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,

read more. 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

Get the Look: Brooke Shields's Modern-Traditional Living Room Mix

Elka Karl — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:00:36 PST

The lovely Brooke Shields just granted Architectural Digest an exclusive look at her Manhattan town house, and I'm in love with each room that's featured. While a portion of the article is on the site, be sure to pick up a copy of the March issue of Architectural Digest to read the entire fascinating exclusive. Shields worked with decorator David Flint Wood on her four-story Greenwich Village town house, mixing modern art and accents with beautiful antique furniture. My favorite photo is from Shields's living room, seen here.

One of the major focal points of the living room is the pair of Louis XVI-style armchairs. A great resource for antiques like this is 1stDibs.com, and I found a near match in these 19th century French Louis XVI-style chairs ($5,900).
Newly upholstered in a neutral linen, they'd become the centerpiece of any room in which they were placed.

Perhaps my favorite element of this room - although it's definitely hard to choose just one piece - is the original Keith Haring painting that was a gift to Brooke from Haring himself. While we can't all be so lucky, we can buy a similar print from Art.com. Untitled ($150), a print featuring three of Keith Haring's works, comes framed and ready to hang.

For the rest of the look - including the French Empire commode, the Lucite-base coffee table, and gilded gold frames - check out the widget below.

Vintage Gilded Gold Frame No 2 by lakesidecottage on Etsy	1STDIBS.COM - Mecox - Vintage Geometric Lucite Base Coffee Table
artnet Galleries: A bout de souffle, Paris, 1959 by Raymond Cauchetier from Polka Galerie	Large vintage detailed gold frame wood by jollytimeone on Etsy
artnet Galleries: Gabriella, 1995 by Michael Gesinger from Photography West Gallery	Lenox "Tuscany Classics" Martini Shaker Set $54 - Macy's
Decorative Bust $149 - Pottery Barn	1STDIBS.COM - Urban Archaeology - Neo-Classical White Marble Mantel
Morten Table Lamp $149 - west elm	Ethan Allen Pink roses with berries $149 - Ethan Allen
Kilimanjaro jute rug $284 - Kohl's	Red and White Decorative Pillows Geometric by PillowThrowDecor
1STDIBS.COM - Olivier Fleury Inc. - French Empire Fruitwood Commode or Chest of Drawers	1STDIBS.COM - Robuck & Co. Antiques, LTD. - A Piemontese Louis XVI Period Carved Walnut M/T Console Table

Healthy Dose Link Time: The Scoop on Kendra Wilkinson's Nutty Diet

Michele Foley — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 10:49:08 PST

Kendra Wilkinson is a complete nut when it comes to her diet - Cafe Mom
Soothe yo self: 5 ways to reduce postworkout soreness - HuffPost Healthy Living
Get the scoop on which yogurts are really good for you - Real Simple
Dr. Travis Stork on health and what he really thinks about Stevia - Peanut Butter Fingers
How to get results from only two workouts per week - Shape
Super Bowl snack attack! Find out what Jillian Michaels's favorites are - Fitness
Natural smoothies and juices to heal digestive issues - Healthful Pursuit
7 fun, fast - and best of all - affordable road bikes - Bicycling

3 Foods Proven to Help Your Workout

Leta Shy — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 02:19:53 PST

The right preworkout snack, which is a combination of mostly carbs with a little bit of protein, can give you the fuel you need for the perfect workout. But if you haven't planned a preworkout snack in time, you may be left feeling sluggish and run-down during your exercise session. Instead of running on empty, try these three foods that are proven to give that extra boost you need while working out.

Raisins: Don't overdo it with the complex carbs and protein right before a workout - you may be sidelined by stomach issues. Instead, reach for a small but digestible snack of about 25 grams of simple carbs. Besides being easy to digest, raisins contain other nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and fiber that are important for athletes.

Dark chocolate: Reach for a small square of dark chocolate if you want an extra energy boost before working out. Dark chocolate contains a flavonoid called epicatechin that may help you fight fatigue during your workout, according to a recent study involving rats. The amount needed is small, only about five grams, so it's fine to eat this amount right before you work out.

Coffee: Another performance-enhancing product may be a cup of coffee. Caffeine is energizing, and it's also been proven to enhance athletes' speed and endurance and may even encourage the body to burn more fat. However, don't down a cup of coffee right before your workout, especially if it already irritates your digestive tract. Finish your cup at least 30 minutes before a workout for best results (and if you haven't eaten for a while, pair it with a simple carb).

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.

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.

15 High-Iron Foods Under 100 Calories

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 12:07:05 PST

Too tired to hit the gym? You may not be getting enough iron in your diet. Healthy adult women need 18 milligrams a day (if you're prego, up that amount to 27 mg). If your diet doesn't offer the appropriate amount, fatigue will impair your ability to do physical work (like exercise). Iron also helps carry oxygen from our lungs to the rest of our body, helps muscles store and use oxygen, and is even found in the enzymes needed to digest food. An iron deficiency may also make you feel cold, as well as exhausted, and weaken your immune system, making you more likely to get sick.

Avoid iron issues by making sure you get enough from your diet. Here are 15 high sources of iron that won't break the calorie bank.

15. Half a hamburger patty: 1.1 mg iron, 89 calories
14. 3 ounces turkey: 1.2 mg, 87 calories
13. 1/3 cup kidney beans: 1.3 mg, 75 calories
12. 1/3 cup edamame: 1.5 mg, 85 calories
11. 1/3 cup white beans: 1.7 mg, 85 calories

Continue reading to see 10 more low-calorie foods with even higher levels of iron.

Healthy Dose Link Time: A CrossFit Workout With DWTS Alum Erin Andrews

FitSugar — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 10:34:53 PST

Dancing With the Stars alum Erin Andrews hops on the CrossFit train - Self
Celeb trainer Rich Barretta on the workout that gets Liv Tyler red-carpet ready - Vital Juice
An NYC marathoner shares her story, 26.2 miles later - Losing Weight in the City
Why one workout a day isn't enough for Victoria's Secret model Adriana Lima - Fit Celeb
You're one workout closer to perfect posture - Shape
Five foods that aid digestion and end stomach issues - Mind Body Green
10 surprising risk factors for the flu - Health