Dr. Mark Pimentel is the Associate Professor of Medicine and Gastroenterology, and Executive Director of the Medically Associated Science and Technology (MAST) program at Cedars-Sinai. He also serves as a Clinical Advisory Board member for Vivante Health, providing leadership and guidance on clinical best practices within our product, GIThrive. He is credited for developing the first blood test for IBS, discovering rifaximin for the treatment of IBS-D, identifying the auto-immune basis for IBS/SIBO, and developing the first multi-gas breath test for SIBO. He most recently published a systemati ..read more

Vivante Health Chief Medical Officer discusses the importance of colorectal cancer screenings, as well as his personal story.  For Dr. Hau Liu, Chief Medical Officer at Vivante Health, Colorectal Cancer Awareness month isn’t just another health awareness month – it’s personal.  “A close family member of mine was diagnosed with colon cancer. We were devastated and we were also lucky – although it was pretty advanced, he was able to receive effective treatment. Looking back, with appropriate screening, it’s possible that the cancer could have been completely avoided. It’s importan ..read more

Staying healthy as the weather cools down is important, especially this year as COVID-19 continues to impact our lives. Digestive health plays an integral role in how well our immunity functions on a daily basis.  The digestive system has two primary functions: digestion (from absorption of nutrients to the elimination of waste) and maintaining the balance between the good and bad bacteria and other elements. “Our digestive system works hard every day to help us make the most of good bacteria and self-antigens while attacking harmful microorganisms. It’s possible thanks to a highly-effici ..read more

For the millions of people who struggle with gastrointestinal symptoms and disease, finding effective care is essential. Employees often struggle at work to mask their symptoms and cope with feeling unwell. They’re also likely to need time off for sick days and medical appointments. All of these things can really wear down confidence, self-esteem and quality of life. That’s why it’s so important to find ways to empower these employees with resources and tools to maximize their care options and feel better. One of the key areas of effective management of GI conditions is self-advocacy. Self-a ..read more

Your gut can affect your health in many ways—including your mental health and immune system. The microbiome—the bacteria in your gastrointestinal (GI) tract—affects your health in huge ways. Located in the gut, the enteric nervous system (ENS) has the same neurons and neurotransmitters found in the brain and spinal cord. Called “the second brain,” it sends signals to your brain and influences your mental wellbeing and state of mind.  Your gut health also has a hand in your immune system. 80% of your immune cells are located in your GI tract. This means that if your gut is unhealthy, it ca ..read more

When you have a digestive disease, there are challenges beyond the illness itself. Coping with painful, often embarrassing symptoms can make it hard to fully connect with other people. That means relationships can suffer. It’s a double-blow for quality of life for people with conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and other digestive problems. Connection with others is vital for all of us. Even in the time of COVID-19 and social distancing, we need to find ways to nurture and develop relationships. Sure, it’s taking some creativity to remain close to ..read more

A survey found that gut health is the key to a healthy body and mind. Over 70 million Americans have digestive diseases, such as Crohn’s disease, Celiac disease, and irritable bowel syndrome. Gut issues are a leading cause of absenteeism and GI claims account for $136 billion annually. Providing digestive support resources can create a more productive workplace, reduce company costs, and give employees opportunities to take control of their health.  Gut health plays an important role in overall physical, mental, and emotional health. With GIThrive®, Vivante Health fills in the gaps of tra ..read more

Gut health affects more than just an individual’s health. Learn about its larger impact and how supporting employees’ gut health can benefit your business. Digestive health is the largest problem in healthcare. Over 70 million Americans have a digestive disease and that number increases by 9 percent every year.  Gut health is also a leading cost for employers’ health expenses, but tools like GIThrive are changing that for companies. Read on to learn why gut health matters and how supporting your employees’ digestive health will help them as individuals and your business overall. Gut Healt ..read more

With the job market being at an all-time high of competitiveness, human resource professionals continue to search for ways to attract the best talent, reduce turnover, and ensure employee quality of life. As research increasingly proves the tight link between the microbiome, individuals’ gut health, and overall wellness, companies have the opportunity to close the gap of care for employees by offering inclusive, gut-first approach to health coverage while also opening a conversation that includes the often silent struggle with chronic digestive conditions that 70 million Americans suffer from ..read more

Are you feeling at peace or calm right now as we head into the final month of 2020? It would be nice to say “yes,” right? Chances are, you and many people you know are dealing with some level of stress compounded by the ongoing pandemic. To compound things, now we’re right in the middle of the annual holiday season. That means your friends, family, colleagues and employees are likely to be rushing around even more than usual, working extra hard to fit everything into days that are getting shorter (in terms of daylight hours, anyway). Good news: all of us can help manage seasonal and pandemic ..read more