Gastro Girl

Lori Plung is an IBD Patient Advocate who was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease at a young age, and later Short Bowel Syndrome (SBS), a condition where a person’s small intestine is damaged or partially missing. Lori joins us to share her patient journey, how her quality of life has improved since her diagnosis, and offers advice for those living with SBS and their loved ones. Lori also shares a message of hope for anyone who’s diagnosed with a life altering condition. This episode is brought to you by Ironwood Pharmaceuticals. 

Short Bowel Syndrome (SBS), a condition where a person’s small intestine is damaged or partially missing, can cause serious symptoms including a failure to absorb enough nutrients from food for their body to thrive. Dr. Christopher Schmoyer, a Gastroenterologist from the University of Pennsylvania, joins us to explain the causes of SBS, how it is diagnosed and what treatment options are available. We also discuss long-term management of SBS and the lifestyle modifications that can help improve an SBS patient’s quality of life. This episode is brought to you by Ironwood Pharmaceuticals.

If you’re following a low FODMAP Diet and wondering how you can still enjoy your favorite recipes, this episode is for you. Medical Nutrition Therapist and FODMAP Expert Patsy Catsos returns with cooking tips and recipe swaps that will help you adapt your recipes and make them FODMAP friendly. Patsy’s common-sense approach may help you find what recipes you still can enjoy with some simple ingredient or seasoning swaps, as well as how to re-create some of your favorite foodie flavors. For more introductory information on the low FODMAP diet check out our previous episode with Patsy, The Low FODMAP Diet: Strategies For Success, https://youtu.be/jrsHqSR5y2Y or visit her website for more tips: https://www.ibsfree.net

Dr. James Tabibian joins us for a discussion on his book Digestive Problems Solved: A Patient's Guide to Expert Insights and Solutions. A gastroenterologist from California, Dr. Tabibian shares what readers can expect to learn from his book,and  his approach to simplifying complex digestive health conditions. We also discuss what he considers to be red flags for digestive health conditions, what patients may be able to consider as normal symptoms of our digestive tract that happen from time to time, as well as when it’s important to seek care from a healthcare provider. This episode is brought to you in partnership with The American College of Gastroenterology’s Patient Care Committee.

Dr. Xiao Jing (Iris) Wang, a Gastroenterologist at Mayo Clinic, discusses her children's book "Boo Can't Poo." Inspired by patients who lacked early education on proper bowel movements, Dr. Wang created this lighthearted story to help parents address toddler constipation at home. She also explores the effects of constipation and weak pelvic floor muscles on overall digestive health. Follow this link: https://amzn.to/4cI6aNO to purchase. 

The Low FODMAP Diet is an evidence-based dietary intervention for patients living with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). But with three-phases that are not one-size fits all, implementation can be challenging without professional guidance from a GI registered dietitian. Patsy Catsos, MS, RDN, is a medical nutrition therapist, FODMAP expert, and author who joins us to discuss the strategies for success that she shares with her patients who try the Low FODMAP diet to determine which foods may trigger their IBS symptoms. and make food substitutions without sacrificing a balanced and nutritional diet.  Patsy, who runs the site, ibsfree.net, explains FODMAPs, takes us through each phase of the low FODMAP diet and offers some insider tips for managing IBS symptoms through this approach.

In this episode we focus on Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation (IBS-C) with Gastroenterologist, Dr. Kumkum Patel from California (@dr.gut_motility). Dr. Patel offers her expertise on various IBS-C treatments from the different medications available, to simple diet and lifestyle changes that patients can make to help keep their bowel movements more regular. We also discuss what other, more severe digestive conditions can be causing constipation, which is why it’s important to be open with your healthcare provider regarding your bowel movements.

Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EOE) is an allergic condition in the esophagus that often goes undiagnosed for up to 10 years. In the last two years since we first covered EoE, new treatment options are now available for this chronic condition. Gastroenterologist Dr. Milli Gupta returns to help us understand the new treatment options and explain what patients need to know in preparation for discussing their options with their healthcare provider. This episode provides a basic overview of EoE, including the signs and symptoms a person may experience, such as trouble swallowing, food impaction, and the adaptive behaviors at mealtime, that signal it’s time to seek medical attention. This episode is brought to you by Sanofi Regeneron.

We welcome back Dr. Justin Crocker, a Gastroenterologist and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Duke University, to update us on the latest treatment options available for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). While there’s no one size fits all method to helping patients manage their IBD symptoms, Dr. Crocker goes into great detail on the different kinds of medications available, why providers may prefer to prescribe one over the other, and the science behind some of these newer advanced therapies. This episode is brought to you in partnership with the American College of Gastroenterology’s Patient Care Committee. 

The foods we choose to fuel our bodies with can have a large impact on our digestive health. But not everyone with digestive health conditions has access to quality food options to make informed choices that are best for their health.  Dr. Edwin McDonald, a Gastroenterologist at The University of Chicago, and a trained chef,  joins us to discuss how he talks to his patients about food and their GI health.  We also discuss how nutrition can impact the risk factors for chronic digestive conditions, and offer tips for how patients and providers can navigate these challenges together.