about to...

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polyp

What Causes Colon Polyps?

Posted by Frederick Gandolfo MD, on

When it comes to colon cancer prevention, the polyp is the key player to know. Colon polyps, called adenomas, are precancerous growths originating from the inner lining of the colon wall. There are other types of polyps in the colon which are not considered precancerous, but for our purposes...

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colon cancer prevention

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

Posted by Frederick Gandolfo MD, on

It’s March, which means it’s Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month! Preventing colon cancer is one of the most important things that we gastroenterologists get to do. Even if you’re not particularly interested in colon cancer, there will still be some interesting stuff for you to read this here as I...

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Junk Food and Cancer: Is There a Link?

Posted by Frederick Gandolfo MD, on

I think it’s safe to say that most people already know that eating “junk food” is probably not really a good thing to do. You can show the average five-year-old a bunch of broccoli and a candy bar, and ask her which food is healthier, and she’ll regrettably pick...

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How Exactly Does Alcohol Cause Liver Problems?

Posted by Frederick Gandolfo MD, on

Alcohol has been enjoyed by people throughout the world from the beginning of recorded history up until present day. It is an important part of many cultures and social gatherings, but because alcohol is available almost everywhere it is also easily misused and abused. By now, it is pretty...

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diverticulosis

Can you eat seeds, nuts, and popcorn if you have diverticulosis? Can diet prevent diverticulitis?

Posted by Frederick Gandolfo MD, on

Diverticulitis is a common and sometimes serious problem that affects several hundred thousand people each year. Diverticulitis is the condition where small outpouchings or “pockets” in the wall of the large intestine called diverticula become inflamed and infected, and typically presents as a constant lower abdominal pain, associated with...

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polyp removal

Think Twice Before Large Colonic Polyp Surgery

Posted by Frederick Gandolfo MD, on

Large colonic polyps used to be managed by a surgeon, similar to how colon cancer is still managed…cut it out and hope for the best. However, it is clear that when possible, these large non-cancerous polyps are more safely removed using advanced endoscopic techniques, such as endoscopic mucosal resection...

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