hi

i used to read this group all the time, but stopped reading it a
couple of years ago. I just was wondering how many of you were
still active, and I've noticed that sdores (UM mom Susan) stopped
posting in Oct of 07. Does anyone have any news of her?

sad to see that the group is so quiet now....

Sara

http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20080301/bob10.asp

Nurturing Our Microbes
Stewardship of the life teeming within us can pay health dividends

Janet Raloff

Each of us is a metropolis. Bustling about in everyone's body are tens
of trillions of microbes. Some are descended from starter populations
provided by mom during birth. Additional bacteria, yeasts, and other
life forms hitchhike in with foods. By age 3, everyone's gut hosts a
fairly stable, yet diverse, ecosystem.

Most of the tiny stowaways hide out in the gastrointestinal tract--the
gut-stealing a share of everything we eat or drink. But that's only
fair, because most of these bugs give as good as they take, explains
microbiologist Jeffrey I. Gordon. They not only help us digest food,
he says, but they also harvest nutrients, manufacture certain
vitamins, kill germs, neutralize bacterial toxins, and modulate the
immune system. Sickness, antibiotic therapy, or stress, however, can
disrupt the ecological balance among gut dwellers--known as flora--
diminishing their benefits.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7271189.stm

Vitamin E linked to lung cancer

The US study of 77,000 people found taking 400 milligrams per day long-
term increased cancer risk by 28%% - with smokers at particular risk.

It follows warnings about similar risks of excessive beta-carotene
use.

Writing in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care
Medicine, an expert said people should get their vitamins from fruit
and veg.
...

For years I've been using the pill prep. Just saw my endo to schedule
my yearly visit and found that the pills have been causing kidney
failure in diabetics, which I am. Back to drinking that gallon of
crap. It just gets better and better.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-02/bc-cg022708.php

Chewing gum -- the new post-operative medicine

In an article recently recommended by Bradley Kropp of Faculty of 1000
Medicine, researchers find chewing gum is a simple solution to the
recovery of bowel function after gastrointestinal surgery - a problem
that has troubled patients and physicians for decades.

Authors of the paper published in Urology evaluated 102 patients
undergoing gastrointestinal surgery and gave half of them 5 pieces of
chewing gum per day after their operation. Chewing the gum is thought
to stimulate the smooth muscle fibers and secretion from the salivary
glands and liver. The 51 patients who chewed gum recovered their bowel
movement significantly faster than those who did not.

Pediatric Urologist, Kropp will be giving his patients undergoing
reconstructive surgery a piece of gum following their operation. He
says, " In today's high-tech, molecular-driven scientific world, it is
nice to come across an article that can be implemented immediately
into our practices without increased healthcare cost"

Kropp also adds, "Just think how much a pack of gum would cost today
had the pharmaceutical industry come across this information first"

Today I had my very first colonoscopy. I didn't remember a thing.
The worst part was the preparation drink the night before, but even
that wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I've been having
diarrhea and a bit of bleeding on and off for several months, so they
took a biopsy to study, but I won't get the results until a week from
now.

Everything else looked good!

Funny thing....my husband drove me and took me home. Evidentally the
doctor talked to him about the procedure and biopsy and handed him an
envelope. After I took a short nap at home after the procedure, I saw
an envelope on the counter. Naturally I was curious, especially since
it had my doctor's address on it. Inside were glorious pictures of my
colon. YUCk!! Just what I wanted.

My ileocecal valve has perforated twice and the pain is unbearable.
Has anyone had a syrgery to remove the valve? Did it cause more
problems for you?

interesting article for those dealing with work disability.
on webmd
medscape
title:Permanent Work Disability in Crohn's Disease

might need to subscribe to medscape to view- doesn't cost anything.
Sorry I am not cut and paste literate enough to give you a direct
link.
n.

Any folks out there able to inspire us not feeling so well?. People
currently feeling great after years of ill health?. Folk without a flare
in years?. Anyone?. Me thinks it would be way cool to read a bunch of
positive posts to bring some hope of good health in the future. The more
the merrier! :)

I promise to post my great news when I get there :)

Do you think we need much starch in our diets?