Dr. Elizabeth Cruz, M.D.
Gastroenterologist | Gastroenterology
4110 N. 108th Avenue ste. 105 Phoenix AZ, 85037Rating
3/5
About
Dr. Cruz graduated from college in 1988 with a B.S. in Medical Technology. Prior to Medical School, she taught English for one year in Bangkok Thailand. In 1989, Dr. Cruz began her formal career in medicine by attending Loma Linda University School of Medicine in California. During medical school, Dr. Cruz was part of a student / staff physician team, which provided relief work to the natives along the Amazon River. She graduated from medical school in 1993 and then went on to do her Internal Medicine Internship under the auspices of the U.S. Navy at the Naval Hospital, Oakland, California.
Upon the closure of the Naval Hospital in Oakland, Dr. Cruz transferred and completed her internal medicine residency at the University of California, San Francisco. In 1996, she was deployed to Guam to fulfill her commitment to the U.S. Navy. While in Guam, she served as a Staff Internist at the U.S. Naval Hospital. During her active duty years in the Navy, she received the Meritorious Unit Commendation Medal as well as the Humanitarian Service Medal and the National Defense Medal for service during Operation Desert Storm. During her last two years in Guam, she was the Head of the Internal Medicine Division at the U.S. Naval Hospital.
In 2000, she went back to the University of California, San Francisco where she completed her training in Gastroenterology (GI). In 2004, Dr. Cruz moved to Arizona to join the Arizona Medical Clinic in Peoria. For two and a half years she served as a full-time gastroenterologist in both the outpatient and inpatient settings doing the full range of general gastroenterology including endoscopic procedures as well as hepatology. In January 2007, Dr. Cruz joined Estrella Gastroenterology in Goodyear, Arizona. In January 2008, she opened the doors to her own practice, Dr. Liz Cruz Partners in Digestive Health.
Dr. Cruz was born in Los Angeles, California and was raised in Orlando, Florida. She speaks fluent Spanish and enjoys her family, traveling, jazz music, and photography.
Dr. Cruz is a Diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Board of Gastroenterology. She is a member of the American Gastroenterological Association and the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.
Education and Training
Loma Linda University School of Medicine MD 1993
Southern College of Seventh-day Adventists Bachelor's Degree 1988
Board Certification
American Board of Internal Medicine
Gastroenterology (Internal Medicine)
Provider Details
Dr. Elizabeth Cruz, M.D.'s Expert Contributions
Can stomach problems make it difficult for a child to sleep?
Absolutely, we have many adults that suffer from something similar. He should see a pediatric GI doctor and get worked up. Make sure there is nothing really bad going on. If everything comes back negative. you should get him on a healthy probiotic daily and taking enzymes with every meal. READ MORE
Can excessive gas be a sign of something serious?
Gas can be a sign of something serious. If your father has never been worked up by a GI doctor he should consider it - unless he's over the age of 85. Most GI's aren't going to work up a patient over that age. If he does get worked up and everything comes back negative you should consider enzymes and probiotics. These symptoms are very common when you're not producing enough enzymes to digest your food properly or don't have enough good bacteria in the gut. This happens as we age, when we are not eating the best diet in the world or if we are really stressed out. It's very easy to fix, however, taking a good healthy probiotic daily and enzyme with every meal can help eliminate these symptoms very quickly. READ MORE
I can't tell if I'm constipated, have gas, or if it's something serious?
My first question is, when was the last time you had a bowel movement? It could be a combination of gas and constipation. If this pain continues you should definitely get worked up by a GI doctor. If everything comes back negative you should consider enzymes and probiotics. These symptoms are very common when you're not producing enough enzymes to digest your food properly or don't have enough good bacteria in the gut. This happens as we age, when we are not eating the best diet in the world or if we are really stressed out. It's very easy to fix, however, taking a good healthy probiotic daily and enzyme with every meal can help eliminate these symptoms very quickly. READ MORE
Why does everything I eat give me gas?
This is very common among young people today. Basically, what is happening is you are not producing the enzymes necessary to digest food properly. This could be happening for many reasons, but it's very simple to fix. Taking a digestive enzyme supplement with every meal will help to eliminate the gas. READ MORE
How long does IBS last?
Depending on how it's treated or what the patient does to help him / herself it can last a lifetime. Symptoms that are associated with IBS are typically caused when you're not producing enough enzymes to digest your food properly or don't have enough good bacteria in the gut. This happens as we age, when we are not eating the best diet in the world or if we are really stressed out. It's very easy to fix, however, taking a good healthy probiotic daily and an enzyme with every meal can help eliminate these symptoms very quickly. READ MORE
What's the difference between heartburn and indigestion?
Really not much difference, the bottom line is you are not digesting your food well probably due to a lack of enzymes. This happens as we age, when we are not eating the best diet in the world or if we are really stressed out. It's very easy to fix, however, taking a good healthy enzyme with every meal can help eliminate these symptoms very quickly. READ MORE
How do you know if your gallbladder needs to be removed?
You need to get worked up by a pediatric GI. You are very young and although we don't need our gallbladder to survive you really should try to hold on to it as long as possible. Most of the time gallbladder issues are associated to diet - we are not eating and drinking as healthy as we should. Get worked up and find out if there is anything serious going on with it first. Then if not try to clean up your diet. READ MORE
What is the best cure for irritable bowel syndrome?
The symptoms associated with irritable bowel are very common when you're not producing enough enzymes to digest your food properly or don't have enough good bacteria in the gut. This happens as we age, when we are not eating the best diet in the world or if we are really stressed out. It's very easy to fix, however, taking a good healthy probiotic daily and enzyme with every meal can help eliminate these symptoms very quickly. READ MORE
What causes acid reflux everyday?
Hello, Yes, this is very common among 40, 50 and 60 year olds. As we age, our enzyme production declines so we're not making all those great enzymes to digest food anymore which causes symptoms such has heart burn, reflux, gas, and bloating. We suggest taking a digestive enzyme with meals. Thank you, Dr. Cruz READ MORE
Why do I have lower abdomen pain?
These symptoms are very common when you're not producing enough enzymes to digest your food properly or don't have enough good bacteria in the gut. This happens as we age, when we are not eating the best diet in the world or if we are really stressed out. It's very easy to fix, however, taking a good healthy probiotic daily and enzyme with every meal can help eliminate these symptoms very quickly. READ MORE
How do you relieve gas and bloating?
These symptoms are very common when you're not producing enough enzymes to digest your food properly or don't have enough good bacteria in the gut. This happens as we age, when we are not eating the best diet in the world or if we are really stressed out. It's very easy to fix however, taking a good healthy probiotic daily and enzyme with every meal can help eliminate these symptoms very quickly. READ MORE
What causes nausea everyday?
Most of my patients have nausea because they are not digesting their food properly. You absolutely should get worked up by a GI doctor to make sure there is nothing bad going on, but if everything comes back negative it's probably an enzyme issue where you're not digesting your food properly due to a lack of enzymes being produced. This happens as we age, when we are not eating the best diet in the world or if we are really stressed out. It's very easy to fix however, taking a good healthy enzyme with every meal can help eliminate these symptoms very quickly. READ MORE
What do these stomach pains mean?
This is probably gas due to not digesting your food well. If this pain continues you should definitely get worked up by a GI doctor. If everything comes back negative you should consider enzymes and probiotics. These symptoms are very common when you're not producing enough enzymes to digest your food properly or don't have enough good bacteria in the gut. This happens as we age, when we are not eating the best diet in the world or if we are really stressed out. It's very easy to fix, however, taking a good healthy probiotic daily and enzyme with every meal can help eliminate these symptoms very quickly. READ MORE
Awards
- Humanitarian Service Medal for care rendered In the rescue of Korean Airlines Flight 801 Crash Victims 1998
- Naval Overseas Service Ribbon 1999
- National Defense Medal for Military Service during Operation Desert Storm 1994
Treatments
- Hiatal Hernia
- Constipation
- Colon Polyps
- Gastritis
- Pain
- Hernia
- H. Pylori
- Vascular Disease
Professional Memberships
- American College of Gastroenterology
- American Gastroenterological Association
- American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
- Diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine
- American College of Physicians
- American Medical Association
Fellowships
- University of California, San Francisco Gastroenterology Fellowship 2003
Fellowships
- University of California, San Francisco (Gastroenterology Fellowship) (2000-2003)
Professional Society Memberships
- American College of Gastroenterology, American Gastroenterological Association, American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, Diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine, American College of Physicians, American Medical Association
Areas of research
- Recipient of NIH National Research Service Award (NRSA) Institutional Research Training Grant (T32) for Minorities. Awarded July 2002 for clinical research on diseases of the pancreas.
Areas of research
Recipient of NIH National Research Service Award (NRSA) Institutional Research Training Grant (T32) for Minorities. Awarded July 2002 for clinical research on diseases of the pancreas.Dr. Elizabeth Cruz, M.D.'s Practice location
Dr. Liz Cruz Partners in Digestive Health
4110 N. 108th Avenue ste. 105 -Phoenix, AZ 85037Get Direction
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