September 22-30, 2009 - Original Health Articles

Eliminating spicy foods from your diet to avoid heartburn and bouts of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), doesn't mean you have to be relegated to a lifetime of eating bland, tasteless meals. In fact, you can develop GERD-friendly meals that both reduce acid production and taste delicious.

If you suffer from asthma, it's more important than ever that you take steps to protect yourself from the threat of the flu as the weather gets colder. That's because the seasonal flu typically circulates and poses health risks to asthmatics every year.

When you need to quench your thirst, think twice about which drink you choose. According to several dental associations around the country, including the American Dental Association, some of the most popular drinks that we consume erode enamel and lead to tooth decay.

In 2005 there were nearly 39,000 live births resulting from assisted reproductive technology in the United States. Egg donation plays an integral part of this process, helping many couples to finally realize their dream of having a child. Although egg donation increases yearly, many of us are probably more familiar with the process of sperm donation.

If you've had a heart attack or heart surgery, you've probably wondered when, if ever, it's okay to resume sexual activity. And if you're the partner of a heart attack victim, you may be scared to initiate anything for fear of causing another attack. Well, worry not.

A gene variant may explain why some males want to maintain their single-forever status. Men with one or two copies of the "allele 334" have trouble committing to a relationship, according to a Swedish study. When the researchers looked at 500 couples, they found that men with this variant not only were commitment-phobic but also had marital troubles if they tied the knot.

Because men generally make more money than women, today's economic crisis has created more lay offs for men—and more "stuck in the same old job/same pay" for women.  Furthermore, since men still put more of their "identity eggs" in the work basket, when a man loses his job or has to work for less pay and status, he is also likely to lose some self-esteem.

Do you find that whenever your child has milk or other dairy products, a stomachache follows? If this is a reoccurring problem, you may want to learn more about a condition called lactose intolerance. This ailment, which is more common in adults than in children (although it can still occur at a young age), occurs when the body is unable to digest lactose or milk sugar.

For people who have an abnormality called a hiatal hernia, the opening of their esophageal hiatus is larger than normal, which means that a portion of their upper stomach slips up or passes through their hiatus and into their chest. In other words, part of their stomach comes through their diaphragm and into their chest.

For years, we've been warned that being overweight or obese puts us at risk for heart disease. But some studies show that in heavy patients with cardiovascular disease,  obesity may play a protective role. Obese patients with heart disease seem to do better and live longer than skinny ones, according to a review article in the May 26, 2009 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Could it be that the innocuous burning pain behind your breastbone after a heavy meal is more than heartburn? Or that the reflux you experience lying down too soon after the meal is doing more than giving you a bad taste in your mouth? For the 60 million Americans who experience heartburn with regularity, oftentimes an antacid can relieve the discomfort[1].

The longer women breastfeed, the lower their risk of heart attack, stroke and cardiovascular disease, according to University of Pittsburgh researchers. The findings were published in "Obstetrics & Gynecology," and reported in Heart Disease Weekly.

Possible Benefits of Cholesterol Medicine If you use statin therapy to manage high cholesterol and also happen to suffer from asthma, you could find that your breathing may benefit. This finding was released at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology annual meeting in the winter of 2009.

When it comes to your children's health, you usually know best. Parents seem to have a natural instinct that lets them know when their little ones are just cranky--or when they could be getting sick. But while you can often tell what's wrong with your child, there will undoubtedly be times when the symptoms will leave you feeling uncertain.

If you suffer from severe allergies, you may find it hard to understand how your discomfort could actually turn out to be a real blessing.  But some researchers believe that the sneezing, itchy eyes, nose and throat and tiredness that go along with different types of hay fever and allergic reactions could actually be protective.

If you suffer from asthma, you already know that smoking cigarettes can make your symptoms much worse. And not smoking doesn't make you immune from these effects--second hand smoke can be just as dangerous, upping your risk for a host of dangerous health problems.

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The Role of a Fever When your child has a fever, your first instinct is probably to try to get it to come down right away, but most pediatricians will tell you that a fever isn't always a bad thing and sometimes, it is okay to leave it and let it go away naturally.

Have you ever noticed that after a bad day at work or at school, your allergy symptoms seem to get worse? Doctors have long recognized that this isn't a coincidence. Now, research is shedding more light than ever on the connection. In fact, the findings of an Ohio State University study reveal that when you experience even a small amount of stress, it can make your allergic reaction much stronger to your everyday triggers.

Minor aches and pains are part of life for most of us—a tension headache here, an upset stomach there. But when is pain a signal that something might really be wrong? And how do you tell the difference between a mere annoyance and a warning sign? Below are four pains not to ignore: 1.

For decades, people have restricted their calories purely to lose weight and fit into their favorite clothes. Health often hasn't factored into the equation. Now, a growing subset of health-conscious folks is advocating calorie restriction as a way to tap the fountain of youth.

If you need a reason to break out that bottle of wine this weekend, here it is: Moderate drinking past the age of 60 may help keep Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia away. A recent analysis of 15 studies that included more than 28,000 people over a period of at least two years revealed that those who drank anywhere from one to 28 drinks each week had lower levels of dementia than those who completely abstained.

You've said "I do," had the perfect honeymoon, and are finally getting used to being addressed as "Mrs." But while married life is fulfilling, there's something irritating you. No, it's not your husband (at least, not yet!). The problem? Your wedding band.

You stay out of the sun during high noon, eat well, and use moisturizer every day. But if time is still taking its toll on your face, you may want to consider a more aggressive approach to smoother skin. Here are some of the most popular ways Americans are waging a war with wrinkles.

Your child wakes up in the morning with a runny nose, cough and sore throat, which raises the dreaded question: should you keep him home from school or daycare? Some states have guidelines to advise parents on when it's okay to send a sick child to school and when it's best they remain at home.

If you're like most people, you have between 10 and 40 moles. Moles can be skin-colored or different shades of pink and brown, they can be raised or flat, and can change over time. Some changes are natural, but some can be indications of melanoma—the most deadly form of skin cancer.