CD is a chronic inflammatory disease that causes damage to the gastrointestinal system, and is commonly treated with medications. However, as individuals are diagnosed with the illness at an older age, they are more likely to need surgery in order to correct related health problems.

In an effort to determine when the likelihood of surgery could increase, a team of researchers monitored patients aged 16 years and under who had been recently diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). During the trial, the team observed the use of CD-related surgery, and its effectiveness when conducted on patients within 30 days of their diagnoses.

The investigators found that while gender, race and family history didn’t affect surgical risk, IBD patients aged 13 to 16 years were more likely to need surgery. Also, the results of the study showed that the severity of the disease was determined by the patient’s age, resulting in an increased need for surgery.

Of the 169,000 Americans who were hospitalized with inflammatory bowel disease in 2002, approximately 62 percent of these patients were diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, according to the National Digestive Disease Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC).

During the first month of the study, a team of investigators monitored the symptoms of mice with UTIs, which included animals that recovered from the infections without being treated. The team found that some of the mice had chronic bacterial cystitis. This occurs when an abnormal amount of bacteria develops in the bladder and urine, which leads to inflammation of the urinary tract.

One group of mice was administered antibiotics to treat the UTIs, and then the team exposed them to several different bacteria linked to the development of these infections.

The results of the trial showed that the group with chronic bacterial cystitis had a higher risk of developing UTIs and had more severe infection symptoms. The team also found that controlling this abnormal reaction by the immune system could improve recovery from UTIs.

For those who are looking for a natural alternative to alleviate the side effects of UTIs, a report in the journal Molecular Nutrition and Food Research found that drinking cranberry juice can relieve pain and speed up the recovery process.

According to research in the Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, extra pounds could result in blood clots. However, the locations are different depending on the gender.

It was found that men have a higher risk of blood clots when they have more weight around their waist, while women have a higher risk if they have extra pounds on their hips.

Originally, it was believed that women should be encouraged to have larger hips, as they may work as a protective shield against blood clots. This new research is running counter to that theory.

The researchers feel it’s because previous studies only measured body mass index (BMI) when studying blood clots, and didn’t pinpoint where the extra fat was located.

"The BMI is a marker of excess weight and correlates well with body fat content in adults; however, it fails to consider the distribution of body fat," explained study leader Dr. Marianne Tang Severinsen.

Nutritional supplements such as coumarins, which are found in various herbs, work as a blood thinner, and may be a good idea to take if you feel you’re at risk.

During a recent trial, a team of investigators from the University of California in San Diego fed mice high-fat diets that did and did not contain omega-3s. The investigators discovered that those given the nutrient-based foods showed signs of reduced inflammation and were able to better process insulin.

While omega-3s protect against these health complications, the researchers suggest that further research is necessary to find if high amounts of fish oil may cause negative results. Prior studies have shown that fish oil supplements can increase the risk of bleeding and stroke.

Jerrold Olefsky, lead author of the trial, stated that "our work shows how fish oils safely do this, and suggests a possible way to treat the serious problems of inflammation in obesity and in conditions like diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease through simple dietary supplementation."

In addition to preventing these health problems, taking fish oil supplements can help lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of suffering from irregular heartbeats, according to the American Heart Association (AHA).

Researchers have reported that A20, the nutrient associated with the disorder, contributes to the activation of the inflammatory response system, which helps prevent the death of healthy cells.

In an effort to better understand the role of this protein, investigators extracted intestinal epithelial cells from mice that were unable to produce A20. Because they lacked the compound, the animals were more likely to suffer cell breakdown and develop symptoms that could lead to chronic bowel inflammation.

While further research with human patients is necessary, the team concluded that targeting the use of A20 could lead to the development of new medications, which could help treat patients with intestinal disease. Future studies may also help researchers discover ways to detect and prevent chronic inflammatory bowel disease.

Of the 169,000 Americans who were hospitalized with inflammatory bowel disease in 2002, 62 percent of patients were diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, a common form of the disorder, according to the National Digestive Disease Information Clearinghouse.

While previous studies have shown that insulin resistance can affect the liver, muscles and fat, a team of researchers used mice to see how the disorder affects the arteries. Using animals that were prone to atherosclerosis, a condition that causes fat to build up on the artery walls, the team found that these animals would become sicker if their artery linings couldn’t absorb insulin.

The researchers discovered that the mice that suffered from insulin resistance experienced hardening of their arteries. Also, the study showed that mice diagnosed with atherosclerosis had a higher risk of suffering from heart disease and stroke—which are both complications that are prevalent among diabetes patients.

The team concluded that this study helps scientists better understand insulin resistance.

In 2007, approximately 23.6 million people in the United States were diagnosed with diabetes, with more than 5.7 million cases yet to be diagnosed, according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA).

During a recent study, researchers divided 40 participants aged 10 to 14 into two groups. One group sat in a chair while viewing images of a neighborhood and school grounds, while the others completed a one-mile walk while viewing similar images.

Students were then asked to take a Stroop test, which has participants identify colors in several colored boxes.

While completing this task, the walkers’ heart rate increased by three beats per minute, while the sitting group experienced an increase of 11 beats. Researchers also discovered that the sitters had blood pressure levels that were three times higher than those who did the one-mile walk.

James Roemmich, lead author of the trial, stated that "the cardiovascular disease process begins in childhood, so if we can find some way of stopping or slowing that process, that would provide an important health benefit." He added that these findings show that "physical activity has a protective effect on the development of cardiovascular disease, and one way it may be doing so is by reducing stress reactivity."

In 2008, approximately 26.6 million people in the United States were diagnosed with heart disease, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports.

In order to determine the effects of this regimen on post-menopausal women, researchers from Purdue University examined the results of two studies that had female participants aged 43 to 80 follow certain diets.

During the first trial, investigators had volunteers reduce their caloric intake by 750 calories by following an eating plan enriched or free of proteins. The second study had participants eat 1,250-calorie diets, but researchers had the women consume different types of proteins.

After each trial, the teams measured the bone density in each woman. Researchers found that weight-loss efforts that included increased protein intake were linked to bone loss.

Wayne W. Campbell, lead author of the study, stated that this diet may cause women to lose "bone mineral density faster than women who consumed normal protein diets that did not contain any meats."

Suffering from bone density loss, especially later on in life, may lead to a higher risk of developing osteoporosis, a condition that weakens bones. In fact, approximately 55 percent of Americans aged 50 years and older are at risk of developing osteoporosis, the National Osteoporosis Foundation reports.

During the trial researchers examined the effects of Candida albicans compounds, which help yeast grow and survive, on mice with similar health problems. The team then used a series of medications and natural components in order to improve the health of the animals.

The researchers discovered that when treating the mice with a form of vitamin B3, the spread of Candida albicans throughout the immune system was reduced, and the animals’ health improved.

Martine Raymond, lead author of the study, stated that "there is an urgent need to develop new therapies to kill C. albicans because it is one of the leading causes of hospital-acquired infections and is associated with high mortality rates." She added that these findings are "very exciting and they constitute an important first step in the development of new therapeutic agents to treat fungal infections without major side effects for patients."

These findings may prove beneficial to individuals looking for a natural alternative to preventing fungal infections. In addition to vitamin B3, an extract from the pitcher plant has been proven to stave off similar health problems, according to a study published in the Journal of Experimental Biology.

People with IBD suffer damage to their colon and small intestine, which can lead to fatigue, abdominal discomfort and bleeding. Depending on the severity of symptoms, patients can be treated with anti-inflammatory drugs or have surgery to remove damaged parts of their digestive system.

The foundation established the grant program to help investigators who are contributing to eliminating IBD, and funding recipients were chosen based on their collaboration, innovation and the expected success rates of their studies.

"We are very optimistic that breakthrough discoveries are on the horizon that will improve the quality of life for those suffering from IBD," said Jen Rainin, president of the foundation.

In addition to the development of IBD medications and therapies, patients with this illness can benefit from foods such as olive oil that can improve digestive health, according to a study presented at the Digestive Disease Week exhibition.