Honest Information. Better Health.

Picture of The Spleen

Old red blood cells are recycled in the spleen, and platelets and white blood cells are stored there.

Picture of The Liver

Weighing about 3 pounds, the liver is reddish-brown in color and feels rubbery to the touch.

Picture of The Intestines

The colon absorbs water from wastes, creating stool.

Picture of The Esophagus

The esophagus runs behind the windpipe (trachea) and heart, and in front of the spine. The upper esophageal sphincter (UES) is a bundle of muscles ...

Picture of The Colon

• The transverse colon runs across the abdomen. • The descending colon travels down the left abdomen.

Picture of The Abdomen

In the front, the abdomen is protected by a thin, tough layer of tissue called fascia.

Imaging Tests for Digestive Diseases

There are many different types of imaging tests used to diagnose diseases of the digestive system. Also called nuclear scanning, radionuclide scann...

What is a Bilirubin Test?

A bilirubin test measures the amount of bilirubin in your blood. This is the bilirubin created from red blood cell breakdown. This is the bilirubin...

How Much Vitamin D Do I Need?

Vitamin D has many important jobs in your body. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium and phosphorus from the food you eat. Studies show that cal...

What is Obesity?

Obesity means having far too much body fat. If you're one of them, you can work to lose weight. For adults, experts usually define obesity based on...

High Blood Sugar, Diabetes, and Your Body

When you have diabetes, your blood sugar (aka blood glucose) levels may be consistently high. A few people's levels may fall somewhat lower. Levels...

Normal Blood Sugar Levels for Adults with Diabetes

Normally, your pancreas releases insulin when your blood sugar, or “blood glucose,” gets high -- after a meal, for example. Tight blood sugar contr...