1. Food Poisoning is defined as an infection or irritation of your digestive tract that is spread through food and drinks. These foods and drinks that are being consumed contain bacteria, viruses, toxins, or parasites. The effects of food poisoning are typically acute and are usually cured without treatment. In rare severe cases, it can lead to other complications. Examples of this can be dehydration, diarrhea, vomiting, and sometimes even death. How would you know if you had food poisoning? Some of the ways to diagnose someone with food poisoning could be through a stool test, a blood test, or a physical exam. The symptoms of food poising are very common and include vomiting, diarrhea, fever, headache, etc. This sickness can be caused by bacteria and viruses but can also be caused by digesting harmful chemicals. When it comes to treatment options, the most common forms of treatment are replacing electrolytes and lost fluids to prevent yourself from becoming dehydrated. Depending on how bad your symptoms are, over-the-counter or prescription medicines may be prescribed to reduce symptoms. A way to prevent food poisoning is to make sure you are properly handling your food. This includes properly storing, cleaning, and cooking your food. If you or someone you know has food poisoning, I would suggest for them to make sure that they are staying hydrated and replenishing the electrolytes that they are losing. This will help them from being dehydrated. In the future, I would pay close attention to how you handle your food and pay more attention to food safety. Not utilizing proper food safety can lead to illnesses such as food poisoning.

2. According to the National institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) is a digestive disorder that affects the ring of muscle between the esophagus and the stomach. GER occurs when your stomach contents come back up into your esophagus, this also known as acid reflux. However, this condition can lead to GERD, Gastroesophageal reflux disease which is a more severe and long-lasting condition that is caused by repeated symptoms of GER and can lead to more complications over time.About 20% of Americans have been diagnosed with GERD. This disease can be developed overtime, but it is mostly found among overweight/obese people, pregnant women, smokers, or people who take certain medications. If GERD goes untreated it can lead to serious complications like Barrett’s esophagus, esophagitis, esophageal stricture, or even complications outside of the esophagus. Some complications that can occur outside of the esophagus include laryngitis, asthma, chronic cough, and wearing away of tooth enamel. GERD can be managed with over-the-counter medications and lifestyle changes. If the discomfort cannot be managed with medications, surgery will relieve the symptoms. Any symptoms of GERD should be discussed with your doctor to discuss the proper treatment. I chose this digestive disease topic because, I suffer from acid reflux frequently. I recently was tested for H. pylori, a bacteria that can live in your digestive tract. Although H. pylori causes some different symptoms then GER my doctor wanted to rule it out because, I am way too young to be experiencing acid reflux daily. At the age of 24 to avoid acid reflux it really comes down to diet and lifestyle. I try my best to avoid acidic foods that trigger acid reflux for me such as tomato sauce, chocolate, and citrus fruits. It is hard to avoid ALL foods that cause acid reflux but that is when over the counter medication can be taken to ease the symptoms.