Digestive Health Monthly

Because Digestive Health Matters

International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders September 2024 eNewsletter

September is Chronic Pain Awareness Month. Chronic pain is defined as continuous or intermittent pain that lasts longer than 6 months. Many Americans struggle with chronic pain, including patients with GI disorders. It is estimated that 30 million to 50 million Americans suffer from long-term pain. This is often the number one problem that patients bring to doctors or other health care providers.

Living with chronic pain, as well as unpleasant GI symptoms, can greatly affect quality of life and increase personal burdens, leading to withdrawal from relationships and social situations. By sharing resources, we hope to break the silence surrounding chronic pain and encourage those living with it to share their experience.

Malnutrition Awareness Month

Malnutrition Awareness Week is recognized from September 16-20 this year.

Malnutrition is a condition that can develop when the body is in need of certain nutrients, such as vitamins or minerals, to maintain healthy tissues and regular organ function. This can occur due to poor diet choices, not eating enough, or medical problems contributing to problems absorbing nutrients.

Many GI patients may experience malnutrition at some point in their lives. Disorders such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, gastroparesis, IBS, and short bowel syndrome are just a few that can have complications such as malnutrition if not managed properly.

To learn more about malnutrition and how to get involved in the awareness week, click here.

National Women's Health and Fitness Day

National Women’s Health and Fitness Day is recognized on September 25th. We want to use this day to promote the importance of health and fitness for women of all ages while recognizing the differences required for each gender.

While a healthy diet, daily exercise, and regular healthcare provider visits are essential for maintaining health, we recognize that many women live with health conditions that complicate the matter. Women are more likely to suffer from certain GI disorders, such as IBS.

To learn more about women’s health and IBS, click the button below.

National Women's Health and Fitness Day

IBS-D Survey

4. An Industry partner is seeking to better understand young people living with irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D) and caregivers of young people with IBS-D.

IFFGD fully supports this initiative, as it is crucial to involve the patient community before initiating a clinical trial. Your thoughts and experiences are valuable. This survey aims to collect your opinions on IBS-D clinical trials, including your overall perceptions and what would make you interested in participating. Your participation will help enhance clinical trials for future young IBS-D patients.

Click the button below to get started.

IBS-D Survey

5 Minutes in GI

September’s ‘5 Minutes in GI’ is live!

This month, we sat down with Dr. Dariush Shahsavari from Augusta Medical Center to discuss asthma and GERD. We wanted to know why it’s common for people with asthma to also struggle with GERD. Join us and learn the answer to this question by clicking the button below.

5 Minutes in GI

Understanding Chronic Pain

Though it can be unpleasant, pain is a critical part of our sensory system, and a necessary function of a healthy body. Chronic pain, on the other hand, is characterized more like a disease of the nervous system associated with abnormal responses in the brain and spinal cord.

Understanding chronic pain, especially in the context of gastrointestinal disorders, involves recognizing its complexity and impact on daily life. Chronic pain is often persistent and can result from underlying conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), or functional dyspepsia.

To learn more, click the button below.

Understanding Chronic Pain

RESEARCH CORNER

Clinical trials and research studies help to improve our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of diseases and advance the development of new and better treatment options. By participating in a study, you can help further the advancement of research and learn more about your condition.

Here are 3 studies currently recruiting participants:

IBD-Crohn's Disease

Seres Therapeutics Crohn’s Disease Biobank

Dysphagia

Novel Pharyngeal Metrics to Predict Dysphagia Outcomes

IBS-D

"A Phase 2, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Multicenter, Parallel-Group

Study to Evaluate the Efficacy, Safety, and Tolerability of CIN-103 in Adults with Irritable Bowel

Syndrome With Predominant Diarrhea (IBS-D)"

September Spotlight

Dietitian Christine Scarcello

Christine L. Scarcello is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Nutrition Support Clinician at Cedars-Sinai. In the Center for Digestive Diseases, she works as an outpatient dietitian for the GI Motility Clinic and the Inflammatory Bowel and Immunology Research Institute. Christine first learned of IFFGD through the physician directors of the clinic and enjoys the many resources and opportunities that IFFGD provides for clinicians. She worked for ten years as a critical care dietitian managing surgical/trauma ICU nutrition support prior to joining Cedars-Sinai and transitioning to gastrointestinal nutrition. Christine recently addressed a question in our '5 Minutes in GI' series regarding the difference between food intolerances and food allergies. You can check out Christine's '5 Minutes in GI' episode here.

Donate

IFFGD is a nonprofit organization. We rely on donor support to fund research and to provide reliable information and support to those affected by chronic gastrointestinal disorders.

IFFGD | 414-964-1799 | iffgd@iffgd.org | www.iffgd.org

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