The University of Vermont Medical Center HealthSource blog is your leading source for digestive system articles and information from industry experts. Read through a collection of digestive health tips on a variety of subjects such gluten free diets, celiac disease and acid reflux. The HealthSource blog features an array of regular authors and contributors from the medical world including doctors, nurse practitioners and healthcare executives.
How are we doing at screening for colorectal cancer in Vermont? Nationwide, our rate is only 66 percent. In Vermont, we are doing better at 71 percent, but there is still high variability across the state ranging from 64 percent to 77 percent. Let’s kick colorectal cancer in the butt! Get tested today. Colon Cancer: […]
If you have ongoing and recurring heartburn it may be a sign that you have GERD: gastroesophagael reflux disease. GERD occurs when stomach acid and gastric contents wash back into your esophagus and throat. It’s important to know that having heartburn from time to time does not mean you have GERD. You may experience heartburn […]
I am a Hepatitis-C survivor. It has taken me more than forty years to arrive at a more secure state of health. On this path, I have journeyed through two rounds of treatment. The first in 2007 and the second in 2014. There are distinct phases to this experience. The first is The Oblivion. There […]
Viral hepatitis has been a global health issue for centuries, and it continues be a major health burden today. Here’s what you need to know about what it is and how it’s treated – and whether you should get tested. What is Viral Hepatitis? Viral hepatitis is an infectious condition of the liver, which in […]
I’ve been taking care of children with Crohn’s disease, like Ryan, for 22 years now. My first encounter with this terrible disease was as a third year medical student. I was just getting introduced to real-life patient care and interactions. I was struck then — and still am every time I meet a new child […]
You hear it all the time, especially when you need to make a big decision. “Listen to your gut,” your friends, family, or co-workers advise. But what does that really mean? Does the gut actually have anything worthwhile to tell you? Turns out, the answer is yes – your gut has a lot to tell […]
July 28 is World Hepatitis Day. Hepatitis C can become chronic, life-long infections, which can lead to liver cancer. Millions of Americans are living with chronic viral hepatitis, and many do not know they are infected. Hepatitis C was discovered only five years before I started my first job as a ‘liver doctor’ at the Veterans […]
April is Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Awareness Month. IBS is common with worldwide prevalence estimated at 9 percent to 23 percent. Yet, many people remain undiagnosed and unaware that their symptoms indicate a medically recognized disorder. Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a common diagnosis in children. When we hear about Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), we may […]
My treatment at The University of Vermont Medical Center pulled me out of a long year of struggling with a Clostridium difficile infection. I went into my local hospital with a relatively easy to manage condition, and I came out with a major illness that was very hard to treat. I developed the C. Dif […]
Gluten is everywhere. You can’t escape it. It’s in bread, cereal, granola bars, pasta, pizza, soups, sauces, gravy, vegetarian “meat”, cookies, cakes, pastries, muffins, ice cream, Chinese food, and even some medicines. What is this food substance everyone is talking about? It’s literally the glue that holds certain foods together (Gluten is from the Latin […]
