Damage to the liver, pancreas, or intestinal lining can cause painful disruptions of digestion and, ultimately, nutritional problems.

Diarrhea is usually caused by a viral or bacterial infection of the small intestine. It can also be caused by certain medications (such as antibiotics, blood pressure drugs, and magnesium-containing antacids), certain medical conditions, and food poisoning.

Approximately 2 million Canadians have diabetes, a group of diseases characterized by high blood-glucose levels. When you eat, your body metabolizes carbohydrates into glucose, which is then ushered out of the blood and into the body's cells by insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas. If you have an insulin disorder, glucose remains in the blood and is unavailable to fuel the cells' activities. The result is elevated blood-sugar levels.