>> GO ON SOCIAL MEDIA THESE DAYSES AND YOU’RE BOMB BARDED WITH ADS AND INFLUENCERS TOUTING ALL SORTS OF PROMISES PROMISING TO RID YOU OF DIGESTIVE TRACT COMPLAINTS, SUPPLEMENTS, JUICE DIETS, ALL PROMOTING WHAT’S CALLED GUT HOLT.
AND INTHAT MA STORY CANCERS OF THE INTESTINES ARE ON THE RISE.
HOW DO WE SEPARATE THE FACTS FROM THE FADS?
DR. SADIK IS AN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT THE PENNSYLVANIA SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AND ALSO ON THE CHIN CAL GUIDELINES COMMITTEE OF THE AMERICAN COST TRA INTERLOGICAL ASSOCIATION.
WHY ALL THIS FOCUS ON GUT HEALTH?
>> WE’RE DEFINITELY SEEING A RISE IN GASP TROUGH INTESTINAL DISEASES.
AND THEY CAN RAKE FROM HEARTBURN TO HEMORRHOIDS TO COLON CANCER AND ESPECIALLY RECENTLY WE’RE SEEING AN UPTICK IN COLO RESTRICTION ECTAL CANCER PARTICULARLY AMONG YOUNG INDIVIDUALS AND IT’S THE LEADING CAUSE OF CANCER DEATH IN MEN UNDER 50.
>> IS THERE A LEADING FACTOR FOR THAT RISE?
>> ONE IS A WESTERN DIET, ONE THAT IS HIGH IN FAST FOODS, PROCESSED FOODS.
MORE MEAT, LESS DIVERSE VEGETABLES AND OTHER LIFESTYLE CHOICES LIKE TOBACCO USE, ALCOHOL USE AND MORE SEDENTARY BEHAVIOR.
EMERGING RESEARCH ON THE MICROORGANISMS THAT LIVE IN YOUR GUT SHOW THAT THERE IS A LINK BETWEEN THOSE FUNCTIONS AND YOUR IMMUNE FUNCTION, YOUR CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH, METABOLIC HEALTH AND INFORMERS SYSTEM.
WHAT WE EXPOSE OUR GUT TO CAN HAVE IMPACT ON OVERALL HEALTH AS WELL.
>> WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST MISCONTENTIONS YOU HEAR FROM YOUR PATIENTS IN YOUR PRACTICE AND DO THEY ASK YOU ABOUT PRODUCTS AND PROCEDURES THAT DON’T HAVE ANY USE?
>> YES, ONE OF THE MOST COMMON THINGS I’M ASKED ABOUT IS ABOUT DOING COLON CLEANSES THIS WHICH IS THIS CONCEPT THAT WE NEED TO DETOXIFY OR GUT.
BUT COLON CLEANSE IS NOT NECESSARY.
OUR LIVER AND KIDNEY, DETOX — DETOXIFY OUR BODIES APPROPRIATELY AND THOSE THINGS CAN BE HARMFUL IN SOME CASES.
>> ARE THERE SYMPTOMS MAYBE THAT SOMEONE WITH COME WITH CONTROL WITH OVER THE COUNTER MEDICATIONS AND SYMPTOMS WHERE THEY SHOULD SEE A DOCTOR?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
IF YOU’RE HAVING MORE SEVERE SYMPTOMS LIKE BLOOD IN YOUR STOOL, ABDOMINAL PAIN, WEIGHT LOSS THAT YOU CAN’T EXPLAIN, YOU SHOULD BE SEEING A DOCTOR SOONER.
OTHER SYMPTOMS MORE MILD LIKE BLOATING, OFTENTIMES YOU CAN MAKE MILD CHANGES IN YOUR DIET.
FOR EXAMPLE, ANYTHING THAT’S SWALLOWING AIR.
CARBONATED BENCHES, GUM CHEWING, THOSE ARE SIMPLE THINGS YOU CAN DO TO SEE IF YOUR BLOATING GETS BETTER BUT LIKE ANY SYMPTOM, IF IT’S PERSISTENT, DEFINITELY SEE YOUR DOCTOR.
>> HOW SHOULD PEOPLE EVALUATE THE CLAIMS ON THESE PRODUCTS THAT ARE BEING ADVERTISED OR THAT INFLUENCERS ARE TALKING ABOUT?
>> WE NEED TO HAVE?
I SORT OF DATA SHOWING THAT THERE IS A BENEFIT IN GUT HEALTH OR OVERALL HEALTH.
THAT HASN’T BORNE OUT AT ALL.
IF ANYTHING WE’VE SEEN PATIENTS HAVING HARMS FROM CLEANSES.
INCLUDING DEHYDRATION AND SOME FORMS OF COLOTIS.
THE RISKS AND DOWNSIDES DON’T OUTWEIGH THE BENEFITS.
>> DO YOU SEE PATIENTS WHO COME IN WITH THE SIDE EFFECT THEY HAVE FROM THAT?
>> I HAD A PATIENT WHO CAME IN WITH RECTAL PAIN AND I HAD REALIZED SHE HAD DONE A COACH ENEMA, SOMETHING SHE HAD DONE FROM TIKTOK AND SHE ENDED UP HAVING IMAGING SIGNS OF COLITIS AS A RESULT.
FORTUNATELY PEOPLE ARE INFLUENCED BUT IT’S NOT DATA DRIVEN.
>> WHAT DO YOU TELL PATIENTS ABOUT MAIN MAINTAINING THEIR GUT HEALTH?
>> HAVE A NEW TRADITIONALLY DIVERSE DIET.
LESS RED MEAT, LOTS OF FIBERS, GERUT, AND AVOIDING ULTRA PROCESSED FOODS.
SO GOING FOR WHOLE FOODS AND FRESH FOODS.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.