Conditions
Get the Facts
Healthy Resources
Feed Your Tummy
Love Your Tummy
Gi BodyGuard is a free, easy to use app that allows you to track information about your health, symptoms, medications, food and exercise.
Digital Library
News, Info & CDHF Certified
Who We Are
Get Involved
Support Our Foundation
Videos
At the 2012 CDHF Digestive Health Public Education Forum, Dr. Sanjay Murthy gave an interesting and educational presentation on Celiac Disease to a capacity crowd.
A biosimilar biologic drug, or biosimilar, is a drug demonstrated to be highly similar to a biologic drug that was already authorized for sale (known as the reference biologic drug). Biosimilars are approved based on a thorough comparison to a reference drug and may enter the market after the expiry of reference drug patents and data protection. Watch this video to get more insight into what Health Canada is saying about biosimilars!
IBS affects between 10 and 15 percent of people in the developed world, about one-third of whom have IBS with diarrhea as the primary symptom, commonly referred to IBS-D. In this empowering session, Dr. Steve Vanner reviewed the basics of IBS-D and answered the many questions of attendees.
Constipation can happen when your stool moves too slowly through your colon, causing it to become dry and hard. When you have constipation, you want relief. Laxatives generally relieve constipation by increasing the frequency of bowel movements. In this animation you will learn about the mode of actions for three different types of laxatives Osmotic, Stimulant and Bulk-Forming.
If you have been diagnosed with Pancreatic Exocrine Insufficiency (PEI), you know all about its not-so-pleasant symptoms. There are proactive strategies you can take to relieve your symptoms. Watch our PEI animation to learn about proactive strategies and treatment options that can help you get back to living your life, your way.
This empowering session reviewed the basics of IBD, outlined the benefits and risks of medications used to treat ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease and answered the many questions of attendees. Special thanks to Dr. Talat Bessissow for sharing his insights and expertise and to AbbVie Inc. for sponsoring our IBD Treatment Options WebSeminar.
If you are one of the 5 million Canadians living with IBS, you know all about its not-so-pleasant symptoms. Understanding the syndrome is the first step to feeling better. There are proactive strategies you can take to relieve symptoms. Watch our IBS animation to learn about proactive strategies and treatment options that can help you get back to living your life, your way.
If you have Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), you know that taking medication to manage your symptoms and prevent flares is imperative. Your doctor may prescribe a biologic if you have moderate to severe Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. Watch the CDHF’s latest animation on biologics and learn how they can protect you from the painful and debilitating symptoms of IBD.
NEWLY DIAGNOSED WITH IBD?Effie Siamalekas was just diagnosed with UC. She wants you to know what she didn't so you can understand what's happening inside your body and take action to live your life your way despite having a chronic, invisible illness. It's honest, interesting and compelling. Have a look at this self-produced video.
Want to know one of the best ways to improve your health, regularity and weight? It’s easy – increase your fibre intake. If you are like most Canadians, you’re only getting half the recommended amount of fibre and are suffering the consequences. Upping your fibre intake is easier than you think. Watch CDHF’s latest video for simple shopping and snacking tips to feed your fibre-famished gut!
Constipation is common but it is not normal. While making good choices about diet and exercise can usually relieve occasional constipation, those who suffer from chronic constipation know these don't work and may need to speak to a pharmacist or doctor to find a solution. Watch this educational video to learn how to get things moving and get on with enjoying your life!
Leagues of superheroes live in your gut. They fight bad microorganisms and work to keep you healthy. Missing key players on your superhero team can bring about an unbalanced playing field and create an environment primed for disease. In the latest CDHF microbiome video, we learn that it’s all about diversity and balance.
Probiotics are live microorganisms that you ingest to increase the diversity of your microbiome. They can help keep you strong, healthy. Prebiotics are food for probiotics. This video will teach you the benefits of pre and probiotics, explain how to select, ingest and store them, and help you understand what you need to be aware of when purchasing these non-regulated ingestibles.
At the 2012 CDHF Digestive Health Public Education Forum, Dr. Richard Fedorak gave an interesting and educational presentation on Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) to a capacity crowd.
In this engaging presentation for health care professionals, Dr. Tom Walters discusses the diversity of systems that might be impacted by alterations in the microbiome when exposed to antibiotics.
In this educational presentation for health care professional, Dr. William Chey discusses the role of prebiotics, probiotics and diet as a treatment for IBS as well as the data supporting antibiotics as a cause and treatment of IBS.
In this interesting and entertaining presentation for health care professionals, Dr. Richard Fedorak discusses the origin of the microbiome and how it changes in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and the role of the microbiome in other systemic diseases.
In this educational presentation for health care professionals, Dr. Nikhil Pai discusses how Fecal Microbial Transplant (FMT) and evaluates if and how FMT actually works.
In this informative and entertaining presentation for health care professionals, Sandra Saville, RD explains what prebiotic are, why they are important, the types of probiotics and the differences between them.
In this presentation for health care professionals, Dragana Skokovic-Sunjic, RPh, explores the dynamic interactions between nutrients, medications, chronic diseases and the human gut microbiota.
At the 2016 CDHF Healthy Gut Summit, Sandra Saville, RD gave an entertaining and educational presentation on diet and digestive health to a capacity crowd.
At the 2016 CDHF Healthy Gut Summit, Dragana Skokovic-Sunjic, RPh gave an educational presentation which discussed what Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is and which probiotic products and functional foods have good evidence for relieving IBS symptoms.
At the 2016 CDHF Healthy Gut Summit, Dr. Vivian Huang gave an interesting presentation on what Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is, the treatments available, and specifically how IBD affects pregnancy.
At the 2016 CDHF Healthy Gut Summit, Dr. David Armstrong gave an interesting and educational presentation on understanding what colon cancer is, the treatments, and the importance of getting screened.
At the 2016 CDHF Healthy Gut Summit, Dr. David Armstrong gave an engaging and informative presentation on GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease), Acid Reflux, and H. pylori Infections.
In this presentation for health care professionals, Dr. Karen Madsen discusses how gut microbes may potentially influence human health and the different ways in which microbes and the host interact with each other.
In this presentation for health care professionals, Dr. Vivian Huang discusses the importance of the microbiome in pregnancy on maternal and neonatal health and modifiable early life factors that influence the neonatal gut microbiome.
Scientists are learning more and more about the microbiome every day. Soon we believe we will know how your microbiome can help PREDICT potential disease, PROTECT you from developing disease; and, even be PRESCRIBED to treat disease so you recover more quickly from illness.
Your body plays host to over 100 trillion visitors in an incredible ecosystem that lives in and on your body! This amazing community, comprised of a troop of hard-working, microscopic superheroes is called the human microbiome and it’s all yours!
Your body plays host to trillions of microscopic visitors that make up your unique microbiome fingerprint. A troup of bacterial superheroes living in your gut works very hard to help keep you healthy, strong and resilient. Watch the first segment of our 4-part series on the human gut microbiome and learn more about the superheros that live within you.
CDHF would like to express its congratulations to Dr. Maria Cino and the future leaders in gastroenterology who were on the winning team of the 2014 CDHF RISE from the Snake Pit Challenge. This group collaborated to create a social media piece on "The Importance of Understanding the Microbiome" and included: Ali Alali, Siwar Alashir, Mona Alasmi, Raed Al-Dabbagh, Rowena Almeida, Majid Alsahafi, Mher Barbarian, Barbara Bielawska, Callum Dargavel, Alexandra Frolkis, Ravjeer Hundal, Mindy Lam, Josie Libertucci, Quais Mujawar, Yasmin Nasser, Erin Rayner-Hartley, Yousef Reda, Amy Sharaf, Tushar Shukla, Sundeep Singh, Patrick Thornley, Deenaz Zaidi.
From the moment we are born, our digestive tract is at work every moment of every day. It fuels our minds, bodies and lives. Watch the new CDHF public service announcement.
Too many people skip potentially life-saving procedures because of misunderstandings and misconceptions about the bowel prep. However, most people who have had colonoscopies, will tell you it isn't nearly as bad as you think and that the benefits far outweigh the risks. Robbie, Anne and Laurie, who range in age from 11 to 80 years, openly share their experiences with you in this video.
Helping you understand the details of IBD. Dr. Mike Evans is founder of the Health Design Lab at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, an Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of Toronto, and a staff physician at St. Michael's Hospital.
Constipation is very common. 1 in 4 Canadians has symptoms of constipation. It can affect everyone from the young to the elderly. Join Dr. David Armstrong for an interesting, entertaining and educational hour that can help you identify if you are suffering from chronic constipation, understand the possible causes, and explore options for relief.
Colon cancer is essentially preventable and yet thousands of Canadians die from it every year. Dr. Michael Gould explains who is at risk of developing the disease and how it can be detected and stopped early.
In this presentation, Dr. John Marshall, Professor of Medicine at McMaster University and Chief of Service for Gastroenterology at Hamilton Health Sciences in Hamilton discusses the long term sequelae of enteric infection, links among gut flora, IBS and IBD how changes in the microbiome can both induce and heal C. Difficile infection.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease can be debilitating. Dr. Adam Weizman explains how you can maximize your quality of life with simple, straight forward strategies to reduce flares and maximize your time in remission.
If we want to enjoy the best health, we have the responsibility to be excellent patients. CDHF Executive Director, Catherine Mulvale explains how to communicate effectively with your physician to get the most out of every appointment.
Millions of Canadians suffer from IBS. Dr. Steve Somerton offers a series of options to help you get the diagnosis you need, understand the tests you may be sent to have and options for relieving symptoms.
In this inquiry-based presentation, Registered Dietitian, Shauna Lindzon, asks us to consider the difference between what products are marketed to do vs. what they actually do, why it is important for Health Care Professionals to know the difference and how Health Care Professionals can teach clients to empower themselves.
Dr. Richard Fedorak, Professor of Medicine, University of Alberta and President, Canadian Digestive Health Foundation helps us understand the development of the human microbiome, understand changes in the human microbiome in human disease, understand the role or probiotics in the treatment of human diseases, and learn how microbes can become biomarkers for us in the future.
Listen to a fascinating presentation by CDHF President, Dr. Richard Fedorak who introduces you to the marvellous world of our gut microbiota. His easy presentation style will help you better understand what the human microbiome is and how it originates; how your microbiome affects your body; and, how you can alter your microbiome with probiotics and prebiotics (good bacteria) for better health.
Gastroenterologist and Associate Dean for Research at McMaster University, Dr. Steve Collins, provides insightful fact to help us understand current concepts of IBS, the interactions between the intestinal microbiome and the gut-brain axis, and microbiome-directed therapies for IBS.
Dr. Karen Madsen, Professor of Medicine at the University of Alberta and Co-director of the "Center of Excellence for Gastrointestinal Inflammation and Immunity Research (CEGIIR) provides an overview of how microbial metabolism can influence gut health, and understand how gut microbes can modulate immune function.
There is a lot of talk these days about gluten. Dr. Khush Jeejeebhoy is an expert and shares his insights on how to distinguish between disease and sensitivity and how this can affect your diet and health.
The CDHF and the World Gastroenterology Organization (WGO) teamed up with world experts to develop day-to-day strategies you can use to proactively protect and boost your digestive health. Dr. Richard Hunt introduces you to this program so you can enjoy better digestive – and overall – health.
CDHF Co-Founder and Vice-President Dr. Richard Hunt helps us better understand the reasons why we suffer from heartburn and GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) and strategies and treatment options that can bring relief from these conditions.
Gi BodyGuard, developed by experts at the Canadian Digestive Health Foundation, is a free, easy to use app that allows you to track information about your health, symptoms, medications, food and exercise.
There is currently no cure for ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease, both falling under the IBD banner, but the proper strategy for managing your disease can help you lead a happier, healthier, more fulfilling life. IBD Expert, Dr. Richard Fedorak helps you better understand your disease and treatment options, learn how to get the most from every one of your appointments and incorporate strategies that can help you maximize your health.
IBD Specialist, Dr. Pierre Paré, helps you understand the disease, know the most common therapy options, highlight the benefits and risks of specific therapies, appreciate the risks of not using therapy and live positively with ulcerative colitis in this interesting and enlightening session.
IBS is a common chronic digestive disorder that affects more than 5 million Canadians. Gastroenterologist, Dr. Stephen Vanner, helps you to better understand IBS: its symptoms, what IBS is not, factors that affect IBS, tests you may need to have, and how to manage your symptoms.
At the 2012 CDHF Digestive Health Public Education Forum, Dr. Richard Hunt gave an interesting and educational presentation on acid reflux and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) to a capacity crowd.
At the 2012 CDHF Digestive Health Public Education Forum, Dr. David Armstrong gave an interesting and educational presentation on Constipation to a capacity crowd.
Dr. Des Leddin will help you take control of your digestive health by explaining the building blocks of good nutrition; the role it plays in maintaining health and preventing disease; exploring how nutrition and obesity impact health; and, offering practical steps you can incorporate into your life to combat digestive disease and obesity.
Collectively referred to as IBD, Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's Disease cause ulcerations of the intestines and are and life-changing. Join Dr. Richard Fedorak, and Mr. Jeff Sheckter, to learn about IBD, how it affects your body, treatment options, possible complications and how to work with your doctor to get an accurate diagnosis and proper care so that you can live positively with IBD.
Join Dr. David Armstrong for a step by step tour of a the upper portion of the gastrointestinal tract. Dr. Armstrong explains that gastroscopy is a safe and accurate test which uses a small camera (gastroscope) to look directly at the lining of the upper gastrointestinal tract, take biopsies, and even treat some conditions. In this video, you will learn how to prepare for a gastroscopy, see an actual procedure and learn how you can benefit from this test.
Gastroenterology is the area of medicine that deals with the digestive system and how our bodies break down food so it can be absorbed by our intestines to fuel the rest of our body. A gastroenterologist is a doctor who specializes in the digestive system. The Introduction to Gastroenterology video explores the basic anatomy of the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine (colon). It also explains why you might need to see a gastroenterologist.
Dr. Alan Barkun clearly explains what to expect if you are referred for a colonoscopy. This test allows doctors to examine the lining of the colon to evaluate and diagnose or treat abnormalities of the large intestine. It is a safe and effective way of detecting and removing polyps, treating rectal bleeding, offering early diagnosis and possibly providing therapy. Dr. Barkun clearly describes how to prepare, what to expect during and after the colonoscopy, highlights the benefits or the procedure and, suggests who should have a colonoscopy.
Douglas Bryant blamed himself for his acid reflux but after visiting his doctor, he learned that by not taking action, he would continue to suffer and possibly put himself at risk of developing cancer. Dr. David Armstrong explains what Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is, how it can be treated and why seeking the advice of your physician is important.
Sandra McDermott from Newfoundland provides insight for managing ulcerative colitis at work including speaking to your manager, planning for meetings, considering employment options and more.
Raquel Feldberg is a mother of two who developed ulcerative colitis shortly after the birth of her second child. Learn how her husband and mother support her, how she told her children and what concerns she has for the future.
Orly Borovitch was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis as a teen. In 'Growing Up with Ulcerative Colitis', she shares straightforward strategies for dealing with the disease at school and work, when dating and, in social situations.
Professional triathlete Jonathan Caron from Quebec is not letting the ulcerative colitis he has struggled with since he was 12 stop him from becoming a world champion. In this educational video, Jonathan talks about the difficulty of dealing with symptoms, isolation, searching for information, being true to yourself and reaching your dreams.
James Mireau from Alberta candidly talks about his journey with ulcerative colitis from the relief and then disappointment of his diagnosis, accepting and dealing with this chronic illness, the need for mentors and more.
Canada has one of the highest rates of IBS in the world. This syndrome impacts work, school, family and quality of life. This video features heartfelt discussions from people like you who are living with IBS and important information from Canada's experts.
Ann Brown was diagnosed with colon cancer and given a 50% chance of surviving when she was 54 years old. In this video she speaks about her diagnosis, fears, treatment and return to health. Dr. Clarence Wong, a gastrointestinal oncologist, provides advice on risk factors and how to protect yourself from developing colon cancer.
Niki Travers has suffered with GERD for years. Like 5 million other Canadians living with GERD, her symptoms have affected her work, sleep, relationships and quality of life. Dr. Richard Hunt addresses the complications of GERD and speaks about safe therapeutic option.
Indigestion, heartburn and acid regurgitation are all symptoms of GERD (Gastroesophageal reflux disease). GERD can be painful, debilitating and frightening. Learn from Dr. David Armstrong and a patient living with the disease how to take control of their GERD - and life - with confidence and optimism.
Enhancing lifelong health
The Canadian Digestive Health Foundation believes our ability to help establish, enrich and protect a healthy gut microbiota is the key to lifelong health