Dr. Calvin Q Pan M.D.

Right below the liver is a small sac known as the gallbladder. Its function is to hold bile until it is required. The bile helps in the digestion/breakdown of fats. When fats are noticed by the gallbladder, it pushes the bile concentrate towards the small intestine through contractions.Bile pigment,...

What is gluten?Gluten is the entire protein content found in wheat, rye, and barley. Gluten is found in flour as well. It is the gluten that helps to prevent the crumbling of bread and other baked products. This characteristic feature of gluten has made it very popular and is now used in almost all...

What is Crohn’s disease?It is a chronic inflammatory medical condition that affects the digestive tract. The common symptoms of this medical condition would be pain in the abdomen, diarrhea, loss of weight, and in rare cases, the presence of blood in the stool. The disease leads to the...

Photo credit: Diligent Rocket LLCBeginning last year, the Sherman Prize celebrates men and women who have made a big difference for those living with inflammatory bowel disease. Funded by the Bruce and Cynthia Sherman Charitable Foundation, the award is given to exceptional researchers, doctors,...

What is celiac disease?A gluten-free diet is a must for people with celiac disease, which is an autoimmune disorder that can get triggered by gluten. Gluten is a protein that is usually found in foods such as wheat, rye, and barley. When people with celiac disease ingest this protein, damage to the...

Cholera is an acute diarrheal disease that causes thousands of deaths each year and inflicts tremendous pain in areas where it has been reported. This infection is a great menace that has been disturbing humankind. However, it does not mean that cholera is everywhere or that it cannot be treated...