February 8-14, 2009 - Original Health Articles

For those who suffer from heartburn, an important part of managing the pain is maintaining a healthy weight. A great way to achieve this is through regular exercise Every day, researchers uncover new ways that fitness can benefit people of all ages. In...

When heartburn sufferers talk about food, they usually talk about what they can't eat, not about what they can eat. That's because the worst trigger foods-fats, spices, citrus-can lead to painful symptoms. When determining foods that won't aggravate your symptoms, the first thing to do is to assess their ingredients.

Heartburn and alcohol have a unique relationship. A study published in Digestive Diseases and Sciences found that those who drank 12 ounces of red wine with lunch or dinner had higher-than-normal levels of acid in the esophagus. Other studies have shown that of those people who suffer from heartburn, roughly 6 in 10 said alcohol led directly to heartburn symptoms on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis.

If you have diabetes, you may be thinking: why do I have to avoid certain foods while other can eat whatever they want? Remember, though, that the two food groups diabetics should avoid are the same that food pyramids tell everyone else to use sparingly.

Approximately 50 percent of pregnant women will experience heartburn (most common during the second and third trimester.) The reason: As a woman's level of progesterone increases during pregnancy, her lower esophageal sphincter relaxes. This allows food and acid to reflux back into the esophagus, thus creating the feeling of heartburn or indigestion.

I took the NavigenicsTM test around holiday time, during the hustle and bustle of the season. Providing the sample was so easy—it was just a small saliva sample. Then off it went to the lab, where my DNA would be analyzed. Soon I'd have a window into the future of my health.

Most depressed, saddest, or worst city in the country-labels that any city hardly covets; however, each year, numerous surveys and studies cast an unwanted spotlight on cities with the worst standards of living. Depending on which data you rely on and the focus of the reporting agency, the cities may vary.

Fat has gotten a pretty bad rap, and in all fairness, much of it is well deserved.  Consuming too much saturated fat can up your LDL (or bad cholesterol) level, while trans fat, once considered to be a healthy alternative to animal fat, not only raises your LDL level, it also lowers your HDL, or good, cholesterol level.

Meat Menace Your seemingly harmless deli meat may have a secret that could harm your health according to a growing number of health officials and researchers. Processed meats can be bad for your heart according to the American Heart Association due to their high levels of sodium and fat.

Many health professionals and respected medical institutes dispute that there's any such thing as an "arthritis diet." Some arthritis sufferers, however, claim that eliminating certain foods from their diet sent their condition into remission. What should you believe? To be healthy in general you need a balanced diet.

Sir Edward Coke is credited with the famous phrase "et domus sua cuique tutissimum refugium" or "A man's home is his castle." Hundreds of years later, we can apply that same principle to diabetes care. Your home is your diabetes castle, a place where you can feel safe and secure in the knowledge, support, and supplies you have to successfully manage your condition.

Reducing stress is imperative to good health. "The amazing thing about de-stressing is that in moments, you can change the internal bio-chemical "climate" in your body from high cortisol to lowered levels of stress hormones," says clinical psychologist Penny B.