In the News
Once again, UCLA GI & GI surgery has been recognized as being among the best in the nation, ranking #4 by U.S. News & World Report in its annual Best Hospitals survey. This also makes us the top-ranked GI & GI surgery hospital for a public university in the country. We thank you all, our physicians, allied health care professionals, nurses and staff, for your continued exemplary and personalized care.
UCLA Health also placed #1 in both California and Los Angeles in a broad assessment of excellence in hospital-based patient care. U.S. News & World Report placed UCLA Health on its national honor roll yet again, as it has each year since the rankings debuted in 1990. The honor roll – which no longer includes an ordinal list – is a distinction reserved for only 20 hospitals or systems among nearly 5,000 evaluated across 15 medical specialties and 20 common procedures and conditions.
UCLA digestive diseases faculty named Super Doctors, Rising Stars, Super Doctors Hall of Fame and Super Doctors Legacy Members Hall of Fame
The selection process for Super Doctors is a rigorous, multi-step process designed to identify health care providers who have a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Super Doctors is a selective yet diverse listing of outstanding doctors, representing consumer-oriented medical specialties. The selection process for Rising Stars and for Super Doctors is the same; to be eligible for inclusion in Rising Stars, candidates must be active and fully-licensed to practice for approximately 10 years or less. While approximately 5 percent of the doctors within the respective state or region are named to Super Doctors, no more than 2.5 percent are named to the Rising Stars list. Super Doctors Hall of Fame recognizes physicians with 10-14 years as a Super Doctor, while Super Doctors Legacy Member Hall of Fame recognizes those with 15 or more years as a Super Doctor.
- Rising Stars - Vivy T. Cusumano, MD; Danny Issa, MD; Jennifer M. Kolb, MD, MS; Lisa Lin, MD, MS; Mona Rezapour, MD, MHS; Akshay Shetty, MD; Adarsh M. Thaker, MD; Beshoy T. Yanny, MD
- Super Doctors - Simon W. Beaven, MD, PhD; Lynn S. Connolly, MD, MSCR; Terri Getzug, MD; Wendy Ho, MD, MPH; Stephen Kim, MD; V. Raman Muthusamy, MD, MAS; Jenny S. Sauk, MD
- Super Doctors Hall of Fame - Eric Esrailian, MD, MPH; Steven-Huy B. Han, MD
- Super Doctors Legacy Member Hall of Fame - Lin Chang, MD; Sammy Saab, MD, MPH; Kirsten Tillisch, MD; Tran T. Tran, MD
Janelle Smith, MS, RDN, CEDS, comments on gluten avoidance in National Geographic
Gluten-free eating has skyrocketed in popularity over the past decade, fueled by claims that cutting gluten leads to better health. But while some people must cut gluten from their diet for medical reasons, millions of others have embraced the diet without a clear need. Despite its bad reputation, gluten isn’t inherently unhealthy. In fact, wheat — a key source of gluten — is full of good-for-you nutrients. “Personally and professionally, I think it’s a side effect of food marketing,” said Janelle, a GI dietitian who herself has celiac disease. Unlike a “heart-healthy” label, “gluten-free” doesn’t mean healthier — it simply marks the absence of an allergen. Read
The fear after the fire: How toxic is L.A.’s air?
Now that the wildfires have been contained, a more insidious and enduring threat looms over Los Angeles, posed by the invisible, potentially lethal toxins the flames unleashed. Every breath, it is feared, could contain the particulate residue of lithium EV batteries, asbestos tiles, lead, benzene and other volatile compounds contained in paint, plastics, electronics and furniture. In , experts — including Nancee Jaffe, MD, RDN, GI dietitian — discuss fine particle pollution, controlling air quality, skin care regimens, diet and supplements, and keeping your pets safe.
Your gut microbes may impact your ability to handle stress
Increasing evidence linking stress with depression and anxiety spurred the UCLA researchers to explore the biological basis of buoyancy beyond psychological and social factors. According to Arpana Church, PhD, co-director of the Goodman-Luskin Microbiome Center and the senior author of the study, "Resilient individuals are good at regulating emotions with great cognitive functioning and flexibility. They are also less neurotic, more mindful, grateful and at the gut-microbiome level have reduced inflammation and better gut barrier integrity. When you have inflammation, it's like a systemic thing — found in pretty much all disorders." She adds that more integrated research and clinical studies with human subjects that could lead to treatments are needed. Such research may also help identify biomarkers in the microbiome that can help tailor decisions on how to use existing mental health therapies.
What should I eat while taking antibiotics?
Since penicillin was discovered in 1928, antibiotics have transformed once-life-threatening infections into treatable conditions. But in the process of wiping out the “bad” bacteria, they can decimate the “good” ones too. Fortunately, for most people, adverse effects on the gut microbiome are temporary, said Tien S. Dong, MD, PhD, assistant clinical professor of medicine. If you are generally in good health, “you’ll likely recover on your own”, he said. Still, you can take actions to encourage that recovery. And while much of the research in this area is limited and in its early phases, it does suggest the most important action is paying attention to your diet. . Additional coverage in
Telehealth pathway for IBD surgery expanded access to care in small study
Gaurav Syal, MD, MS, provided expert commentary on a recent study conducting pre-op and post-op visits via telemedicine. "Many patients with complex IBD are best managed by gastroenterologists and surgeons who specialize in IBD. However, most patients who live in the community unfortunately don't have easy access to such specialists," Dr. Syal says. "It is well established that lack of access to appropriate medical/surgical care leads to poor health outcomes across disease states. Hence, expanding the access to specialty services can not only reduce the burden of travel on patients, but also improve outcomes in IBD. In fact, the use of telemedicine in IBD care that accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic has been well received by patients and providers alike." Read more in
How to treat IBS at home
About 10% to 15% of adults in the U.S. have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a condition that causes abdominal pain, gas, diarrhea and constipation. It’s typically diagnosed in early adulthood, but plenty of older adults deal with IBS symptoms. Mona Rezapour, MD, health sciences assistant clinical professor of medicine, provides expert commentary in on effective strategies for managing symptoms and improving quality of life. Additional coverage on
10 gut myths
A article asked leading authorities for the truth about probiotics, elimination diets, leaky gut and more. Folasade P. May, MD, PhD, MPhil, associate professor of medicine, discussed bowel movement consistency, and Kate Mintz, MSN, RDN, discussed diagnosing food sensitivities.