Disease Guide: Diagnosis, Symptoms & Clinical Treatment Protocols

For patients and caregivers, understanding clinical progression, diagnostic imaging results, and pharmacological treatment options is vital for managing acute and chronic health conditions.

Preparing her favourite dish

Constipation After Starting a New Diet

Starting a new diet to lose weight, manage your blood sugar levels or reduce your risk of chronic disease might change your bowel patterns, especially in the first phases.

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The Glycemic Index of Pumpkin

Pumpkin ranks high on the glycemic index, or GI, which suggests that the carbohydrates in this nutrient-rich vegetable could cause a marked increase in your blood sugar.

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working on a computer  and two banana to eat

Are There Foods That Thicken Ileostomy Stool?

Some gastrointestinal conditions that damage your digestive tract, such as inflammatory bowel disease or cancer, may require a surgical opening in your abdomen, which allows stool to leave your body. This surgery is medically known as an ileostomy, while the opening itself is called a stoma.

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Assorted apples in cartons

The Glycemic Index of Apples

If you’re planning your diet based on the glycemic index, or GI, of foods, you can add a fresh apple to a meal or snack without causing a marked increase in your blood sugar. The carbohydrates in a food determine how that food will affect your blood glucose levels.

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Woman Suffering From Stomachache On Sofa

Can Iron Supplements Cause Diarrhea?

Iron supplements can produce gastrointestinal side effects, including diarrhea. If you have diarrhea, abdominal pain or other gastrointestinal symptoms and you’re taking iron supplements, consult your health-care provider to make sure that you’re taking the correct amount of iron to meet your nutritional needs.

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Basket of figs

The Glycemic Index of Figs

Dried figs have a moderate ranking on the glycemic index, or GI. If you’re planning meals and snacks based on the GI value of the foods you eat, you can eat dried figs without experiencing a rapid, marked increase in your blood sugar.

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Background - dried beans

Low Glycemic Vegetarian Diet

A low glycemic diet can be compatible with your vegetarian eating plan if you emphasize complex carbohydrates that keep your blood sugar stable.

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eggs

Signs & Symptoms of Being Allergic to Eggs

An allergy to eggs can cause a range of reactions, from a mild rash to severe breathing difficulty. Egg allergies often begin in infancy or early childhood. As you grow older, your body may adjust to the proteins in eggs that trigger allergies, and you may be able to enjoy these nutritious foods.

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Chopped pecan nuts, close up

Nuts and Ulcers

A balanced diet for ulcers can include nuts, as long as you can digest them without pain. If you have stomach pain after eating raw or roasted nuts, consider replacing whole nuts with creamy peanut butter or almond butter to benefit from the protein, minerals and heart-healthy fats that nuts provide.

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Close-up of spiral pasta noodles

The Glycemic Index of Pasta

Because your body digests pasta more slowly than many other starchy foods, pasta offers you sustained energy without causing fluctuations in your blood sugar.

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IBS with Constipation Diet Plan

Although high-fiber foods trigger the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome in some people who have this disorder, a high-fiber diet may regulate your bowel movements if you suffer from frequent constipation.

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Female doctor pointing at a chest X-ray

What Happens When Food Goes Into the Lungs?

Inhaling food into your lungs -- known as aspiration -- can cause serious complications, especially if you have a condition that makes you aspirate food or fluids on a regular basis. According to an article published in 2011 by "Critical Care Medicine,"

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oat flakes

What Is the Glycemic Index of Oatmeal?

Thanks to its soluble fiber content, a simple bowl of oatmeal offers plenty of sustained-release energy. Depending on the processing and preparation of the oats, oatmeal has a low to moderate effect on your blood glucose level and insulin production.

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The Diet for Bowel Adhesions

Your bowels and other abdominal organs have slick, membranous surfaces that prevent them from sticking together when they make contact under normal circumstances. Adhesions may occur when tissues make contact and band together, most often after surgery. Over time, these tissue bands can grow thicker and stronger.

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Exotic papaya fruit with seeds and banana, close-up

Can Papaya Lower Blood Pressure?

As a dietary source of potassium, papaya may help lower your blood pressure. This tropical fruit -- grown in Hawaii, Florida, California, Mexico and Puerto Rico -- is rich in potassium, a mineral that counteracts the effects of sodium and helps you keep your blood pressure within a normal range.

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Teas to Drink for Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Drinking herbal tea may soothe the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, a chronic gastrointestinal disorder that can cause abdominal pain, gas, bloating and diarrhea or constipation. Caffeinated tea may aggravate IBS symptoms by stimulating bowel activity.

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teenage girl (14-16) relaxing on sofa with bowl of popcorn, smiling

Where Does Popcorn Fall on the Glycemic Index?

The glycemic index can be a useful tool for estimating the effect a food will have on your blood sugar, but it shouldn’t be the only way you plan your meals and snacks. Foods that cause moderate to high increases in your blood sugar, such as popcorn, may also be rich in nutrients your body needs.

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