Inflammatory diseases such as PCOS, autoimmune diseases, irritable bowel syndrome, etc. are all highly uncomfortable diseases with several negative side effects. By adding antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids to patients with inflammatory diseases diets, studies show that symptoms of these diseases will lessen. The objective of this study is to create a banana bread with increased omega-3 fatty acids and increased antioxidants to be served on trays of patients with inflammatory diseases and for patients to make at home to decrease symptoms related to inflammation. The experimental food should be an equal substitute for the control flavor, aroma, and texture wise. The control banana bread was substituted for an anti-inflammatory banana bread with the addition of cinnamon, dark chocolate, extra eggs, and pecans. The banana bread was made without dairy and grain for celiac patients and lactose intolerant patients. Both variations were equally accepted according to the hedonic scale, completed by 9 participants. Research was continued to confirm the of increased omega-3 fatty acids within the anti-inflammatory bread. Furthermore, walnuts were switched for pecans to test the antioxidant and fatty acid composition of both variations. Overall, we found that the walnut variation had more fatty acids, but pecans had more antioxidants. Our research suggests that both variations can be used to accommodate patients with inflammatory diseases. Further research can be done for long-term research for inflammatory disease patients that swapped the control for the variations.

Pneumatosis intestinalis, air within the bowel wall, continues to have an elusive etiology due to its varied clinical presentation and associated disease processes. Pneumatosis may be an incidental finding on a routine CT Scan or it could present as peritonitis with intra-abdominal free air. The pathogenesis, therefore, is likely to be multifactorial rather than directly related to one particular, inciting pathology. Here we present a case of a 73-year-old male scheduled for a non-emergent incisional hernia repair who was found to have peritoneal free air without physical exam findings of peritonitis. This unusual case illustrates a rare presentation of small bowel, omental, and abdominal wall pneumatosis. The objective of this presentation is to broaden the clinician’s understanding of pneumatosis intestinalis, including a recommendation to discern the underlying illness as emergent or benign. Finally, we make the case for clinical intuition and the physical exam.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine disorder that affects women’s menstrual cycles and their levels of androgens (male hormones) and cysts on the ovaries. There is a variety of symptoms that come with this endocrine disorder, but insulin resistance is a hallmark symptom of the disorder. It’s shown that 65-70% of women with PCOS have insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia, this is in women that are overweight, obese, or lean (Marshall & Dunaif, 2012). A lot of women with PCOS find themselves struggling to lose weight because their excess weight is tied to lifestyle and not properly nourishing their bodies, as well as their imbalanced hormones. The understanding of PCOS being a metabolic disorder led to the investigation of the need for registered dietitian nutritionists on the health team of women with PCOS could change the quality of life in women. We developed a survey based on the literature available on the topic of PCOS, diet/nutrition interventions, and the role of RDNs in the healthcare team of PCOS women of childbearing age. Only childbearing-age women (18-44) that have been diagnosed with PCOS were allowed to complete the survey. The survey was comprised of three sections and was designed to be a needs assessment on the need for registered dietitian-nutritionists to be included in the healthcare team of PCOS women. The questions were designed also show any gaps of knowledge or misconceptions about nutrition that these women may have. Lastly, it was designed to examine if women understand how nutrition relates to the management of their symptoms of PCOS and future disease risks. The data from this survey will show the need for RDNs in the healthcare team of PCOS women, and give us an understanding of nutrition education and intervention that could be developed for future studies. This understanding of how RDNs could play a role in symptom management could lead to a better quality of life in PCOS women.