Top Ways to Maintain a Healthy Colon

Keeping your colon healthy is one way to prevent diseases and live a good life. If you want to keep health problems at bay and need a little piece of advice, consider the following tips:

Drink lots of water. Drinking water is good for many things, but did you know it also works wonders for your digestive system? In fact, not drinking enough water can lead to constipation, bloating, possible IBS, and a buildup of toxins. Not to mention, when your body feels dehydrated it slows you down. So make sure you’re drinking an adequate amount of fluids each day to cleanse your body and keep toxins out of your colon.

Add fiber to your diet. Eat your way to a healthy lifestyle by slowly introducing fiber into your diet. You may not realize it, but you’re probably already eating fiber-rich foods already. Fruits such as bananas, raspberries, prunes, as well as certain vegetables and whole-wheat cereals are all beneficial for your colon. Just be sure not to eat too much fiber too quickly, as this can have a reverse effect on your body.

Listen to your body. Don’t make it a habit of holding it in. Regular bowel movements is the most natural way to cleanse your colon and keep it healthy. On the other side of that, holding in a bowel movement can put pressure on your insides and potentially lead to diverticulosis and IBS.

Make time for exercise. Increasing your blood circulation through means of exercise is one of the most ideal ways of making sure your colon gets the oxygen it needs to function properly. Even if you’ve checked the above three tips off your list, it’s also important to take preventative measures by exercising. You’d be surprised how much working out just 10 to 15 minutes a day can help you maintain a healthy colon.

Adopting a few lifestyle tips can help significantly lower your risk of developing colon cancer or other complications, so keep track of the foods you’re eating and listen to what your body is telling you.

At Great South Bay Surgical Associates, our doctors are trained to treat colon disorders with laparoscopic or open techniques. If you or someone you know suspects that they may need colorectal surgery, our surgeons can help.

For more information call 631-321-6801 and schedule your consultation today.

Meet Dr. Erica Sneider!

At Great South Bay Surgical Associates, we’re committed to offering high quality healthcare solutions for all of our patients’ needs. We’ve found that the best way to achieve this goal is by hiring only the best and most knowledgeable surgeons in the field. Our highly skilled team of doctors perform a wide variety of open and minimally invasive procedures in general and vascular surgery.

We know that learning you’re in need of a surgical procedure can cause fear and discomfort, but the best way to feel confident going into an operation is by knowing and trusting your doctor inside and out. That’s why we’ve developed our “Meet the Doctors” blog series, to allow our patients to get to know our doctors before their surgery so that they can feel calm, comfortable and confident that they’re in the best hands.

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Erica Sneider, another one of our expert surgeons!

Dr. Sneider grew up on Long Island, where she still resides today. Knowing she was interested in a career in medicine, following her bachelor’s degree she went on to pursue a Doctor of Medicine degree from George Washington University School of Medicine. The doctor completed her general surgery residency at the University of Massachusetts, as well as a fellowship training in colon and rectal surgery at the same institution.

As you might have guessed, Dr. Sneider’s professional expertise lies in colon and rectal procedures, working with diverticular and malignant disease, hemorrhoid treatment and laser surgery, anal fistulas, inflammatory bowel disease and pelvic floor procedures.

To learn more about how Dr. Sneider can help you, give us a call at 631-321-6801 today!

At Great South Bay Surgical Associates, we strive to provide open and minimally invasive surgical solutions for any vascular or general health issues you may face. If you live in Nassau, Suffolk or the surrounding areas and are in need of a surgeon, click here to view our website or call us 631-321-6801 to schedule your free consultation today.

Gastrointestinal and Colorectal Surgeries We Perform

Your digestive tract is a complex system that can easily be disrupted by a number of diseases, a poor or insufficient diet, and even the presence of emotional stress. While some digestive problems can be remedied by taking prescription medicine and employing lifestyle changes, others require a surgical procedure to get things back on track. At Great South Bay Surgical Associates, we perform procedures to treat many types of stomach, small intestine and appendix disorders, using both open and laparoscopic techniques.

Here are some of the gastrointestinal and colorectal procedures that we provide:

Colorectal Surgery: Colorectal Surgery is performed to treat disorders pertaining to the rectum, anus and colon. It can be performed using either laparoscopic or robotic da Vinci techniques. The da Vinci technique is similar to the traditional laparoscopic procedure and “features a magnified 3D high-definition vision system and special wristed instruments that bend and rotate far greater than the human wrist.” Some of the more common colorectal surgeries include laparoscopic colectomies, proctocolectomy and bowel diversion surgery.

Hemorrhoid Surgery and Laser Treatments: Hemorrhoids are swollen veins around the anus that can potentially cause extensive pain and bleeding. Although many cases of hemorrhoids are treatable with topical medications, it is recommended that large hemorrhoids be treated with surgery. In addition to the traditional methods of surgical hemorrhoidectomy, we also practice laser, rubber band ligation and sclerotherapy procedures.

Pelvic Floor Procedures: Your pelvic floor is a very complex layer and usually functions very well, but it can be damaged if too much stress is placed upon it. If damage does occur, these procedures can be done to treat pelvic and rectal prolapse, fecal incontinence, chronic constipation, and anal or rectal pain complications.

At Great South Bay Surgical Associates, we strive to provide open and minimally invasive surgical solutions for any colorectal or gastrointestinal issues you may face. If you live in Nassau, Suffolk or the surrounding areas and are having complications with your digestive tract that require surgery click here to view our website or call us 631-321-6801 to schedule your free consultation today.

About Us!

Established in 1909 by founding partner Dr. Charles Murphy, Great South Bay Surgical Associates and  Vascular Lab has been serving the community with the tradition of caring and quality for over 100 years.  For generations we have provided high quality services using state of the art technologies in general and vascular surgeries, both open and minimally invasive.

Our practice is comprised of eight outstanding doctors that double as directors, department chairs of surgery and chairmen of the Surgical Peer Review Committee at Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center, presidents and fellows of the American College of Surgeons and other elite medical societies, and hold various additional positions as innovative leaders within their fields.

These surgeons specialize in a variety of general, vascular and colorectal surgical procedures such as:

• Hernia Surgery
• Gallbladder and Hepatobiliary Surgery
• Hemorrhoid Surgery
• Pelvic Floor Procedures
• Laser Varicose Vein Surgery
• Sclerotherapy Injection Treatments
• Carotid Artery Surgery
• And more!

We also specialize in surgical oncology, covering areas including:

• Breast Cancer (Lumpectomy and Breast Reconstruction)
• Gastrointestinal Cancer (Stomach, Small Bowel, Colon and Rectal)
• Melanoma and Skin Cancer
• Sarcomas (Tumors of the Muscle)

At Great South Bay Surgical Associates and Vascular Lab, we understand our patients’ necessity for knowledgeable, friendly doctors that provide convenient procedures with effective results.  Choose us for all of your surgical needs and rest assured that you’ll always be in good hands - the best in the field!

For more information about the services we offer visit us on the web or give us a call directly at 631-321-6801.  Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Google+ to get up to date information and health tips!