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Fiber and bowel disorders
Fiber and bowel disorders High fiber diets help delay the progression of diverticulosis and, at least, reduce the bouts of diverticulitis. In many cases, it helps reduce the symptoms of the Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) (also called spastic colitis, mucus colitis, and nervous colon syndrome.) It is generally accepted that a diet high in fiber is protective, or at least reduces the incidence, of colon polyps and colon cancer.
RELATED TERMS--------------------------------------
Fiber
A substance in foods that comes from plants. Fiber helps with digestion by keeping stool soft so that it moves smoothly through the colon. Soluble fiber dissolves in water. Soluble fiber is found in beans, fruit, and oat products. Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water. Insoluble fiber is found in whole-grain products and vegetables.
Diverticulosis
A condition that occurs when small pouches (diverticula) push outward through weak spots in the colon.
Diverticulitis
A condition that occurs when small pouches in the colon (diverticula) become infected or irritated. Also called left-sided appendicitis.
Bowel
Another word for the small and large intestines.
Syndrome
A grouping of signs and symptoms, based on their frequent co-occurrence, that may suggest a common underlying pathogenesis, course, familial pattern, or treatment selection.
Colitis
Inflammation of the large intestine (colon), especially of its mucous membranes. Spastic colitis is commonly "nervous," or psychosomatic, in origin and is usually a temporary upset rather than a chronic inflammation; this disorder may account for 50 percent of all digestive-tract illnesses. Its symptoms are abdominal pain, diarrhea (sometimes alternating with constipation), and erratic frequency of bowel movements. Treatment of this disorder is basically supportive and psychological in approach.
Mucus
A substance secreted by various tissues in the body (the mucous membranes) made up of water, mucin (a glycoprotein), salts, and some cells. In the lungs, mucus serves to lubricate the insides of the airways and to trap inhaled foreign particles so that they can be coughed out. In asthma, however, an excess of mucus is produced and can actually block airways. Mucus also tends to be thicker and more viscous in asthmatics.
Colon
Another name for the large intestine. The section of the large intestine extending from the cecum to the rectum. An adult colon is approximately five to six feet in length and is responsible for absorbing water and forming, storing and expelling waste.
Diet
In nutrition, the diet is the sum of the food consumed by a body. Proper nutrition for a human requires vitamins, minerals, proteins, and fuel in the form of carbohydrates and fats. Imbalances between the consumed fuels and expended energy results in either starvation or excessive reserves of adipose tissue, or body fat
Incidence
Statistic that equals the number of new cases of a particular disease that occur in a population during a defined period of time, usually one year.
Polyps
An abnormal growth of a mucous membrane, often in the nasal passages, bladder, rectum, or uterus. Polyps, though often benign, have been associated with cancers and can be surgically removed.
Cancer
Any malignant growth or tumor caused by abnormal and uncontrolled cell division; it may spread to other parts of the body through the lymphatic system or the blood stream.
SIMILAR TERMS--------------------------------------
Fiber
A substance in foods that comes from plants. Fiber helps with digestion by keeping stool soft so that it moves smoothly through the colon. Soluble fiber dissolves in water. Soluble fiber is found in beans, fruit, and oat products. Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water. Insoluble fiber is found in whole-grain products and vegetables.
Fiber and constipation
Insoluble fiber retains water in the colon, resulting in a softer and larger stool. It is used effectively in treating constipation resulting from poor dietary habits. Bran is particularly rich in insoluble fiber.
Fiber and diabetes
Soluble fibers (oat bran, apples, citrus, pears, peas/beans, psyllium, etc.) slow down the digestion of carbohydrates (sugars), which results in better glucose metabolism. Some patients with the adult-onset diabetes may actually be successfully treated with a high-fiber diet alone, and those on insulin, can often reduce their insulin requirements by adhering to a high-fiber diet.
Fiber FISH
A cytogenetic (chromosome) laboratory technique in which FISH (fluorescence in situ hybridization) is done on chromosomes that have been mechanically stretched. Fiber FISH provides a higher resolution of analysis than conventional FISH and yields more precise information as to the localization of a specific DNA probe on the chromosome.
Fiber, elastic
A slender fiber in connective tissue that is rich in the protein elastin and has an elastic quality.
Fiber, soluble and insoluble
Fiber (the portion of plants that cannot be digested by the human digestive tract) is classified as soluble and insoluble. Oats, beans, dried peas, and legumes are major sources of soluble fiber whereas wheat bran, whole grain products, and vegetables are major sources of insoluble fiber. Fruits, vegetables, and barley are sources of both insoluble and soluble fiber. Soluble fiber and insoluble fiber differ in function. For example, soluble fiber delays the time of transit through the intestine whereas insoluble fiber speeds up intestinal transit. For another example, soluble fiber and decreases the level of cholesterol in the blood whereas insoluble fiber has no effect on serum cholesterol.
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Feverfew
An herb that has been most commonly used for migraine headaches.
FFN
Fetal fibronectin. A protein produced during pregnancy and the basis of a test for preterm delivery. Fetal fibronectin (fFN) functions as a "glue" attaching the fetal sac to the uterine lining. The presence of fFN during weeks 22-34 of a high-risk pregnancy, along with symptoms of labor, suggests that the "glue" is disintegrating ahead of schedule and raises the possibility of a preterm delivery. To test fFN, a cotton swab is used (as in a Pap smear) to collect samples of cervico-vaginal secretions. A negative fFN test result is a highly reliable predictor that delivery will not occur within the next 2 weeks. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) does not recommend the test for routine screening, as its use has not been shown to be clinically effective in predicting preterm labor in low-risk, asymptomatic pregnancies. ACOG recommends fFN testing only for symptomatic, high-risk pregnancies, where preterm labor is suspected.
FGD1
The faciodigitogenital dysplasia gene. FGD1 normally plays an essential role in embryonic development. Mutations in FGD1 result in faciodigitogenital dysplasia, which is also called the Aarskog-Scott syndrome.
FGFR2
A mutation (change) in the fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2) gene on chromosome 10 causes the best-known type of acrocephalosyndactyly, namely Apert syndrome which is characterized by abnormalities of the skull and face and the hands and feet. There is premature closure of some of the sutures of the skull (craniosynostosis) resulting in an abnormally shaped head (which is unusually tall but short from front-to-back) and an abnormally shaped face with shallow eye sockets and underdevelopment of the midface. There is fusion of fingers and toes (syndactyly) and broad ends of the thumbs and big toes. Surgery is often useful with the skull, face, hands and feet. Different mutations in FGFR2 are responsible for two other genetic diseases, namely, Pfeiffer syndrome (another type of acrocephalosyndactyly) and Crouzon syndrome (purely a craniofacial disorder with no hand or foot problems).
FGFR3
Abbreviation for fibroblast growth factor receptor 3. Mutations in the FGFR3 gene are known to cause three different syndromes -- hypochondroplasia, achondroplasia, and thanatophoric dysplasia. These syndromes represent variations in severity. Hypochondroplasia is the mildest and thanatophoric dysplasia (also called thanatophoric dwarfism) is the most severe. In fact, thanatophoric dysplasia is a type of dwarfism in which death usually occurs in the first hours of life. FGF3 is an example of how different syndromes can result from mutations in a single gene.
Fiber and bowel disorders
Fiber and constipation
Insoluble fiber retains water in the colon, resulting in a softer and larger stool. It is used effectively in treating constipation resulting from poor dietary habits. Bran is particularly rich in insoluble fiber.
Fiber and diabetes
Soluble fibers (oat bran, apples, citrus, pears, peas/beans, psyllium, etc.) slow down the digestion of carbohydrates (sugars), which results in better glucose metabolism. Some patients with the adult-onset diabetes may actually be successfully treated with a high-fiber diet alone, and those on insulin, can often reduce their insulin requirements by adhering to a high-fiber diet.
Fiber FISH
A cytogenetic (chromosome) laboratory technique in which FISH (fluorescence in situ hybridization) is done on chromosomes that have been mechanically stretched. Fiber FISH provides a higher resolution of analysis than conventional FISH and yields more precise information as to the localization of a specific DNA probe on the chromosome.
Fiber, elastic
A slender fiber in connective tissue that is rich in the protein elastin and has an elastic quality.
Fiber, soluble and insoluble
Fiber (the portion of plants that cannot be digested by the human digestive tract) is classified as soluble and insoluble. Oats, beans, dried peas, and legumes are major sources of soluble fiber whereas wheat bran, whole grain products, and vegetables are major sources of insoluble fiber. Fruits, vegetables, and barley are sources of both insoluble and soluble fiber. Soluble fiber and insoluble fiber differ in function. For example, soluble fiber delays the time of transit through the intestine whereas insoluble fiber speeds up intestinal transit. For another example, soluble fiber and decreases the level of cholesterol in the blood whereas insoluble fiber has no effect on serum cholesterol.
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