Toronto Immune and Digestive Health Institute

5 Years! Check out our 5th Anniversary Update! linkedin.com/pulse/5-years-…

Colorectal cancer is common, deadly, and preventable. It's the 3rd most common cancer in the US, and the second leading cause of cancer-related death. About 5% of us are going to get colorectal cancer during our lifetimes. The best tool we have to detect cancer and pre-cancerous polyps is a colonoscopy. The USPSTF recommends that screening colonoscopy start at age 45 for average-risk people, and this is covered by your insurance. If you have a family history, you need to start even earlier. Please please please get your colonoscopy. Then, you'll never have to discover first-hand if I'm any good at my job or not. The life you save may be your own! @unmc @NebraskaMed #coloncancer

Plenty of doctors promote bad information online. Certainty does not equal expertise. I learned long ago that it's better to provide good information that try to battle bad information, so I humbly offer this level 1 evidence on the safety and efficacy of colonoscopy: 1. Colonoscopy is safe, and the risk of perforation during screening is 3.1 per 10,000, or 0.031%. If you are that unlucky 1 in 3,226 people, the risk of it killing you is less than 5% Source: jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/… 2. Colonoscopy reduces your chance of getting colorectal cancer, and it reduces your chance of dying from colorectal cancer. In fact, there's a 68% reduction in CRC mortality with colonoscopy. Source: acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M2… I try my best to ignore physicians who use twitter to promote pseudoscience and generate traffic to their websites, but it's Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, so I feel obligated to share my thoughts.

The incidence of pediatric inflammatory bowel disease has nearly quadrupled over four decades. journals.lww.com/ajg/abstract/9…

The most protective intervention for your brain isn't a supplement. It isn't a brain training app. It isn't even therapy. It's exercise. Until something better comes along its the best we have.

March is National Nutrition Month, a time to recognise the important role nutrition plays in health and disease. In many gastrointestinal conditions, nutrition is a key part of management. In some cases, diet supports medical treatment. In others, diet can be an important part of treatment itself. At the GI Nutrition Foundation, we’re committed to sharing evidence-based nutrition information for people living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), celiac disease, and eosinophilic oesophagitis (EoE). 🔗 Visit the link: ginutritionfoundation.org

Daily use & high-THC cannabis are strong predictors of developing schizophrenia. Cannabis from the 2000s is not the same as in 2026.

This March, we March. 💙 On March 10, join us on Parliament Hill to deliver one clear message: 50 is too late. Patients, survivors, caregivers & supporters united to demand screening at 45. Wear blue. We’ll bring the signs & toques. RSVP: colorectalcancercanada.crowdchange.ca/march

Diet can speed up biologic response in children with active Crohn’s 🥛Replacing part of the diet with specialised milkshakes (Crohn's disease exclusion diet + milkshakes) improved the response to anti‐tumor necrosis factor‐α agents in children with active Crohn’s: ✅ Faster C-reactive protein & Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate normalization by the end of CDED Phase I ✅ Greater early clinical improvement in the combined therapy group (nutrition + biologics) ✅ Fecal calprotectin normalization rates were comparable between the two groups ✅ Greater weight gain in the combined therapy group compared to the biologic monotherapy group (improvement was sustained at 16 weeks and at 1 year of follow‐up) ✅ These results are consistent with those of recent studies that explored the outcomes of liquid formula combined with biologics in adults with Crohn's 💡 Don't underestimate the power of nutrition in #IBD - this new research adds to previous studies showing adjunct dietary therapies improve outcomes @JPGNonline onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jp…

Here is the link to the online risk calculator for colorectal cancer in IBD, as mentioned in this podcast episode: ibd-dysplasia-calculator.bmrc.ox.ac.uk And here is the link to the @BritSocGastro's updated guidelines on colorectal cancer risk in #IBD: bsg.org.uk/clinical-resou…

The Detrimental Impact of Ultra-Processed Foods on the Human Gut Microbiome and Gut Barrier "- This review investigates how UPFs impact the gut microbiome and gut barrier, emphasizing gut dysbiosis and increased gut permeability. - UPFs, characterized by a high content of synthetic additives and emulsifiers, and low fiber content, are associated with a decrease in microbial diversity, lower levels of beneficial bacteria like Akkermansia muciniphila and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, and an increase in pro-inflammatory microorganisms. - These alterations in the microbial community contribute to persistent inflammation, which is associated with various chronic disorders including metabolic syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and colorectal cancer. In addition, UPFs may alter the gut–brain axis, potentially affecting cognitive function and mental health." mdpi.com/2072-6643/17/5…

🌙 Ramadan is approaching, and many of my patients with IBD are asking: “Can I fast safely?” It’s a deeply personal and spiritual question, and it deserves a thoughtful medical answer. In this special Ramadan edition of my newsletter, I discuss: • The metabolic effects of fasting • What research actually shows in Crohn’s and colitis • Practical preparation tips • Clear red flags when fasting is not advised Fasting does not cure IBD, but stable patients may be able to fast safely with proper planning and shared decision-making. Faith and health are not in conflict. They require balance. If you’re considering fasting and live with IBD, please speak with your gastroenterologist early. @AmCollegeGastro @CrohnsColitisFn @aboutIBD @saia_gi @ACPIMPhysicians @CrohnsColitisUK @SSMHealthSaints @SSMHealth linkedin.com/posts/ibd-libr…

James Van Der Beek was someone so many of us grew up watching, but beyond the screen, he was a husband, a father of six, and a man who chose to face colorectal cancer with honesty and courage. By sharing his diagnosis publicly, James helped shine a light on a disease that is too often overlooked, especially among younger adults. His openness gave other families permission to talk about the hard things, to ask questions, and to seek screening. Our hearts are with his wife, his children, and everyone who loved him. We stand with them and with every family navigating colorectal cancer right now. In James’ memory, learn your risk, talk to your doctor about screening starting at 45 (or earlier if you’re at higher risk), and support research through Project Cure CRC at colorectalcancer.org/cureCRC. We honor his life, his legacy, and the love he leaves behind. Photo Courtesy of Super Festivals.

Our next #IBD podcast episode will be available tomorrow evening. We're talking colorectal cancer (CRC) risk in Crohn's and UC with consultant gastroenterologist, Professor James East. How many nuggets of useful info can you cram into one episode?! Loads as it turns out! ⭐

Early morning conversation at KWTV @NEWS9 to share an important public health message. 💡A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association highlighted that colon cancer is now a leading cause of cancer-related death in younger adults in the U.S. That data is what prompted today’s discussion. 🌸The message is simple and important: colon cancer is increasingly affecting younger people, but it is also one of the most preventable cancers we have. 👉Awareness, timely screening, and not ignoring symptoms can truly save lives. If this conversation helps even one person decide to get checked, it’s worth it. @AmCollegeGastro @AmerGastroAssn @AmerMedicalAssn @ACPIMPhysicians @saia_gi @SSMHealth @SSMHealthSaints @ohaconnect @OKMed

Scoping review of 53 studies investigating dietary beliefs and behaviours in people with #IBD Most people modify diet after diagnosis, and mostly this is food avoidance, but many other challenges Read full paper here 👉🏽 doi.org/10.1016/j.clne…

Small amounts of exercise are associated with a longer life. Walking is particularly effective.

With the global interest in dietary protein, excited to share this recent publication by @RachelDavisAPD and team The fate of dietary protein in the gastrointestinal tract and implications for colonic disease | Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology share.google/VaseUBZlXTgUMr…

Although diet is only one element of the PREdiCCt study, there's a reason it's super important to me as an #IBD patient. Why? 1. Back in the year dot when I was diagnosed, most clinicians dismissed diet as irrelevant. 2. Unlike much of the misery of IBD, diet can be modified.

We see you 💜