Eating For Health

Have heartburn? You’re not alone — about 1 in 5 Americans experience it twice a week or more. While TV commercials often promote medications, did you know that simple food and lifestyle changes can help soothe the burn naturally? Heartburn isn’t about your heart at all — it’s that burning pain in your chest or acidic taste in your mouth caused by stomach acid backing up into your esophagus. What Is Heartburn? 🩺 According to the Mayo Clinic , heartburn happens when stomach acid flows backward into the esophagus — the tube that carries food from your mouth to your stomach. You may also hear it called acid reflux or GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) . Lifestyle Tips to Ease Heartburn 🌿 Simple habits can make a big difference: 🕒 Wait 2–3 hours after eating before lying down or reclining. 🪑 Sit upright after meals to help gravity keep acid where it belongs. 🚶‍♀️ Take a short walk after eating — gentle movement aids digestion. Foods ...

Who doesn’t enjoy a cup of tea?   As NIH noted, “drinking tea has been considered a health-promoting habit since ancient times”. Researchers have found this to be true.   Why is tea so healthy? What are the substances in tea that promote health? Polyphenols include catechins which are antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory properties.   Flavonoids act as antioxidants in our bodies and may inhibit cancer cell growth.      Theanine is an amino acid that helps with relaxation. Caffeine is a stimulant that can improve alertness and focus. A cup of tea provides much less caffeine than a cup of coffee: black tea about 47 mg of caffeine, green tea only 28 mg.   Herbal teas like ginger tea and peppermint tea have no caffeine.   Minerals : Tea can provide minerals like potassium, magnesium, copper, and zinc.        What are some of the many health benefits of tea? Heart Health: Black tea but especially green tea can ...

Who doesn't enjoy some fresh watermelon?  So juice and naturally sweet.  At a buffet over the weekend, I saw person after person loading their plates with freshly sliced watermelon.  Many people enjoy watermelon and don't realize how healthy it is.   Cleveland Clinic says, “watermelon should be part of your diet”.  Why?  Watermelon is “packed with vitamins and minerals and can be enjoyed all year ‘round”.   We hear a lot about superfoods like blueberries, but we don’t hear much about other fruits like watermelon.  Watermelon packs a big nutritious punch. One reason why watermelon is so good for your health is that it is loaded with many vitamins and minerals as well as fiber.   Vitamins : watermelon is a good source of vitamins A, C and many B vitamins.  One cup of watermelon balls provides 12.5 mg of vitamin C, almost 25% of daily needs.  One cup also provides 876 IU of vitamin A, almost 20% of daily needs.  Minerals...

So many of my relatives have switched from drinking sugared sodas to drinking sparkling water.   What are the pros and cons of switching to sparkling water?   My sister sent me several articles about sparkling water that answers these questions. What is sparkling water? Sparkling water is also called “seltzer water” or “carbonated water” as it has carbon dioxide bubbles in it.   There are many kinds of sparkling water including: “club soda, soda water, seltzer water, mineral water, and tonic water”. Mineral water:   water from a mineral spring or a well that may contain some minerals, sulfur compounds and natural bubbles. Tonic water:   has quinine and added sugar or added high-fructose corn syrup.   The quinine gives it a bitter taste.   Sparkling water :   Water with carbon dioxide added to make it fizzy and bubbly.   May also have flavorings, some real fruit juice, or artificial sweeteners added.    What are the health b...

Summer is here and hydration becomes even more important in hot weather.   Each summer I blog on hydration and this topic is one of my most popular posts.   From the list below, can you guess what beverage or food is best for hydration?     Water?   Juice?  Cow’s milk?  Eating some watermelon? Did you answer “water”?   Most people will answer “water” as being the best for hydration.   And most people would say drinking the 8 glasses of water a day is all one needs to do to stay hydrated.   But is water really the best beverage for hydration?   Are there other ways to stay hydrated like eating a slice of watermelon?   What about those electrolyte drinks?   Are these needed to stay hydrated?   What about kids?   Some kids are not the best about drinking water throughout the day.   What else can parents do to help keep their kids hydrated in hot weather? What is the first sign that you need more flu...