Living Well with Colitis or Crohn’s

Why Do I Need Extra Cancer Screenings?

Having more colonoscopies isn’t fun, but it can save your life.
 

When it comes to screening tests, colonoscopies rank right up there on the list of everyone’s least favorite. For most people, this test to look for colorectal cancer is just a once-every-10-years annoyance. But if you’ve had inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) — either ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease — for a long time, you’ll need to have the test done every year or two.

The fact is, if you’ve had IBD for more than 8 years, you need more frequent colonoscopies because you’re at a higher risk of developing colon cancer, says gastroenterologist Roshini Raj, MD, assistant professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center. “And because colon cancer is treatable when caught early, screening and looking out for warning symptoms are very important,” she says.

Why Is Your Risk Higher?
The reason having IBD for a long time puts you at greater risk for colorectal cancer has to do with inflammation. Ulcerative colitis causes inflammation in the lining of your colon (large intestine). Crohn’s disease can cause inflammation in any part of your digestive tract, including the colon. Over time, that chronic inflammation can make it more likely that you’ll develop colon cancer. And the more of your colon that has chronic inflammation, the higher your risk.

Dr. Raj says colon cancer has become less common in the IBD population in recent years, but the reason for the decline is unknown. “It may be due to more screening, better IBD treatments and more effective colonoscopy techniques,” she says. “But since we don’t know how much each of these is contributing to the decrease, the screening recommendations haven’t changed.”

Why Screening Matters
As a […]

Feel Great, Look Better, Save Time

Dr. Roshini Raj joined Working Mother Radio to share her tips on balance, healthy living and gorgeous skin and to talk about why she incorporated probiotics into her skin care line TULA.

 

To listen to the entire interview, click HERE

Are Probiotics the Next Big Thing in Skincare?

You probably think of probiotics as that mysterious stuff in yogurt that keeps Jamie Lee Curtis regular. However, yogurt doesn’t just help you poop – it can also improve your skin.
According to Yahoo! Beauty, the live cultures found in yogurt just might be the next big thing in skincare. Gastroenterologist Dr. Roshini Rajapaksa explained that probiotics are yeast or bacteria that benefit the body by restoring the balance of bacteria. They create an army of good bacteria that make it hard for bad bacteria to do as much damage to the body. When ingested, “probiotics can reduce gut inflammation, restore the lining of your intestine, and aid with autoimmune diseases and I.B.S.”
Now the dermatology world is starting to realize that the bacteria that are good for your insides are also good for your outsides. “The American Academy of Dermatology has called probiotics one of the new beauty breakthroughs as they’ve been shown to help with clearer skin, decreased skin sensitivity, redness, and inflammation.”
 

 

You can simply apply yogurt to your skin, or you can look for the growing number of skincare products that contain probiotics. You could even try popping open a probiotic capsule and mixing it with your face cream.

Rajapaksa recommends using Activia yogurt or GoodBelly, which is a dairy-free option. It’s important to use the plain unsweetened varieties. If you can’t find either brand, just look for plain unsweetened yogurt that says that it contains active cultures.

Yogurt is also good for your skin because it contains lactic acid, a natural exfoliant that will leave your skin nice and smooth. The sour dairy product might also improve acne and skin discoloration.

You can mix yogurt with various other kitchen ingredients to address specific skin needs. Try blending […]

Q&A Interview With Dr. Roshini Raj

Roshini Raj is a gastroenterologist, media personality, and co-founder of the new skin care line TULA, which recently launched exclusively on QVC.com.

Q: How does one choose a specialty in medical school? What inspired you to choose gastroenterology?

A: You consider a lot of factors when choosing a specialty. Do I like working with my hands? Do I want to have long-term relationships with people? Do I like working with a team, or do I prefer to be more independent?

For me, I knew I loved doing procedures and surgery because of the immediacy—knowing I could literally look inside someone’s body and see what is wrong with them and then fix that problem.

Q: What are the most important skills and experiences for a young medical graduate to have?

A: The most important thing is having a passion for your work. Medicine requires tremendous dedication and a lot of work. It is truly a 24/7 career, and if you do not love doing it, you will not be a good doctor and you will not be happy.Being a good communicator is another crucial skill.. You may be the most brilliant doctor in the world, but if you can’t translate that knowledge to your patients in a way they understand, then you will not be able to heal them.

Q: You wear multiple hats during a regular day—what are some of the ways you stay balanced with such a hectic schedule?

A: The only way I maintain the energy to meet the many demands of my day is by staying as healthy as I can. For me, that means at least eight hours of sleep a day, regular physical activity, and eating plenty of fruits and veggies. I also am not afraid of saying no to things, I always ask for […]

Health Tips: Flip-Flop Dangers, Body Odor, Sex Allergies

Dr. Roshini Raj offers health tips on everyday embarrassing questions on The Juice.

 

Watch the segment here: Veria Living 

 

The Topical Benefits of Probiotics

Doctors, yogurt commercials, and even estheticians have long preached the benefits of adding probiotics to your diet, but did you know they can also be used topically? Gastroenterologist Dr. Roshini Raj, who’s created her own line of probiotic creams, discusses how they work, inside and out.

What are probiotics?
“Probiotics are beneficial bacteria or yeast—organisms that offer [multiple] benefits to the human body,” says Dr. Raj. She goes on to explain that a bacteria imbalance can result in disease or inflammation, and probiotics help maintain a balance. In forms like yogurt, Kefir, and supplements, probiotics can reduce gut inflammation, restore the lining of your intestine, and aid with autoimmune diseases and I.B.S. But some studies have noted that ingesting probiotics also reduced skin redness, irritation, and inflammation. Topical application is the new frontier. “The American Academy of Dermatology has called probiotics one of the new beauty breakthroughs as they’ve been shown to help with clearer skin, decreased skin sensitivity, redness, and inflammation,” Dr. Raj says. “You may also see a reduced appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and increased elasticity.”
So can I just put yogurt on my face?
Yep. Though applying probiotics to your face may seem like a new trend, it’s not. “In India for many years they’ve been doing ceremony day before the wedding where the bride and groom apply yogurt and turmeric to the skin to give a healthy glow,” says Dr. Raj. “Yogurt has naturally occurring probiotics, that’s why it’s beneficial when used as a topical mask.” To use yogurt yourself, look for products that contain live and active cultures. She recommends Activia and GoodBelly, a dairy-free option that comes in yogurt shots and juice. You can find it at Whole Foods, Safeway, and natural […]

How to Avoid Common GI Problems in the Summer

Between retching and the runs, GI trouble can spoil summer. Dr. Roshini Raj was asked by Men’s Health Magazine to provide insights on how anxiety may influence your gastrointestinal discomfort.

 

 

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    Beauty Experts on the Best Beauty Advice They’ve Ever Gotten

Beauty Experts on the Best Beauty Advice They’ve Ever Gotten

The Fashion Spot asked some of their favorite makeup, skin and hair pros, including co-founder of TULA Dr. Roshini Raj,  for the best beauty advice they’ve ever received.

“My mom, a gastroenterologist as well, was an interesting and inspirational role model for me. The best beauty advice I got from her was that we need to take care of our insides to look good on the outside. There is no miracle in a bottle that will give you gorgeous skin if you are not living a healthy lifestyle and managing sleep, stress, diet and exercise. This advice later became a foundation for my new skin care line TULA.”

Read the entire article here: The Fashion Spot 

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    10 Beauty Product Launches You Have To Check Out This Summer

10 Beauty Product Launches You Have To Check Out This Summer

Summer’s hottest beauty product releases

While you’re out soaking up the sun this summer, don’t forget to stop by your favorite beauty hotspot to check out these cool new product releases from some of our favorite brands (and a few new faves too).

1. Lancôme Grandiôse Mascara

They’ve done it again. The mascara genies at Lancôme have broken beauty boundaries with Grandiôse, the first ever Swan-Neck mascara. Curved at a 25-degree angle, the Swan-Neck wand gives lashes lift, length and volume by mimicking the curves of your face and grabbing lashes at the base to fan them out and nix nasty smudging. Even better? The wand’s three-dimensional curve mixes and keeps the formula fresh by sealing air into the bottle.

Availability: Grandiôse hits Lancome.com and Lancôme counters nationwide Aug. 6

Price: $32
2. Dial Acne Control Collection

The brand’s first foray into the acne realm features a trio of body acne fighters. The Face Wash, Body Wash and Face & Body Bar work overtime to banish pesky body acne resulting from workouts, general sweat and more. Dial worked with dermatologists to create the exciting new line.

Availability: Available July 2014 at grocery, drug and mass retailers nationwide

Price: $5-7 for the collection
3. fantasy Britney Spears Stage Edition Eau de Parfum

Oops she did it again. Britney Spears adds to her line of successful scents with her newest fragrance called fantasy Britney Spears Stage Edition. Inspired by some of Brit’s most memorable moments on stage, the fragrance itself is the ever popular fantasy scent and features a limited edition collectible bottle. The cool packaging pays homage to one of Britney’s most talked about performances, “I’m a Slave 4 U” from the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards (aka the python performance), and the bottle features a snakeskin-patterned wrap embellished with jewel-toned accents.

Availability: […]

What Is Your Biological Age?

Dr. Roshini Raj of Health magazine looks the diet and daily habits of the TODAY anchors to help them determine their biological ages.

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