Medically reviewed by Jay N. Yepuri, MD Key Takeaways Drinking plenty of water is important for preventing constipation. Fiber helps to regulate bowel movements and maintain colon health. Exercise can ...

When it comes to intestines, it sure seems like two are better than one. I asked my friend Franck Carbonero why that is. He’s a microbiologist at Washington State University. He studies the bacteria ...

People are often reminded that they are their own unique person -- and a new study says that's particularly true of the digestive tract. Dissections of a few dozen deceased individuals revealed ...

New research finds there is significant variation in the anatomy of the human digestive system, with pronounced differences possible between healthy individuals. The finding has implications for ...

End ileostomy is when a surgeon removes the colon and creates a stoma in the abdomen for the end of the small intestine and waste to pass through. A person may need an end ileostomy if their large ...

This story is part of a series exploring human anatomy and physiology complexities. Each story in this collection showcases discoveries reshaping our understanding of the body's inner workings, ...

While a drink or two may look harmless during the year-end party season, excessive consumption can lead to more than a ...

The gut microbiome is an important ecosystem of microbes that lives in each one of us, and its strength affects our overall health. However, the small intestine is an underappreciated part of the gut ...

The mouth starts the digestion process by breaking food down into a more easily digestible form. It does this through a combination of mechanical and chemical digestion. After people take food in ...