Prevent Heartburn, Acid Reflux with Workout Routine

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Preventing heartburn can seem like a Catch-22. Excess weight can aggravate heartburn symptoms, so you exercise to lose weight. But exercising can also make heartburn worse. Sometimes, it feels like you just can’t win!

You might feel like giving up, but don’t. Studies show that losing just five to ten percent of your excess weight can significantly reduce acid reflux (GERD) and heartburn. Gaining weight, on the other hand, can increase heartburn symptoms by as much as 300 percent. So it’s worth it to find an exercise plan that works for you and won’t exacerbate your heartburn.

Ladies, it’s time to focus on your physical, mental and emotional fitness. As we age, exercise becomes more important than ever. You may have noticed that you have lost muscle tone or that you are carrying more weight around your middle. This added weight can put pressure on the valve between your esophagus and stomach and cause reflux.

It is essential to incorporate physical activity into your schedule, but be patient as you determine which activities don’t cause reflux. Here are five tips for heartburn-safe exercise:

  1. Treat acid reflux before it starts. If you tend to experience heartburn every time you exercise, take an antacid before working out.
  2. Pre-hydrate. If you get dehydrated during exercise and drink large gulps of water, it could trigger acid reflux. Drink moderate amounts of water throughout the day and only take tiny sips during your workout.
  3. Choose low-impact activities. Start with simple, fluid activities like walking, cycling or using the elliptical machine. Avoid activities that jostle the stomach like running, tennis or interval training.
  4. Avoid inverted positions. Yoga can seem like a gentle activity, but stretches like downward-facing dog or swan dive can cause reflux. Opt for upright yoga poses.
  5. Avoid eating one to two hours before your workout. If your stomach is empty, you will be less likely to experience reflux.

If you are just beginning to add exercise into your daily routine, talk to your doctor. It is always a good idea to ensure your workout plan is appropriate for your fitness level. 

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Women are at Higher Risk for Vision Problems than Men

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According to the report for the 2015 National Health Interview Survey, 23.7 million American adults age 18 and older experience vision loss. Having vision loss is defined as having difficulty seeing or being unable to see at all, even when wearing glasses or contact lenses.

Women are much more likely to experience vision loss than men. In fact, almost two-thirds of all individuals who are visually impaired are female. This means that women need to be especially attentive to their vision needs because they are at higher risk for eye issues. Here are four reasons women are more likely to be visually impaired.

  1. Life expectancy — Women have an average life expectancy of 81 years compared to 76 years for men. Many eye diseases like cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration are associated with age, so women are more likely to develop degenerative eye disease simply because of their gender.
  2. Hormones — Menstruation, pregnancy and menopause are all driven by hormones, and fluctuations in hormones can also affect vision. It is also suspected that hormonal changes contribute to dry eye syndrome, especially after menopause.
  3. Risk for auto-immune disease — Autoimmune diseases such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis are more common among women, and these conditions can also affect sight loss.
  4. Social and economic factors — Limited financial resources and inadequate health care can affect the frequency of preventative care visits like comprehensive eye exams. Women often will put aside their own check-ups to allocate health care funds to another family member.

Vision loss can be prevented or delayed through early detection and early treatment. Annual comprehensive eye exams are the best way to keep your vision healthy whether you are male or female. Eye disease and vision impairment is costly and can require expensive medications and treatment. A yearly check-up of your vision is a worthwhile investment because it can reduce medical expenses in the future. Take some time today to call your ophthalmologist and schedule an eye exam for the whole family. 

Women at Higher Risk for ACL Injury

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Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are among the most common knee injuries. They often occur in sports like soccer, skiing and volleyball that require jumping, pivoting or changing directions quickly. The ACL — which allows the knee to bend back and forth — can also be injured during a collision while playing sports.

While ACL injuries can happen to anyone, female athletes are at a significantly higher risk of sustaining one. In fact, research shows women are four to six times more likely to injure their ACL during high-risk sports than male athletes.

Why does this happen? Research suggests it is due to differences in body structure between men and women. When compared with men:

  • Women’s knees tend to turn inward
  • Women’s knees tend to lock or straighten more when jumping and landing
  • Women tend to land with flatter feet
  • Women tend to jump and run with the soles of their feet in a more rigid position and to direct them away from their body’s center of gravity

Neuromuscular Training Can Help Heal ACL Injuries

There is a growing awareness of ACL injuries in women and in the importance of preventing ACL injuries. In fact, many team doctors now recommend neuromuscular training for women in sports to help prevent ACL injuries.

Neuromuscular training involves implementing exercises that focus on balance, power and agility. This trains the body to perform more stable movements and to place less stress on the joints, especially the knee.

About Neuromuscular Training Exercises

A group called the Santa Monica ACL Prevention Project developed a neuromuscular training program several years ago called PEP (Prevent injury, Enhance Performance). It was designed to help female soccer players avoid ACL injuries.

It is a 20-minute training that replaces the traditional athletic warm-up. PEP incorporates balance, agility and performance drills and includes these components:

  • Warm-up: Drills such as a slow jog from one sideline to the other
  • Stretching: A series of stretches working the muscles of the leg
  • Strengthening: Weight-bearing exercises such as toe raises and lunges
  • Plyometrics: Exercises that incorporate hopping and jumping and are designed to build power, strength and speed
  • Agility Drills: Movements for increasing stability such as running backwards and pivoting
  • Cool Down/Alternative Exercises: Exercises including abdominal crunches or seated butterfly stretches

Fortunately, both athletes and non-athletes can reduce their risk of sustaining an ACL injury through neuromuscular training. So tell your mother, daughter and women friends!

Click here to see the full PEP Program.

Stressed Women May Experience Acid Reflux, Heartburn and More

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Women often spend more time caring for others than for themselves. It is important for women – many of whom are busy caring for children or aging parents – to focus on their own health as well. In addition to caring for others, many women also work full-time jobs that increase responsibilities and stress levels.

Stress is a leading contributor of gastrointestinal problems such as acid reflux, irritable bowel syndrome, heartburn and stomach ulcers. Many women try to treat their symptoms by taking over-the-counter medications, but antacids and acid reducers are intended to provide relief of temporary GI upset and are not to be used over the long-term for chronic issues.

A board-certified gastroenterologist can help address the underlying cause of persistent GI symptoms. The gastroenterologist can perform comprehensive tests to identify the root cause of symptoms and can prescribe medication, lifestyle changes or stress management techniques. 

May is Women’s Health Month, a time for women to make wellness a priority and build positive habits for a healthy life – so take time this month to make an appointment with a GI specialist. 

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Improve Indoor Air Quality with Houseplants

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Indoor air pollutants known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) exist in homes, schools and the workplace and can be hard to avoid. For instance, a VOC known as benzene can be found in plastics, fabrics, tobacco smoke and even office equipment. Formaldehyde is another common VOC that is found in household items many people own, like dish detergents, carpet cleaners and fabric softeners.

Unfortunately, poor indoor air quality is much more than just a nuisance — it has been linked to mild to severe health issues such as headaches, tiredness and itchy or irritated throat, nose and eyes. More serious conditions it can cause include asthma, respiratory disease and even cancer.

Houseplants Can Make a Significant Difference

In the 1980s, scientists at NASA researched whether indoor plants could be used on space stations to help keep the air clean. Other well-known universities conducted similar studies.

The results suggested that many types of houseplants do indeed serve as effective air purifiers, absorbing dangerous indoor gases into their leaves and roots. Living microorganisms in the soil also help neutralize harmful VOCs and other indoor air pollutants.

Many of these houseplants are easy to find and grow — and you may already have some of them in your home.

Best Houseplants for Improving Indoor Air Quality

  • English Ivy: English ivy is a vining plant that can be trained to stretch across a table or over a window frame. It is fairly hardy but should be kept away from heat sources.
  • Aloe Vera: Aloe vera is a remarkable plant. Not only can it help absorb harmful gasses, the gel it contains inside its leaves can be used as a salve to help heal cuts and burns.
  • Corn Plant: The corn plant prefers a well-lit area. If you have a green thumb, it’s possible to grow one inside that reaches 10 feet tall.
  • Mums: When mums are in season in your area, you can often find them sold in many places including your local grocery store. Enjoy them inside; and even after their flowers fade, the plant itself will still be working hard to remove VOCs from your home.
  • Pothos: Pothos is a vine with heart-shaped leaves. It does well in hanging baskets and is hardy and easy to grow.
  • Peace Lilies: Peace lilies have slender flowers, lush leaves and can grow up to three feet tall.
  • Rubber Plant: The hardy rubber plant can reach an impressive height of nearly eight feet. It can thrive in many conditions — even in low light and cool temperatures — and is great at removing indoor air toxins.

How to Propagate Indoor Plants

If you already have some of these plants — or know someone who is willing to let you take a small cutting from an existing plant — you can easily make new plants (propagate). Pothos are especially easy to propagate.

If you have access to a pothos plant, just snip off a leaf including a bit of the stem, then put it in moist soil or water and soon you will begin to see roots appear. Propagating plants can also be a fun and free way to share the gift of plants — and better indoor air and health — with your friends and family.

Why not add some more houseplants to your home office or school today? It is a simple step you can take that will bring healthy rewards every time you breathe.

10 GERD Symptoms Not Recognized by Most Acid Reflux Sufferers

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Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, can have a variety of symptoms we do not typically associate with acid reflux. GERD is caused by a weakness in the lower esophageal sphincter, the muscular valve that separates the stomach from the esophagus. When functioning properly, the LES opens only to allow food and liquids to enter the stomach. However, a loose LES can allow gastric acid to backflow into the esophagus, and heartburn is only one of many symptoms.

Here are some hidden symptoms of GERD that you might not recognize as being caused by reflux:

  1. Hoarse or husky voice — A deeper-sounding voice after a meal might mean that you are experiencing reflux of acid into the esophagus or throat.
  2. Sore throat — GERD can also cause your throat to become sore after eating.
  3. Bitter taste — A bitter or sour taste in your mouth after eating might be gastric acid from the stomach caused by GERD. In severe cases, acid reflux can cause choking.
  4. Asthma — Wheezing and coughing can be caused by stomach acid reaching the lungs.
  5. Chest pain — Heartburn or chest pain can be due to repeated acid reflux.
  6. Nausea — Feeling queasy after a meal could also point to reflux.
  7. Excessive saliva — Extra saliva may be produced to wash acid from the esophagus.
  8. Bad breath — The acidity of reflux can cause bad breath.
  9. Difficulty swallowing — A feeling of a lump in the throat that won’t go away could indicate inflammation of esophageal tissue and strictures.
  10. Ear ache — Ear aches and ear infections are not uncommon for GERD sufferers.

If you have several of the symptoms above, make an appointment with a gastroenterologist. Undiagnosed GERD can cause long-term complications that can lead to serious health problems so make an appointment today. 

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Cataract Prevention: What You Need to Know

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About one in every six Americans over 40 has a developing cataract, but you can reduce your risk of cataracts by making some healthy lifestyle choices:

1. Protect your eyes from the sun. Ultraviolet radiation from the sun exposes your eyes to harmful free radicals that can damage your lenses. Protect your eyes and skin by applying sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 30 and wearing sunglasses that offer 100 percent UVA and UVB protection. You can also wear a wide-brimmed hat for additional protection.

2. Eat a diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Studies show that antioxidants like vitamin C, lutein and zeaxanthin have healing properties and combat the effects of free radical damage. Fill your plate with foods like leafy greens, berries, tomatoes, citrus and yellow peppers to protect your vision. Omega-3 fatty acids may also lower your risk for cataracts, so boost your intake of fatty fish like salmon and sardines, as well as walnuts, chia seeds, eggs and cauliflower.

3. Say no to smoking. One cigarette contains 600 ingredients that produce over 7,000 chemicals when burned (American Lung Association). Every time you take a puff of a cigarette, you are breathing ammonia, acetone, carbon monoxide, lead and tar. These toxins cause oxidative stress to your eyes and make them more susceptible to cataracts.

4. Save alcohol for special occasions. Studies show that most Americans consume more beer, wine and cocktails than they would like to admit. Alcohol can damage the structure and function of eye cells and increase your risk for cataracts, so show moderation when you drink. There are many health risks associated with alcohol, so talk to your doctor for more information about how alcohol affects the body.

5. Exercise regularly. Physical activity increases levels of high density lipoproteins (HDL) commonly known as “good cholesterol.” HDLs have anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects, which can help lower your risk for cataract development.  

6. See your eye doctor regularly. Even if you do not have vision problems, visit your ophthalmologist every year for a full eye exam. A comprehensive eye exam with dilation allows your doctor to assess your overall eye health and look for indications of eye disease like cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration.

By adjusting your habits and making a few lifestyle changes, you could reduce your risk for cataracts and improve your health.  Make an appointment with an ophthalmologist today.

Probiotics Aid Gut Health, Prevent Disease

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Most of these organisms reside in the gut, and help process food into energy, absorb nutrients, strengthen immunity and more. Here are just some of the things probiotics can do for your gut health:

  • Ease gas and bloating
  • Reduce abdominal pain or cramping
  • Support regular bowel movements
  • Manufacture essential vitamins such as vitamin K
  • Prevent the overgrowth of harmful bacteria

Beyond these benefits, studies have shown that certain strains of probiotics may even reduce the risk of developing certain diseases, ease the symptoms of some diseases, alleviate allergy symptoms and reduce negative effects of lactose intolerance. Other research has suggested that probiotics can help with depression and promote mental health.

Foods High in Probiotics

While it is not necessary for you to do anything to maintain probiotics in your gut, there are things you can do to support this healthy system. One is to consume fermented foods that are high in probiotics. Here are some to try:

  • Yogurt or Kefir. Most yogurt is high in probiotics. However, yogurt that has been heat treated after fermentation does not contain any live beneficial probiotics. Check the label before purchasing yogurt and make sure it says that the contents contain “live and active cultures” like Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus.
  • Sauerkraut. When cabbage is fermented, it becomes sauerkraut, a food dense in probiotics and other nutrients. Try including it as a regular side dish at the dinner table.
  • Kimchi. Kimchi, a traditional Korean food, is another cabbage-based fermented food high in probiotics. Unlike sauerkraut, kimchi can be very spicy, although there are many variations on the basic recipe. Because of this, you may want to try several different kinds of kimchi to find one you like best.
  • Miso Soup. Miso soup, a traditional Japanese food, is made from fermented beans, rye, rice or barley. It is very easy to make: just purchase miso paste, then dissolve a spoonful in hot water. It has a mild, salty flavor.
  • Pickles. Pickles are fermented cucumbers. Most contain probiotics, however, like yogurt, some may have been heat-treated and lost their probiotic properties, so check the label before purchasing.
  • Kombucha. Kombucha is a type of fermented tea high in probiotics that has become popular in recent years. Today, you can buy kombucha at most grocery stores. It comes in a variety of flavors and is low in calories too.
  • Soy Milk. If you are lactose-intolerant, but want to consume more probiotics, try soy milk. Check the label before you buy, though, to make sure it contains live and active cultures.

If you have tried the foods on the list and are having a hard time finding ones you like, you can still add probiotics to your diet by taking probiotic supplements. However, before you do, make sure to check with your doctor before taking any type of vitamin or supplement.

Sugar Aids Production of Bad Bacteria

One final tip for supporting the probiotic system in your gut: eat less refined sugar. In addition to the many negative consequences of eating refined sugar — such as greater risk of obesity — it also promotes the growth of bad bacteria and upsets your gut flora balance.

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Taking Heartburn Medicine 3+ Times a Week May Cause Harm

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Are you taking medicine three or more times a week for heartburn? If so, read the warning label. Not all heartburn medicines are meant to be used that often, and it could be harming your health. 

Antacid Tablets

Antacids like Tums and Rolaids contain calcium carbonate and magnesium hydroxide to help neutralize the acid in your stomach. They can provide fast, short-term relief and do not have lasting harmful side effects if taken as directed. Follow dosage recommendations though because high levels of calcium carbonate in the body can cause constipation, nausea, mood changes or even heart rate changes. But acid neutralizers are considered safe when taken properly and are often used for calcium supplementation as well as heartburn relief.

H-2 Blockers and Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs)

H-2 blockers like Zantac, Tagamet and Pepcid reduce the production of stomach acid. They are effective in treating peptic ulcers and reflux in people who have heartburn a few times per month but are not intended for everyday use. Some research suggests that overuse of H-2 blockers can cause headaches, constipation and nausea, but their long-term use has not been extensively studied.

Proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) like Prevacid, Prilosec or Nexium are stronger than H-2 blockers and work by blocking acid-producing cells in the lining of the stomach. They provide lasting relief from symptoms of GERD and are available without a prescription.

While PPIs are helpful in managing severe heartburn, they are not recommended for more than a 14-day treatment. Recent studies show that overuse of PPIs can be harmful to your health and should not be used long-term. Side effects of proton pump inhibitors include infections, bone fractures and vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Research has even connecting extended PPI drug use to increased risk of stomach cancer.

Are you trying to manage your heartburn symptoms on your own? It might be time to call a gastroenterologist. Your doctor can diagnose your symptoms and help you begin an effective treatment plan. There also may be some lifestyle changes and diet modifications that can jump-start the healing process, so make an appointment today.

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6 Tips on Eye Protection While Working in the Yard

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Over 90 percent of eye injuries are preventable, so remember these eye safety tips when working in the yard this spring:

1. Wear safety goggles at all times when working outside. Choose eye goggles that create a seal around the eyes to keep them fully protected.

2. Examine safety glasses and safety goggles for cracks and tears. If the condition is questionable, replace them.

3. Leaf blowers blow more than just leaves. Make sure that no one is around you when clearing out flower beds, especially children. Leaf blowers can dislodge dirt, debris, and small rocks easily and can cause eye injuries.

4. Plants can carry diseases, so protect the hands with gloves and avoid touching your eyes.

5. When spraying chemicals, wear a mask as well as safety goggles.

6. When finished with lawn work, shower immediately. Pollen and mold can cause eye irritation and aggravate eye allergies.

Make the most out of the mild spring weather and enjoy the time outside. Follow safety precautions and preserve your vision (source Safety Glasses USA).

If it has been over a year since you have seen an ophthalmologist, make an appointment for a comprehensive eye exam. A full eye exam with dilation will ensure that your vision is clear and your eyes are healthy.

Many eye diseases like glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) have no symptoms in the early stages, but they can slowly deteriorate your eyesight and make you more susceptible to falls and injury. Visit an eye doctor today for a vision health check-up.