Digestive System

Intestinal worms & parasites live in the gastrointestinal tract. There are two main groups of intestinal worms – protozoa (organisms with one cell only) and helminths (worms with many cells). Protozoa multiplies in the human body. The most common protozoa include cryptosporidium, microsporidia and isospora that often affect HIV-infected persons. The most common helminths include tapeworm, hookworms, pinworms, roundworms, threadworms, whipworm and giardia.

The intestines (or bowels) complete the process of digestion (breaking down the food we consume on a daily basis). Most chemical digestion and absorption of food occur in the small intestine - a long, coiled organ about one inch in diameter.

Billions of hungry bacteria (the natural "intestinal fauna") that we all have in our large intestine then produce a variety of gases such as methane, hydrogen and hydrogen sulfide as by-products of this fermentation process. These vapors are
known as intestinal gasses, and can cause stomach bloating until they leave the body as flatulence through the anus.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic disorder that causes inflammation and swelling in the digestive tract or intestinal wall. When the digestive tract becomes chronically inflamed or irritated, bleeding sores called
ulcers develop. These ulcers can cause abdominal pain, severe diarrhea, blood in the stool, fatigue, reduced appetite, weight loss, or fever.

Most of us have experienced the sensation of indigestion (Upset Stomach) – ‘fullness’, cramps and discomfort in the abdomen following a meal. It can also be accompanied by a burning sensation above the breastbone (heartburn) and/
or fullness in the stomach (bloating). Indigestion is also known as dyspepsia and tends to cause flatulence and intestinal gas. Indigestion is another name for an upset tomach.

Hemorrhoids are also known as piles, is commonly misspelled as "hemroids", and refer to a condition in which the veins and tissues around the lower rectum and anus become swollen and inflamed. Hemorrhoids are itchy, cause pain, and bleed.

Although it may sound like it, heartburn is a painful condition involving the upper digestive system, not the heart. The pain often radiates from the middle of the chest, and so symptoms are often confused with those of a heart attack. The fact is that heartburn is a condition linked to indigestion and excess stomach acid.

Millions of Americans experience gastrointestinal problems each year which range
from indigestion, heartburn, gas, diarrhea, an ulcer, IBS and in more severe cases,
sometimes even colon cancer. These problems which affect the gastrointestinal tract cause much discomfort and can be quite frustrating.

Gastritis is a condition that involves the irritation and inflammation of the stomach lining, afflicting millions of people. Any number of things can cause gastritis, from injury to bacterial infection. Chronic gastritis may be associated
with an autoimmune condition, such as anemia or hypothyroidism, kidney or liver disease - but is usually a common, acute condition associated with stress.

A gastric ulcer, also referred to as a stomach ulcer, is a break or raw, eroded area in the normal tissue lining of the stomach. People often believe that a gastric ulcer is the result of too much acid in the stomach. Unfortunately, this is
not the case, and people with gastric ulcers do produce normal amounts of acid. It
depends on how well the lining of the stomach copes with the acid because the stomach makes chemicals and mucus which covers the surface and protects the
tissues from the acid.

Gallstones are solid pieces of material that develop in the gallbladder and look like small stones or pebbles. Gallstones may be as small as grains of sand or as large as a golf ball. The gallbladder can develop several hundreds of tiny stones or one large one, or a combination of both.

Flatulence occurs as a by-product of digestion. During the process of food breakdown, protein must be broken into its individual amino acids. Fats must also be broken into fatty acids, and carbohydrates must be broken into individual glucose molecules.

Foul smelling stool is a topic that is not frequently discussed. While we are fully aware that feces exude an unpleasant odor, this odor is quite common. Foul smelling
feces or stools occurs largely as a result of a poor diet, especially
when the diet contains foods and liquids with artificial flavors, refined sugar, white flour and hormone-filled meat.

Dyspepsia, also known as indigestion or an upset stomach, is the medical term used to describe a burning or painful sensation in the upper abdomen. People are often heard saying that they have a sick feeling in the stomach or nervous
stomach when they experience dyspepsia. Symptoms are usually as a result of overeating, eating too quickly or eating the incorrect food combinations.

A duodenal ulcer is a raw area or open sore (ulcer) that develops when there is a break in the lining of the duodenum, the upper part of the small intestine which is connected to the stomach. When food passes from your mouth, it moves
through the esophagus and into your stomach. From the stomach, it travels into
the duodenum. The duodenum produces chemicals and mucus, which protects
the tissues and covers the surface from the acid. If the acid damages this protection by breaking through the lining of the duodenum, an ulcer occurs.