Evidence Based Research | Patient Resources

A new review article discussed how early onset colorectal cancer – defined as being diagnosed at age 50 and younger – continues to steadily rise and that public health measures need to address the increased risk factors. The article was written by Frank Sinicrope, MD, an oncologist and gastroenterologist at Mayo Clinic Cancer Centre  and was published in The New England Journal of Medicine. While the research emphasised an increase in early onset colorectal cancer diagnosis...

A recent study in France demonstrated that a 30-day treatment with the probiotic Bifidobacterium longum 35624 resulted in a significant improvement in symptoms of irritable bowel for approximately two-thirds of patients with IBS. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic gut-brain disorder that can cause a variety of uncomfortable gastrointestinal symptoms including abdominal pain and diarrhoea, constipation, or a mix of the two. IBS can reduce quality of life, often results in m...

Many people associate having a drink with a feeling of relaxation or a warm ‘buzz’, essentially using alcohol as a means of harmless fun. Whilst one or two glasses of wine, or a few beers, can be a nice way of unwinding, excessive consumption can have a significant impact on your health. So how does alcohol affect your body? Slurred speech, poor coordination, nausea, vomiting, lack of judgement, volatile emotions, and blackouts can all follow excessive alcohol consumption. Most pe...

Flaxseed: What is it? Flaxseed is a grain that contains high levels of omega-3 fatty acids (so-called “good fat”), and fibre. For the study, 110 patients with high blood pressure and peripheral artery disease added 30 grams of milled flaxseed to their diet each day for six months. Results were compared to a similar group of people who added a placebo to their diets. The group with the flaxseed in their diet showed a measurable decrease in blood pressure. Lowering blood pressure...

When a parent develops cancer, children and adolescents are more likely to miss school, visit emergency departments, and experience negative mental health consequences, a new study shows. "Everyone who has ever been touched by cancer knows the havoc it can wreak on individuals and families," lead author Zhiyuan Zheng, PhD, senior principal scientist and health economist at the American Cancer Society (ACS), said in a news release. "Our study clearly shows the devastating effec...