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Many people have small pouches in their colons that bulge outward through weak spots. Each pouch is called a diverticulum. About 10% of Americans older than age 40 years have diverticulosis, which, when the pouches become infected or inflamed, is called diverticulitis. The main cause of diverticular disease is a low-fiber diet.
People with high total cholesterol have about two times the risk for heart disease as people with ideal levels.
Patients who cannot swallow may receive nutrition via a parenteral route—usually, a catheter is inserted through the chest into a large vein going into the heart.
The average human gut is home to perhaps 500 to 1,000 different species of bacteria.
Thyroid conditions cause a higher risk of fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.