The Gastric Bypass to have or not to have? In my opinion people are looking for the quick fix. Now I am not saying the Gastric bypass should not be done, but I am suggesting that people take more time to consider what it is they really want from it. Lets take a look at one of the more common procedure the RNY gastric bypass.

As you can see from the picture you are literally given a whole new stomach. There are complications that can occur with this procedure and one being you may develop a hernia (which can be easily repaired) and number two you develop vitamin malabsorption, which means you take a lot of vitamins for the rest of your life and you need to fall a strict diet. The dumping syndrome is where you feel really sick to your stomach, can get really sweaty, and feel like you need to lie down. This happens mainly when you eat a high content of sugar. Common belief I hear among a lot of people is that people who have the gastric bypass have chronic or long term diarrhea... I just want to say that is not true. I can see where people might think that but it just doesn't happen a lot. It is harder to vomit however since once it goes into the small intestines it just doesn't want to come back out so when a person with the gastric bypass gets the flu it usually effects the other end. So as you can see there is a lot to think about with the gastric bypass, if you want to learn more about it and here from a community of gastric bypass patients I suggest going to www.obesityhelp.com. This is a free site to help those that are looking into this site to learn about the various procedures, diets, pros and cons, insurances, doctors, etc, etc...




Social and Health Issues Related to Food

Obesity:
Here is a short video discussing the rising obesity epidemic in America. It is from the TED Talks.




Crohn's Disease : Crohn’s disease is an ongoing disorder that causes inflammation of the digestive tract, also referred to as the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Crohn’s disease can affect any area of the GI tract, from the mouth to the anus, but it most commonly affects the lower part of the small intestine, called the ileum. The swelling extends deep into the lining of the affected organ. The swelling can cause pain and can make the intestines empty frequently, resulting in diarrhea.
Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory bowel disease, the general name for diseases that cause swelling in the intestines. Because the symptoms of Crohn’s disease are similar to other intestinal disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome and ulcerative colitis, it can be difficult to diagnose. Ulcerative colitis causes inflammation and ulcers in the top layer of the lining of the large intestine. In Crohn’s disease, all layers of the intestine may be involved, and normal healthy bowel can be found between sections of diseased bowel.
Crohn’s disease affects men and women equally and seems to run in some families. About 20 percent of people with Crohn’s disease have a blood relative with some form of inflammatory bowel disease, most often a brother or sister and sometimes a parent or child. Crohn’s disease can occur in people of all age groups, but it is more often diagnosed in people between the ages of 20 and 30. People of Jewish heritage have an increased risk of developing Crohn’s disease, and African Americans are at decreased risk for developing Crohn’s disease.
The most common symptoms of Crohn’s disease are abdominal pain, often in the lower right area, and diarrhea. Rectal bleeding, weight loss, arthritis, skin problems, and fever may also occur. Bleeding may be serious and persistent, leading to anemia. Children with Crohn’s disease may suffer delayed development and stunted growth. The range and severity of symptoms varies. A thorough physical exam and a series of tests may be required to diagnose Crohn’s disease

* This video puts into motion what is explained in words above. After reading the background information, and viewing this video, you should be able to have an understanding of what Crohn's disease is, and how it affects the function of the digestive system. The video gives an excellent illustration of how the disease makes its way into the intestines, the most common area for it to grow, and how it can have an affect on the body and cause a lot of pain.

What are the complications of Crohn’s disease?
The most common complication is blockage of the intestine. Blockage occurs because the disease tends to thicken the intestinal wall with swelling and scar tissue, narrowing the passage. Crohn’s disease may also cause sores, or ulcers, that tunnel through the affected area into surrounding tissues, such as the bladder, vagina, or skin. The areas around the anus and rectum are often involved. The tunnels, called fistulas, are a common complication and often become infected. Sometimes fistulas can be treated with medicine, but in some cases they may require surgery. In addition to fistulas, small tears called fissures may develop in the lining of the mucus membrane of the anus.
Nutritional complications are common in Crohn’s disease. Deficiencies of proteins, calories, and vitamins are well documented. These deficiencies may be caused by inadequate dietary intake, intestinal loss of protein, or poor absorption, also referred to as malabsorption.
Other complications associated with Crohn’s disease include arthritis, skin problems, inflammation in the eyes or mouth, kidney stones, gallstones, or other diseases of the liver and biliary system. Some of these problems resolve during treatment for disease in the digestive system, but some must be treated separately.
Smoking and Your Digestive System Smoking affects the entire body, including the digestive system. It can contribute to problems such as heartburn and peptic ulcers and also increase your risk of Crohn’s disease and gallstones. Smoking also damages the liver. Harmful Effects: Heartburn Heartburn is a symptom of gastroesophogeal reflux (GER). GER is a syndrome that is characterized by your natural stomach acid flow backwards into the esophagus. Since, unlike the stomach, the esophagus is not protected from acidic juices, the inner lining can become injured when it comes into contact with the acid. Normally your lower esophageal sphincter (LES), keeps the acids out of the esophagus. Smoking, however, weakens the LES, thus allowing the acid to flow into the esophagus. Peptic Ulcer A peptic ulcer is a sore in the lining of the duodenum. Research has shown that people who smoke are more likely to develop ulcers. Also, if they continue to smoke while they have an ulcer, it will take longer for it to heal. Liver Disease Research show s that smoking harm’s the livers ability to process toxins that it would normally remove such as alc0hol and drugs. Crohn’s Disease Research shows that smokers, whether current or former, are at a higher risk for developing Crohn’s disease compared to nonsmokers. Gallstones Studies show there is an increased risk for gallstones in people who smoke, especially women.