Digestive Health

This is a rather "delicate" subject with my daughter. Ever since she was born, she has had a problem with not going to the bathroom every day and therefore having very large stools. We have tried a variety of remedies Metamucil, orange juice every morning, cereal with bran flakes or oat flakes. Nothing seems...

I have been eating a pre-packaged cinnamon Danish for breakfast. I have also snacked on the Danish before going to bed. This has resulted in some upper digestive tract discomfort (i.e. when I stop eating the Danish it goes away). Webster's New World Dictionary states that cinnamon is "a light-brown spice made from the...

I was wondering if you knew anything about such milk substitute products as soymilk and rice drink (Rice Dream). Do you know of any other products available for lactose intolerant people? Are they healthy and what other benefits do they provide? Thank you very much for your time. Any soy and or rice beverage would be...

Having read your topic on gluten, I have this to share: What little I know of spelt is this--it is an ancient grain, dating back to biblical days. It has gained the interest of the health food community recently. It is low in gluten and may be tolerated by some gluten-sensitive individuals. Thanks for the...

An in-law has diverticulitis. My wife was interested in finding recipes and learning how to prepare meals. Do you have any recommendations or know of how to best prepare meals? Since I'm only the middle man, what foods/spices should be excluded from the diet? Diverticulitis is grouped with inflammatory bowel diseases. Pockets develop in the...

My wife is having problems with irritable bowel syndrome and has been tested for everything and nothing is helping. Could you recommend a diet, herbs or something to help? First, I would suggest she continue to see a doctor so that the cause may be found and treated. As to a diet, until active symptoms subside...

I have an 8-year-old son who is unable to eat dairy products, due to GI (gastrointestinal) problems. He has been taking at his Dr.'s recommendation, TUMS daily for calcium replacement. Recently, we have found a soy-based drink that he enjoys. The box that the drink comes in states that 8 ounces of the drink...

I was reading your Q&A on gallbladder and I wonder if you have the e-mail address of the husband who wrote that his wife was getting sick after gallbladder removal. I have the same problem and would like to see what they found out if anything. Thanks for your help, if you feel it...

I have a GI disorder known as Crohn's disease. I am currently having a flare up and am on a liquid diet. What do you recommend to drink? I can handle soup, Ensure tastes terrible. Also, any tips on how to eat to prevent a flare up? During acute symptoms, you should avoid raw vegetables...

I have been undergoing treatment for diverticulitis and my doctor's office gave me a "high fiber diet" (a list of eight food categories) in which it stated to include a cup of nuts a day. Even I know better than that. I have checked around with several bookstores, etc. and I can't seem to...