Latest news with #DepartmentofGastroenterology
Indian Express
14-07-2025
- Health
- Indian Express
Gastroenterologist recommends the ‘best oils' for gut health; check out his top 3 picks
After sharing the three best herbs for gut health, Harvard-trained gastroenterologist Dr Saurabh Sethi listed the 'best oils' for cooking your food. According to him, one of the best options is EVOO, or extra-virgin olive oil, which he calls an excellent oil due to its rich content of monounsaturated fats that help reduce the risk of heart disease by improving cholesterol levels. 'Relatively low smoke point, making it suitable for light to medium heat cooking,' he shared on YouTube. Dr Vikas Jindal, consultant, Department of Gastroenterology, CK Birla Hospital, Delhi, concurred and stated that this recommendation is well-supported by scientific evidence. 'Extra virgin olive oil is high in monounsaturated fats, particularly oleic acid, and contains polyphenols, plant-based antioxidants that help reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in the gut. These compounds have been shown to protect the intestinal lining, promote the growth of beneficial gut bacteria, and reduce the risk of chronic digestive disorders like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD),' said Dr Jindal. Moreover, Dr Jindal stated that several studies, including those on the Mediterranean diet, have consistently shown that regular consumption of olive oil is associated with improved digestive health, reduced gut permeability (also known as leaky gut), and enhanced microbial diversity. Another one is avocado oil, which has a 'high smoke point,' making it ideal for high-heat cooking methods like deep frying or air frying. 'Avocado oil, with its high monounsaturated fat content and high smoke point, is suitable for both raw and cooked dishes, offering similar gut-friendly benefits,' said Dr Jindal. Flaxseed oil, which has a high content of omega-3 fatty acids, is a good choice. 'Omega-3s have heart-healthy and anti-inflammatory properties. If you don't consume fatty fish, this is a great option,' he shared. While agreeing that flaxseed oil is high in plant-based omega-3 fatty acids (ALA), known to reduce inflammation and improve bowel regularity, Dr Jindal remarked that it 'should not be heated and is best consumed raw.' When these oils are not readily available, the two best alternatives are coconut oil and ghee, according to Dr Sethi. Despite being saturated fats, they offer health benefits, antioxidants, and keep you satiated. However, ensure to consume in moderate amounts,' said Dr Sethi. While higher in saturated fats, Dr Jindal concurred that they are more stable at high temperatures and may support digestion in moderation, especially ghee, which contains butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid that nourishes gut cells. DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.
Indian Express
27-05-2025
- Health
- Indian Express
PGI study shows how undetected gallstones have spiked gallbladder cancer in India: What are risk factors?
Around 80 per cent of gallstones, which are hardened deposits of bile that can form in the gallbladder, remain asymptomatic and may only be spotted during complications such as gallbladder cancer, according to a recent study from PGIMER (Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research), Chandigarh. Not only that, the study found that the northern parts of India had the highest incidence of gallbladder cancer globally. 'Unfortunately, India is now considered the gallbladder cancer capital of the world. Most patients present themselves in an advanced stage of the disease, often beyond the point where curative surgery can be offered. Early detection is challenging, as symptoms are non-specific and radiological evaluation can sometimes be misleading,' says Prof Usha Dutta, Head, Department of Gastroenterology, PGI and principal investigator of the study. The research was funded by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) to form Indian guidelines for prevention and therapies. Once gallbladder cancer develops, it spreads rapidly, extending beyond the confines of the gallbladder and invading adjacent vital organs. This highlights the importance of understanding the risk factors and focussing on prevention as a more effective strategy. Those who are obese, diabetic, physically inactive, have high blood cholesterol levels, are pregnant, or have chronic diarrhoea leading to bile salt loss are at an increased risk of developing gallbladder stones. The gallbladder is a pear-shaped organ, approximately 30 ml in volume, located under the surface of the liver. The liver produces bile, which is stored in the gallbladder and is released in response to a fatty/protein-containing meal to help with nutrient absorption and excretion of waste products like bilirubin and cholesterol. When there is excess fat in the body, it produces extra bile. This then combines with cholesterol and bile salts to form crystals or gallstones. They can be single or multiple and may vary in shape and size. Those at risk of gallbladder cancer are the 50-plus age group, women with a family history of gallbladder cancer, smokers, those with a porcelain gallbladder (where its walls become calcified) and patients with longstanding or large gallstones (greater than 2 cm) or with chronic infections such as typhoid and ulcers. What are symptoms and why aren't they detected easily? Many people with gallstones experience no symptoms because the stones do not obstruct the gallbladder or bile ducts. So they do not disrupt digestion or cause pain and sit silently. Advanced symptoms may include pain in the right upper abdomen or central upper abdomen, often radiating to the back. This pain typically occurs one to two hours after meals, is associated with nausea, and may be accompanied by vomitting. It can last between one and four hours and may subside with analgesics. Once you have the kind of pain described above. Go for an ultrasound rather than rely on home remedies. Gallstones may slip out and enter the bile duct. This leads to inflammation of the bile duct, acute pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) or persistent pain. Patients with known gallstone history, irrespective of their symptom status, should seek medical evaluation, and an ultrasound examination should be performed to assess not only the nature of gallstones but also the gallbladder wall for thickening. This evaluation is crucial before surgery so that incidental gallbladder cancer, if present, can be identified and treated. Several causes for a thickened gallbladder wall need expert radiological evaluation, including a CT scan. What about treatment? Cholecystectomy, that is the removal of the gallbladder, should be performed by a trained surgeon. The surgery can be laparoscopic too, depending on the clinical condition of the patient. The excised gallbladder specimen must be examined by an experienced pathologist to detect presence of any early signs of cancer. How to prevent silent gallstones and prevent gallbladder cancer? Avoid prolonged fasting, eat frequent protein-rich meals and reduce fat intake. Exercise and keep body abdominal obesity at bay.
Medscape
08-05-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Even ‘Weekend Warriors' Can Reduce GI Disease Risk
SAN DIEGO — The session started with a question that many in the audience at a May 4 session of Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2025 seemed to relate to: 'How many of you find yourself squeezing workouts into a weekend after a hectic work week?' Although regular exercise three or more times a week is often viewed as preferable, Shiyi Yu, MD, a resident physician in the Department of Gastroenterology at Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital in Guangzhou, China, had good news for weekend warriors. Both patterns reduce digestive disease almost equally. Her study compared weekend warriors with those she called 'active regulars' and sedentary folks to see how activity patterns affect digestive disease risks. Her bottom line: 'Your gut does not care about your schedule.' The researchers analyzed wrist-based accelerometer data from 89,595 participants in the UK Biobank. To categorize participants as active or inactive, they used the World Health Organization 2020 guidelines for physical activity, which recommend at least 150-300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity or at least 75-150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, or an equivalent combination throughout the week. Median age of participants was 63.3 years and 48.8% were men. They divided participants into three groups: About 43% were weekend warriors who met or exceeded 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), with 50% or more of total MVPA achieved in 1-2 days. About 23% were active regulars who met or exceeded 150 minutes a week but spread over more days. About 34% were inactive participants who were active less than 150 minutes a week. The researchers followed the participants for a median of 7.9 years, looking for the incidence of multiple digestive diseases, identified using the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, codes. These included diverticulosis, constipation, metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease, cholelithiasis, and gastroesophageal reflux disease. Both activity patterns 'showed similar risk reduction with no significant difference,' Yu said. At the threshold ≥ 150 minutes, for instance, hazard ratios for any digestive disease were 0.83 for weekend warriors and 0.79 for active regulars, compared with sedentary participants. The analysis was repeated using a median threshold ≥ 230.4 minutes of MVPA a week, and the researchers found the same results. As a validation cohort, the researchers used more than 6,000 participants from the National Institutes of Health's All of Us Research Program with over 6 months of wrist-based accelerometer data. A recent meta-epidemiology study found that the weekend warrior pattern offers other health benefits, including reducing the risk for cardiovascular disease mortality, mental disorders, and metabolic syndrome. A Pleasant Surprise The digestive disease study's findings were 'a surprise and a pleasant one,' said Aasma Shaukat, MD, MPH, professor of medicine and a gastroenterologist at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York City. 'We often think if we're not able to exercise regularly, then there's no hope for us,' said Shaukat, who moderated the session. 'But this implies that even if we have time only during the weekend to engage in physical activity, it still confers benefits in reducing our risk of any GI health disorder, as well as cardiovascular or other health disorders, compared to people inactive at baseline.' 'It gives us flexibility in terms of how we structure our exercise. Obviously, people should try to get into the habit of doing regular activity; it's more sustainable. But a good alternative, according to this research, is that packing all of that in over the weekend seems to confer benefit. So all is not lost.' Will this change her conversation with patients moving forward? Absolutely, Shaukat said. She generally recommends physical activity for at least 30 minutes three times a week. Now Shaukat said she can tell patients: 'If that's not possible, take that time out during the weekend for your health'.
