Top Story

• Gluten-free living is easier with a focus on the positive
  People who have celiac disease or another type of sensitivity to gluten can be overwhelmed by adopting a gluten-free diet, but focusing on what ingredients can be included rather than on what patients have to give up makes it easier, writes Beth Hillson, food editor of the magazine "Living Without" and president of the American Celiac Disease Alliance. Hillson writes that nearly every baking recipe can be adapted to use gluten-free flour as long as ingredient proportions are maintained, but she advises learning about the properties of alternative flours to find the best substitute. The Huffington Post (2/13)

Guide to Healthy Living

• Red flags for patients after colon surgery
  Texas researchers have created a list of 12 warning symptoms or events that should prompt patients recovering from colon surgery to call their physician or 9-1-1. More than 16% of patients who have colon surgery end up back in the hospital within 30 days, and those who are rehospitalized tend to have higher mortality rates. Signs of trouble include redness around the wound, a lack of bowel movement or gas for 24 hours, pain, vomiting or swelling, and more. HealthLeaders Media (2/11)

• Simple dietary changes may reduce pain of IBS, nutrition expert says
  Simple dietary changes that can help reduce irritable bowel syndrome symptoms include avoiding heavily processed or fatty foods, drinking plenty of water and adding fiber if constipation is a problem, says dietitian Tanya Zuckerbrot. Keeping a food diary can help uncover trigger foods and being mindful of portion sizes reduces chances of having bloating, abdominal cramping and diarrhea. FoxNews.com (2/12)

• Study finds varying vitamin D levels in supplements
  The content of vitamin D supplements varies widely across samples, with some offering too little to address vitamin D deficiency, Kaiser Permanente researchers reported. Researchers said vitamin D content ranged from as low as 9% to as high as 140% of the doses described on the label. USA Today (2/11)

Diagnosis & Treatment

• Study explores factors behind recurrent H. pylori infection
  Factors such as age, gender and initial treatment compliance may be as important as antibiotics in the recurrence of Helicobacter pylori infection, which is a risk factor for gastric cancer, Vanderbilt University researchers said. "Programs will be more effective if tailored to the demographics and community ecology of their target populations," the study authors wrote. MedPage Today (free registration) (2/12)

• MRI measures hepatic steatosis in NALFD, data show
  MRI can help physicians determine the severity and extent of hepatic steatosis in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease cases, according to studies from researchers at the University of San Diego and Hacettepe University in Turkey. Both studies included the use of protein density fat fraction measurements. News-Medical.Net/Medwire News (2/11)

Policy Watch

• Obama vows to contain health spending in State of the Union
  President Barack Obama promised to seek to further reduce health care spending while praising the Affordable Care Act during his State of the Union address on Tuesday. "We'll reduce taxpayer subsidies to prescription drug companies and ask more from the wealthiest seniors," Obama said. Republicans in the Senate responded by pointing to reports of job losses and higher premiums attributed to Obama's signature health law. "And because Obamacare created expensive requirements for companies with more than 50 employees, now many of these businesses aren't hiring," Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., said in his response to the president's speech. The Huffington Post (2/12), The Washington Times/Inside Politics blog (2/12), Forbes/The Apothecary blog (2/13)

• Survey: 17% of employers consider dropping coverage
  Eighty-two percent of employers will maintain health coverage for their employees next year, according to a survey of 343 businesses conducted by Business Insurance. Only 1% of respondents had a definite plan to discontinue coverage, while 17% said they will be considering an increase in employee salary to help workers buy insurance in place of current coverage offerings. Business Insurance (tiered subscription model) (2/10)

• Report shows who has insurance, who doesn't
  The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index reports that the percentage of young adults in the U.S. who lack insurance continues to fall, while older age groups are holding steady. Most seniors have coverage, and the percentage of overall Americans without insurance is also falling. Hispanic people and those with low incomes are the most likely to be uninsured, followed by young adults, despite the recent gains. Gallup.com (2/11)

• Judge: Bristol-Myers HBV drug patent doesn't hold up
  A federal court judge ruled that Bristol-Myers Squibb's patent on hepatitis B drug Baraclude is invalid because there is nothing unique about the drug's composition. The ruling, if it stands, clears the way for FDA approval of Teva's generic version. Pharmalot.com/Pharma Blog (2/12), Reuters (2/12)

The Last Word

News and information from the American College of Gastroenterology

• Gallstone disease: Are you at risk?
  Gallstones are one of the most common gastrointestinal problems, especially for women. Women between the ages of 20 and 60 years are three times more likely to develop gallstones than men. Learn more about the symptoms and risk factors for developing gallstone disease.

SmartQuote

Every individual has a place to fill in the world and is important in some respect whether he chooses to be so or not." --Nathaniel Hawthorne, American author