FitSugar

Halt Heartburn With Papaya Enzyme

FitSugar — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 08:40:28 PDT

That chili cheese dog was calling your name, and now that you downed the entire thing in five minutes flat, heartburn and indigestion are making you wish you hadn't. That burning pressure in your chest is unbearable, and if you don't like reaching for over-the-counter meds like Zantac, take advantage of a natural remedy - papaya.

This tropical fruit encourages digestion, eases indigestion (and constipation), and is known to relieve heartburn. The magic is in the enzymes papain and chyomopapain, which break down proteins and soothe the stomach by promoting a healthy acidic environment.

You can reap the benefits by eating fresh papaya or drinking fresh juice, but these options are not always convenient when heartburn hits. Also, eating unripe papaya may lead to uterine contractions making the fruit off-limits for the many pregnant women who suffer from heartburn. Since I should be counted among the pregos plagued with digestive issues, I found some papaya extract tablets that contain ripened papaya fruit with papain, amylase, and protease enzymes. I keep the little $3 tube in my purse, and when I eat something I know won't sit well, I chew one tablet. I'm amazed at how well it works.

DrSugar Answers: Belching After Every Meal?

DrSugar — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 05:30:00 PST

DrSugar is in the house and answering your questions.

Dear DrSugar,
It seems like everything that I eat causes gas. I exercise regularly and I try to eat healthy as much as possible. I don't know if I should be eliminating some things from my diet to alleviate the gas. My gas is in the form of belching though. I rarely have gas that is expelled from my bowel area. Can you me help? Any advice would be helpful. Thanks.
- Sick of Saying "Excuse Me"

To see what DrSugar suggests to help this problem,

Problems with belching, also known as burping, can be a significant problem for some people. Belching is different from flatulence in that belching is almost always related to swallowed air that accumulates in the stomach. This air is then expelled from the stomach by belching when pressure builds. Swallowing air can occur when drinking carbonated beverages, drinking from a straw, eating food too fast, and chewing gum. Some people also swallow air when they are anxious and often don’t even notice they are doing it. Sometimes belching is also associated with acid reflux or heartburn.

The best methods to prevent frequent belching are: 1) Eat and drink slowly, 2) Avoid carbonated beverages such as soda and beer, 3) Avoid chewing gum or hard candy, and 4) Avoid drinking through straws. If your belching problem is related to acid reflux or heartburn symptoms, it may be necessary to seek medical advice for treatment with antacids or diet modification. For more information regarding the other kind of gas, otherwise known as farting, check out my previous post on flatulence.

If you have a question for DrSugar, send me a private message here, and I will forward it to the good doctor.

DrSugar's posts are for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment recommendations. Click here for more details.

Home Remedies: Digestive Issues

FitSugar — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 03:00:00 PST

If the four days of feasting over Thanksgiving weekend have taken a toll on your tummy, you might be interested in trying some home remedies. Prevention has created a list of tummy tamers and here are the highlights.

Ease nausea: Give frozen ginger chips a try. Make your own by infusing slices of fresh ginger in hot water. Strain the ginger and place them in an ice cube tray. When you're feeling queasy, crush the cubes and suck on the frozen pieces.

Curb flatulence: Three times a day, take two enteric-coated peppermint capsules (500 mg each). They must be coated so the peppermint can make it to your intestines. This herb will kill the bacteria in your digestive system that's causing your bloated feeling. It also has relaxing effects on your gastrointestinal muscles.

Constipation: Boil 10 grapes in six ounces of milk. Before bed, drink the milk separately and then eat the grapes.

Diarrhea: Mash bananas in white rice and eat in small amounts. The two have binding effects.

Source

Adventures in Ingredients: Aloe Vera

Camilla Salem — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 10:42:59 PDT

For weeks, I'd been eying these spiky succulent leaves at Berkeley Bowl. I always knew that aloe vera came from this common plant, but never thought I would actually need or want the opportunity to work with it myself. And then there's the whole issue of cooking with it and how to harvest it. It's popular in coconut water these days, but other than that, ingesting it is somewhat uncommon. But those who regularly eat or drink this strange succulent rave about its supposed health benefits, from healing acne to curing cancer.

I did a quick scan of the Internet on how to cut and prepare fresh aloe vera right from the leaf. I found several recipes for smoothies featuring fresh aloe vera pieces and one that served it poached with lime juice. A smoothie sounded more appetizing. Honestly, I got a little bit nervous when I found out that the dark red sap that apparently seeps out should not be ingested or it will cause unpleasant digestive issues. Still, I went for it.

Filleting this piece of aloe vera was a strange experience: I was on the lookout for that dark red sap, though I didn't ever encounter it. The aloe vera gel looked sticky and mucous, not delicious (or even edible). I'd read in a few places that aloe vera on its own is kind of bitter, so of course, I immediately cut off a piece and took a bite. It tasted like nothing, but I did notice a strange sensation in my mouth and my tongue went a little numb. To find out what I did with the fresh fillet of aloe vera, keep reading.

Tour Easton Neston, an English Baroque Stunner

Elka Karl — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 01:00:03 PDT

Maybe it's my love of Downton Abbey and numerous other historical costume dramas talking, but I feel as if I'm going back in time when I take a peek at Russian-born fashion mogul Leon Max's English Baroque home, featured in the current issue of Architectural Digest.

In the article, Max notes that "the English countryside is one of the most agreeable places in which to put down roots. Guys on Wall Street are killing themselves to have a place in the Hamptons, but this is a much better idea." Max is responsible for the women's wear label Max Studio, which he's run for over 30 years.

Max's home is Easton Neston, which was built in 1702 by architect Nicholas Hawksmoor. Come take a peek of the house, before you tour it, along with other majestic homes from around the world, on Architectural Digest.
Photography by Oberto Gili for Architectural Digest

DrSugar Answers: Digestive Woes During Period?

DrSugar — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 09:00:23 PDT

DrSugar is in the house! And she's answering your health-related questions.

Dear DrSugar,
I am wondering why my digestion goes haywire during my menstrual period. I always keep my diet clean and exercise daily but I can't seem to combat the gas, diarrhea, constipation and constant gurgly noises coming from my gut! What could this be and how can I stop it?
- Too Much Fun Below the Belt

Oh, what fun menstruation is! It’s our monthly reminder that we are capable of reproducing, which is a beautiful thing! But, unfortunately, it brings with it some not-so-fun symptoms, including the ones you’ve listed: gas/bloating, diarrhea, and constipation. The most straightforward answer for your question is that these symptoms you have are due to hormones and chemicals!

For a more in-depth explanation, keep on reading.

Embarrassing Yoga Moments: Don't Let Them Happen to You

Jenny Sugar — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 19:02:18 PDT

Yoga class is supposed to be all serene and spiritual, but it's hard to feel enlightened when you break the silence by loudly breaking wind. We're all adults, so we shouldn't feel embarrassed, but it's hard to bounce back into bliss after such an awkward distraction. Plenty can happen during a yoga class to make you want to crawl under your mat and hide, and although you can't prevent everything, here are some ways to lower your risk for bodily function humiliation.

Loud Outbursts From Your Tush
Gas gets passed. It happens. But it's mortifying when it happens to you in a completely quiet room of people trying to breathe! There are a few ways you can lower your risk of tooting accidentally. First off, trying out that new Mexican place a couple hours before your yoga class is probably not the best idea. Skip eating the foods you know lead to gas like beans, meat, onions, and broccoli, and avoid trying new foods in case your digestive system rebels. Certain poses are also more likely to encourage gas to pass, such as forward bends, twists, and poses where your knees pull into your chest. I'm not telling you to avoid them completely, but move into questionable postures with caution if you know flatulence is an issue. If a barking spider finds it's way into your capris, I find it best to pretend it didn't happen, or laugh to dispel any weirdness.

Keep reading to learn how to prevent being stinky, nip slips, and air in your lady parts.

7 Tips For Relieving Tummy Troubles Caused by Fiber

Jenny Sugar — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 01:08:48 PDT

You know you're supposed to get at least 25 grams of roughage, and you know what you should eat each day to get your daily fiber, but when you do, you end up with some serious digestive issues. Don't give up! If your fiber intake has been well under the recommended amount, then you suddenly start downing flax-filled oat bran muffins, your tummy is likely to protest. Here are some ways to prevent the shock to your system when upping your fiber intake.

Mix whole wheat pasta with regular pasta.
Eat a piece of bread or crackers with hard-to-digest fruits such as pears or apples. You can peel the skin if your stomach is super sensitive, bur remember the skin contains a lot of nutrients not in the fruit.
Sprinkle a tiny amount of flaxmeal on your cereal. Jumping into ingesting a one- or two-tablespoon serving is bound to upset even the strongest of stomachs.
Mix a high-fiber cereal like Kashi's GoLean with an easily digestible rice cereal such as Nutty Rice.
Stir a small amount of beans into cooked quinoa, and gradually increase the ratio of beans to grain.
If raw broccoli does a number on your belly, steaming or stir frying the florets may be easier to digest.
Skip the raisins and opt for fresh grapes instead. Dried fruits tend to cause more issues than the fresh version.

Shopping For: Brian Grazer's Brass Task Lamp

Elka Karl — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 11:30:32 PST

In the March issue of Architectural Digest, Hollywood producer Brian Grazer takes the magazine inside his tastefully appointed office for a tour. Grazer, who has been nominated for 43 Oscars and is the driving organizing force behind this year's Oscars, is known for his smart decision-making skills and obviously put that skill set to work when he hired famed decorator Michael S. Smith to decorate his office (Smith also decorated two of Grazer's homes).

Smith divided the office up into a work zone, shown here, which is dominated by a Scandinavian modern desk and bookshelf. The other part of the office features comfortable seating options and a cocktail table, perfect for entertaining and relaxing.

My eyes were immediately drawn to the cool vintage-looking brass task lamp on Grazer's desk. This lamp looks like it's the Christian Dell Table Lamp ($1,650). Designed in the 1930s, this lamp was part of the original Kaiser-Idell range. Dell was a German silversmith, an industrial designer, and an influential teacher at the Bauhaus from 1922-1933. This lamp seems like a great fit for Grazer's aesthetic and work ethic, given its simple, intelligent, and lovely design.

I've rounded up a number of choices that will satisfy your trendy brass task lamp needs - one for as little as $25. Take a look at my picks below.

Photos courtesy of Architectural Digest

If You're Not Allergic, a Gluten-Free Diet Might Not Be Worth the Dough

Jenny Sugar — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 10:47:59 PST

About one in 133 Americans suffers from the autoimmune disorder celiac disease: a severe gluten intolerance; it impedes the absorption of important nutrients like calcium and iron and can lead to abdominal pain, decreased appetite, and digestive tract cancers. The plethora of gluten-free products that are available - from pizza crust to bagels and pasta - is a lifesaver for those who have celiac disease. However, buying gluten-free products when you're nonceliac is a waste of money, according to an opinion paper published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Keep reading to find out who should splurge on gluten-free foods and who should save their dough.