A Primer for Women’s Health A Primer for Women’s Health
National Institute of Health

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a syndrome or group of symptoms. The most common symptoms of IBS are abdominal pain or discomfort, cramping, bloating, gas, diarrhea, and/or constipation. IBS affects the colon, or bowel (large intestine), which is the part of the digestive tract that stores your waste.

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Share and Enjoy: Print This Post | | Posted on 12.21.12 | Tags: abdominal pain, bloating, bowel, bowel movement, chronic, colon, constipation, cramping, diarrhea, digestion, digestive tract, digetive system, digets, discomfort, fecal, feces, gas, ibs, irritable bowl syndrome, large intesting, mentral period, mucus, stool, swollen, waste | | Digestive System: GERD

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) develops when a muscle at the end of the esophagus does not close properly. In adults, this causes frequent heartburn, also called acid indigestion. When the esophagus is not fully closed, acidic digestive juices can rise up from the stomach. Refluxed stomach acid in the esophagus causes a burning-type pain in the throat, chest, behind the breast bone, and/or in the mid-abdomen.

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Share and Enjoy: Print This Post | | Posted on 12.14.12 | | Digestive System: Overview

Everyone has digestive problems from time to time: an upset stomach, gas, heartburn, constipation, or diarrhea. Many digestive problems can be controlled with simple changes in diet. Digestive disorders commonly affect women. The digestive system is made up of the digestive tract – a series of hollow organs joined in a long, twisting tube from the mouth to the anus – and other organs that help the body break down and absorb food.

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Share and Enjoy: Print This Post | | Posted on 12.07.12 | | Diabetes: Gestational

Gestational diabetes is diabetes that occurs when a woman is pregnant. Changing hormone levels and weight gain are all part of a healthy pregnancy. But both these changes can make it hard for your body to keep up with its need for a hormone called insulin. Your body may not get the energy it needs from the food you eat and, later in your pregnancy, you could develop gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes often goes away after the baby is born but having gestational diabetes can place you and your child at increased risk for developing diabetes later in life.

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Share and Enjoy: Print This Post | | Posted on 11.30.12 | Tags: birth weight, blood glucose, blood sugar, diabetes, ethnicity, gestational diabetes, healthy weight, hormone, insulin, physical activity, pre-diabetes, pregnancy, pregnant, race, risk factor, weight | | Diabetes: Complications

If you have diabetes, you may be at greater risk for many serious health problems. But if you follow your treatment plan and make lifestyle changes, you may be able to prevent or delay serious health problems.

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