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Because Digestive Health Matters |
International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders May 2023 eNewsletter |
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May is Food Allergy Awareness Month.
During Food Allergy Awareness Month, we encourage you to learn more about the different kinds of allergies and how to keep those with allergies safe. Studies show that an estimated 6 to 8% of children under the age of 3 and up to 3% of adults are diagnosed with food allergies.
The body's immune response to ordinarily safe items for those with food allergies can lead to mild to life threatening reactions. The only way to prevent these reactions is to completely avoid the allergens your body reacts to. However, this can be a challenge when eating foods with multiple ingredients, or food prepared by restaurants or others outside of the home. It is imperative to read and understand labels and effectively communicate your allergies to others.
Food allergies are often confused with food intolerances. With an intolerance, the body has a chemical reaction to eating a specific item vs. the immune response triggered with an allergy. Deciphering between the two can be challenging for many people, especially those living with gastrointestinal disorders. To learn more about food allergies, click here. |
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May 14th- 20th is recognized as the 2023 National Eosinophil Awareness Week. During this week, we bring awareness to eosinophil-associated diseases, some of which are known to affect the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.
Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic immune system disease that can be triggered by food, environmental allergies, or acid reflux. The trigger causes the immune system to overreact, sending a large number of white blood cells called eosinophils into your esophagus, where they collect.
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To learn more about EoE click here. To learn about more ways to get involved for National Eosinophil Awareness Week, click the button below.
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Did you attend our 2023 Education and Advocacy Event?
This was a complimentary event hosted by IFFGD, where we educated the community about access to healthcare and how best to advocate for yourself in the medical field.
We heard from patients, healthcare professionals, and members of the IFFGD team. Speakers covered various topics including current legislation designed to improve access to care, how to contact your legislator via social media, how to share your personal story with your legislator, and more.
The YouTube premiere will be at the end of the month. Stay tuned on our social media accounts to be the first to know when the video goes live.
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Diarrhea is something that everyone experiences at one time or another. Diarrhea that goes away after a few weeks is acute, but if it lasts for more than 3-4 weeks, it is considered to be chronic. If no specific cause is found after investigation and certain criteria are met, your healthcare professional may consider a diagnosis of functional diarrhea.
Similar to functional bowel disorders like IBS, those with functional diarrhea do not demonstrate any physical or laboratory abnormalities to explain their symptoms.
To learn more about functional diarrhea, click the button below.
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Registration opens Sunday, May 7, 2023
Event dates are Saturday, June 24, 2023 – Saturday, July 1, 2023
Like a traditional walk event, participants register to walk and be active to get credit for steps taken during the event. However, this event goes beyond a step goal.
The event will provide goals that can be achieved by people of varying abilities as activities will focus strongly on wellness, self-care, traditional and non-traditional fitness activities.
Goals will go beyond physical fitness by encouraging participants to schedule a healthcare provider appointment or colonoscopy, try a new gut-friendly recipe, or start a diary of their food and/or symptoms. By adding these alternative activities, we hope that anyone that wants to participate, can participate. #Moves4GIhealth23
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2023 Nancy and Bill Norton Patient Education Series (NES) Event: Gut Microbiome: It's Overall Health and Related Illnesses
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This year's NES presentations will focus on understanding the gut microbiome and its importance in overall GI health.
You do not want to miss this year's Norton Patient Education Series that will be held Los Angeles, California on Saturday, October 7th, 2023 starting at 8:30 AM PT. The hotel location is the Beverly Hills Marriott at 1150 South Beverly Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90035.
This year's complimentary 1-day event will feature live educational presentations for patients, families, and caregivers looking to learn more about the microbiome and its relation to the GI system.
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Topics to Discuss:
- How Does Your Digestive System Work?
- The Gut Microbiome: What is it and Where do We Stand?
- Post infectious IBS: Road to Cure
- Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth: Diagnosis and Treatment
- Helicobacter pylori: Diagnosis and Treatment
- Speaker Panel Discussion and Q & A
Registration will open on May 30th. The link will be shared on social media and in June's edition of Digestive Health Monthly.
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One of IFFGD's Industry partners is looking to get perspectives from the patient community about their journey navigating a GI disorder. They are seeking to gather information from the experiences of those living with disorders like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), small bacterial intestinal overgrowth (SIBO) and more.
This survey takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. Click the button below to get started.
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Are you in search of a new book to read? We have compiled a list of books that provide information on various topics relating to gastrointestinal disorders and digestive health.
These books are perfect for educating yourself on a new topic, reading more about your or a family member or friends’ condition, or bringing up a new idea to your dietitian or healthcare provider.
Please consult with a healthcare provider or other qualified professionals before taking action based on the information in these publications.
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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:
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Domperidone in Treating Patients With Gastrointestinal Disorders |
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Protonix Treatment of Maintenance of Healing in Pediatric Participants Aged 1-11 and 12-17 |
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Data and Sample Collection Study to Elucidate the Mechanisms of Eosinophilic Disorders |
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2023 Nancy and Bill Norton Research Grant Winner: Will Takakura |
Dr. Will Takakura graduated from Eastern Virginia Medical School and then completed his internal medicine residency at Cedars-Sinai. After graduation, he completed a 1-year internal medicine fellowship while focusing on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and small intestinal bacteria overgrowth (SIBO) research under the tutelage of Dr. Mark Pimentel and Dr. Ali Rezaie. His prior work has shown that single spot methane can accurately predict intestinal methanogen overgrowth (IMO), is correlated with constipation, and that it reliably decreases with antibiotics. |
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He is currently a second-year gastroenterology fellow at the University of Michigan. He leads a busy clinical life seeing patients from all over Michigan, as the University of Michigan serves as the major referral center for the state. He is focused on treating and improving the care for patients with disorder of the gut-brain interaction (DGBI). He is interested in developing biomarkers and predicting outcomes in patients with DGBI.
This grant was made possible through the money raised during IFFGD’s 2022 Virtual Wellness Event. IFFGD is very grateful to all who participated in this event and donated in support of this research
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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.
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