Happy Holidays!

Drug-Free Relief for Heartburn

Millions of Americans suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), the chronic backsplash of acid into the esophagus, more commonly known as acid reflux disease. Acid reflux can injure the lining of the esophagus and lead to complications, including a condition called Barrett's esophagus, which may lead to cancer. Symptoms include a burning sensation behind the breastbone, hoarseness, cough, asthma, belching and bloating. Medication can soothe symptoms, but it doesn't cure reflux. Elaine Magee MPH, RD author of more than 26 books on nutrition and healthy cooking, including Tell Me What to Eat If I Have Acid Reflux makes these suggestions of what to do to prevent the condition in the first place...

FOODS TO AVOID

It's essential to limit foods that promote stomach acid, but keep in mind that what bothers one person may not bother another. Also, one cup of coffee may be fine in the morning but risky in the afternoon. The most common offenders are

• Fried or fatty foods
•  
• Chocolate
•  
• Peppermint and spearmint
•  
• Garlic and onions
•  
• Coffee and nonherbal tea, caffeinated and decaffeinated
•  
• Carbonated beverages
•  
• Tomatoes and citrus fruits
•  
• Hot peppers and chili powder

Elaine Magee also suggests:

1. Chew gum for one hour after a meal. A study from the Veteran Affairs Medical Center in New Mexico found that this reduced the time that acid was in contact with the esophagus.
2. Suck on lozenges. This stimulates production of saliva, which bathes the esophageal lining. Some people find that eating sweet pickles also increas­es saliva.
3. Drink water regularly to dilute stomach acid and wash acid from the esophagus.
4. Reduce fat content. Steam, bake or broil instead of frying. Replace whole milk with 1% or skim.
5. Use caution with alcohol. Small amounts-one drink a day or less-may aid digestion, speeding up the movement of acidic stomach contents into the intestines. Too much alcohol has the opposite effect-and some people report a particular problem with red wine.
6. Keep portions small. A full stomach is more likely to cause heartburn.
7. Eat dinner early. Don't have anything to eat within 3 hours of bedtime, so there will be nothing to splash up into the esophagus when you lie down.
8. Lose weight. Extra pounds put pressure on stomach contents and push acid up toward the esophagus.
9. Raise the head of your bed by at least 6 inches-you can put wood blocks under the top two legs of your bed-or try a wedge-shaped pillow.
10. Sleep on your left side. Doctors at Philadelphia's Graduate Hospital found that people who sleep on their left sides experienced acid reflux less frequently than those who sleep on their right sides or backs.

High- or low-carbohydrate diet for obesity?

A study was conducted by Cornier MA, et al. investigating how Insulin sensitivity determines the effectiveness of dietary macronutrient composition on weight loss in obese women.(Obes Res 2005;13:703-709.)

Twenty-one obese non-diabetic women, aged 23-53 years, were randomly assigned to eat a low-calorie diet for 16 weeks that was either

1. high in carbohydrate (60% of energy) and low in fat (20% of energy) (HC/LF) or
2. low in carbohydrate (40% of energy) and high in fat (40% of energy) (LC/HF).

The women were classified as either insulin-sensitive or insulin-resistant. Insulin-sensitive women on the HC/LF diet lost a mean of 13.5% of their initial body weight, whereas those on the LC/HF diet lost 6.8 %

In contrast, among insulin-resistant women, those on the LC/HF diet lost a mean of 13.4% of their initial body weight, whereas those on the HC/ LF diet lost 8.5%

These differences could not be explained by changes in resting metabolic rate, activity, or food intake. Overall, changes in insulin sensitivity were associated with the degree of weight loss.

The results of this study suggest that the ideal weight-loss diet for an obese woman depends on her state of insulin sensitivity. Women who are insulin-sensitive lose weight more rapidly with a high-carbohydrate diet than with a low-carbohydrate diet. In contrast, a low-carbohydrate diet is more effective for women who are insulin-resistant.

In both groups of women, weight loss resulted in improved insulin sensitivity. Diets high in complex carbohydrates, which contain abundant amounts of plant foods, are generally more healthful than low-carbohydrate diets, which usually contain more animal foods. Obese insulin-resistant women may fare best if they start on a low-carbohydrate diet and then switch to a high-complex-carbohydrate diet after their insulin sensitivity improves.

What Is America Really Eating?

San Diego Tribune's PARADE - commissioned Mark Clements Research to administer the "What America Eats. 2005 Survey" by mail in March 2005. The results are based on a national sample of 2,088 adults, aged 18-65, selected to conform to the latest U.S. Census data. Findings are projectable to all households nationally, with results accurate to within 2.2% at the 95% level of confidence.

• Pizza is the top choice for take-out (chosen by 78% of Americans), followed by Chinese food (53%) and fast food (35%).
• Fruit has blossomed into the No.1 snack for adults (picked by 76%), followed by popcorn and ice cream. Kids go for cookies.
• Eliminating an entire food group from one's diet, such as cutting out carbs or fats, is now considered to be "unhealthy" by the majority (76%).
• Women still outnumber men as the primary food-shoppers in U.S. households (71% vs. 12%).
• In almost half of U.S. households, multiple dinners are prepared at least once a week. The primary reason cited by 45%--is not that household members have "different tastes" but rather "different schedules."
• By and large, we brown-bag it. 44% of Americans bring lunch from home to eat at work.

What is at the root of insomnia

According to a Gallup poll of adults age 50 and older,only a third of Americans snooze throughout the night, and men are more likely than women to sleep well,

According to a survey by the International Longevity Center-USA, a New York-based nonprofit policy group, sleep is never restful for 8 percent of adults, while the remainder lose at least one night a week. Thirty-eight percent of men sleep well every night, compared with 27 percent of women.

About half of adults get less than seven hours of rest a night. The group includes those who are ages 50 to 64, full-time workers, people with health problems as well as the primary caregivers for the sick, and those who cite worry as interfering with sleep.

Caregivers may worry the most, with half saying worry made it difficult to fall asleep and more than a third reporting that fretting interrupted their sleep, according to the poll. More than two-thirds of all adults polled said their concerns interfered with sleep.

Did you know?

Coenzyme Q10 helps to prevent migraines

Forty-two patients (mean age, 38.7 years) with recurrent migraines were randomly assigned to receive, in double-blind fashion, 100 mg of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) 3 times a day or a placebo for 4 months.

The primary outcome measure was the change in attack frequency in month 4 compared with baseline. At baseline, the mean attack frequency in both groups was 4.4 per month.

The proportion of patients who had a 50%-or greater reduction in attack frequency in month 4 was 47.6% for CoQ10 and 14.4% for placebo.

The mean reduction in attack frequency was 27.1% in the CoQ10 group and 2.1% in the placebo group.

The mean duration and severity of migraines did not differ between groups. No significant side effects were reported.

Sandor PS, et al. Efficacy of coenzyme Q10 in migraine prophylaxis: a randomized controlled trial. Neurology 2005;64:713-715.

The Maker's Diet will change your life for the better ... check out ... www.makersdietdistributor.com