Coffee and Stomach Pain: A Better Stomach Friendly Coffee?

Many people prepare a pot of hot coffee as soon as they wake up in the morning - to wake up and get their blood pumping to prepare for the busy day ahead. Unfortunately, a certain number of coffee drinkers ending up paying a price for sipping that cup of java - with nausea and stomach discomfort. For up to twenty percent of the population, coffee and stomach pain go hand in hand. Now, scientists think they know why coffee drinking causes stomach pain -and how they can make an even better stomach friendly coffee.

Coffee and Stomach Pain: A Problem for Some Coffee Drinkers

Theres no shortage of stomach friendly coffees on supermarket shelves, but manufacturers admit that up until now they really havent known what chemical in coffee causes stomach irritation. To make stomach friendly coffees in the past, theyve used steam or solvents to remove any potential irritants from the coffee bean. Stomach friendly coffees that are currently on the market include Folgers Smooth and Java Soft. These options may be better than drinking regular coffee, but they dont completely eliminate the problem. Plus, the way these stomach friendly coffees are made removes some of the healthy antioxidants.

Coffee and Stomach Pain: What Causes It?

Some chemicals in coffee cause the stomach to produce more hydrochloric acid which, of course, leads to symptoms of stomach pain, acid reflux, and nausea. When researchers exposed stomach cells to a variety of different coffee components, they identified three -catechols, caffeine, and N-alkanoly-5-hydroxytryptamides as being the main culprits. At the same time, they found another chemical called N-methylpyridium or NMP that turns off the stomachs acid production and reduces the stomach pain people experience when drinking coffee.

Interestingly, NMP is not found in the raw coffee bean and is produced only when the coffee bean is roasted. The longer its roasted, the more acid-blocking NMP is produced. This means that dark roasted coffee and espresso is easier on the stomach than lighter roasted varieties.

A Better Stomach Friendly Coffee?

This finding should allow manufacturers to put out an even better stomach friendly coffee. Until then, people who experience stomach upset when drinking coffee still have options. They can choose darker roasted decaffeinated coffees and espresso which should cause less stomach irritation. Even better? Cut back on coffee until these newer, more stomach friendly coffees hit the market.

References:

http://www.foodnavigator.com/Science-Nutrition/Coffee-researchers-identify-stomach-friendly-ingredient

Eating Candy May Not Be so Unhealthy After All

Eating candy gets a bad rap. Sweets are blamed for everything from causing tooth decay, obesity and hyperactivity in kids. But theres good news for candy lovers. According to a new study published in the journal Nutrition Research, eating candy in moderation may not be so unhealthy after all.

Eating Candy May Not Be So Bad After All

This study looked at the candy-eating habits of more than 15,000 adults. When they did, they made some interesting observations. Adults who munched on candy had no greater risk of weight gain or obesity than adults who didnt. Even more surprising was the fact that candy eaters had lower levels of a marker for heart disease called c-reactive protein - and a lower risk of hypertension and metabolic syndrome, a health problem linked with type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Researchers didnt conclude from this study that eating candy is necessarily healthy, especially when its a substitute for more healthy dietary choices - but they believe that eating candy in moderation isnt necessarily a bad thing if you balance it with an otherwise healthy diet and regular exercise. Some candy eaters compensate for their candy indulgences by making healthy food choices at mealtime.

Chocolate is Healthy: Its the Better Way to Eat Candy

You probably already know that dark chocolate contains healthy compounds called flavanols that are good for the heart and help to improve mood by boosting levels of feel-good hormones called endorphins. Who doesnt get a little mood-lift after eating a piece of chocolate?

Eating plain dark chocolate with a high cacao content is one of the healthiest candy choices, but for even more heart-healthy benefits, munch on dark chocolate almonds instead. Almonds are a good source of vitamin E and monounsaturated fats that are heart-healthy. Almonds are also rich in magnesium, which helps to stabilize blood pressure.

Eating Candy and Healthy Chocolate: The Bottom Line?

A little candy in moderation or as a splurge after eating a healthy diet may not be so bad after all - but choose your candy wisely. Instead of munching on high-sugar candies with hydrogenated oils, choose sugar-free dark chocolate almonds for a heart-healthy treat, but dont eat too many. Theyre not low in calories.

References:

Medical News Today. "All Things in Moderation: An Occasional Treat Within a Healthy Lifestyle Means You Can have Your Candy"

Worlds Healthiest Foods website.

The Wonderful Health Benefits of Pine Nuts

When you think of a nut, its quite likely that a pine nut doesnt come to mind, but may maybe it should. Although technically not a nut - its actually a seed from the pine cone, this underappreciated snack offers considerable health benefits. What are some of the health benefits of pine cones and why should you add them to your diet?

Health benefits of pine nuts: They curb your appetite.

It may surprise you to learn that pine nuts can be a potent appetite suppressor. Why? Theyre a good source of a polyunsaturated fat known as pinolenic acid. When you eat a handful of pine nuts, the pinolenic acid stimulates the secretion of a hormone produced by the intestines known as CCK. CCK sends the signal to your brain that youre full which turns off your appetite. It also helps to slow down the rate at which your stomach empties so you feel full and satisfied longer. Who would have dreamed these tiny seeds from the pinecone could zap your appetite?

Health benefits of pine nuts: Theyre nutritional powerhouses.

A single serving of the lowly pine nut can provide you with up to fourteen grams of protein per serving, depending upon the species. Pine nuts are anywhere from ten to thirty-four percent protein. Theyre also an excellent source of fiber as well as vitamins E, K, and niacin. In terms of minerals, theyre an excellent source of magnesium and potassium which is important for maintaining a healthy heart and blood pressure.

Health benefits of pine nuts: Theyre heart healthy.

Pine nuts are high in monounsaturated fats, the same "heart healthy" fats that make nuts and olive oil so beneficial. These fats have not only been shown to reduce blood cholesterol levels but also help to protect the arteries from damage which can lead to a heart attack. Because of their high content, they can go rancid quickly when you buy them already shelled. Their shelf life can be prolonged by refrigeration.

Health benefits of pine nuts: They offer antioxidant protection.

Pine nuts are also high in antioxidants which help to protect the cells of your body from free radical damage. Pine nut oil can also be bought at some natural food markets to help you deliver even more antioxidant power to your salads.

There are so many ways to add the health benefits of pine nuts to your diet. Sprinkle them on salads or onto vegetables and pasta dishes. They also make up one of the main ingredients in basil pesto. To bring out their rich, buttery flavor even more, lightly toast them. Try experimenting in your own kitchen with these tasty "nutty" seeds. Youll soon wonder how you ever cooked without them.

How to Make Perfume from Flowers

Applying a beautiful smelling fragrance can be a real mood lifter but the synthetic perfumes you buy at the drugstore and department store are not only expensive but also contain a variety of chemicals that are thought to be harmful to health. One way to avoid the chemicals and still enjoy fragrance is to make your own perfume from flowers. If you grow your own flowers, you already have a source for making your own natural perfume. If not, you can buy the flower petals of your choice at your local florist or even ask a neighbor if you can borrow some of their unused petals. Be sure to take them some of the perfume you make to thank them for their kindness. Heres how to make perfume from flowers:

Ingredients needed:

One and one-half cups flower blossoms of your choice

Two cups of distilled water

Aluminum pot

Cheesecloth

Funnel

Glass perfume bottle

Make perfume from flowers: Gather your ingredients

You can use any of a variety of flower petals to make your own perfume. You can be a purist and use the blossoms from a single flower or mix blossoms from several flowers to create your own unique signature fragrance. To make your first perfume, youll need around a cup and a half of flower blossoms. Choose blossoms that havent been sprayed. If you buy them from a florist or gardening center, verify with them that theyre free of chemicals or pesticides.

Make perfume from flowers: Prepare your blossoms

Place your chosen flower blossoms into the aluminum pan along with two cups of distilled water. Turn the heat on high and allow your water to come to a complete boil. Once the water boils, turn down the heat to keep the temperature just below the boiling point. Allow the mixture to simmer for two and a half hours.

Make perfume from flowers: Prepare your perfume

Once the mixture has simmered for the allotted time, turn the heat down and allow your flower water to cool. Place cheesecloth into a funnel and slowly strain the flower water through the cheesecloth several times until all of the pulp is removed. Transfer your freshly made perfume to a pretty glass perfume bottle to enjoy at a later time.

Making perfume from flowers is so easy and inexpensive that youll never go back to the chemical laden perfumes that abound at your local department and drugstores. Keep in mind that homemade perfume without preservatives will have a shorter shelf life. Homemade, all natural perfume in a decorative bottle also makes a thoughtful gift for almost any occasion. Dont forget to keep several bottles of your homemade perfume handy for your own enjoyment.

What Causes a Head Rush?

You may have heard the term "head rush" and wondered what this expression means from a medical standpoint. A head rush is a term used to describe a brief fall in blood pressure that occurs when a person stands up too quickly or changes position suddenly. The symptoms of a head rush may include a momentary sensation of dizziness, dimming of vision, lightheadedness, or in rare cases, actual fainting can occur. As you might expect, this sensation can be frightening to those who experience it.

What Causes a Head Rush?

The symptoms of a head rush arise from the brief, but rapid fall in blood pressure. When in a sitting or squatting position, blood can pool in the feet and ankles. When moving from a sitting to a standing position quickly, the body may not adjust quickly enough to the reduced blood volume and the result can be a brief sensation of lightheadedness and dizziness. Although a head rush can occur in a normal person on occasion, especially in warm weather or immediately after eating, if it happens frequently it can indicate a medical problem.

Factors That Cause a Head Rush

In a healthy person, certain underlying factors increase the risk of developing symptoms of a head rush. Not drinking enough fluids or getting inadequate amounts of electrolytes such as sodium and potassium can cause dehydration which lowers blood volume and can lead to a head rush. This is more common when its hot outside. Drugs such as blood pressure medications, heart medications, diuretics, anti-depressants, and marijuana are another common cause. The symptoms of a head rush are more common in the elderly and those who have been on prolonged bed rest.

Medical Causes

More serious causes of a head rush include decreased blood volume due to anemia, certain types of heart and neurological diseases, diabetes and Addisons disease. If symptoms occur more than occasionally, medical attention may be needed. Most isolated episodes of head rush that occur infrequently are not due to underlying disease.

How to Prevent a Head Rush

The symptoms of a head rush can usually be prevented by getting up slowly from a lying or sitting position, particularly in warm weather and after eating a large meal. Drinking electrolyte rich fluids such as Gatorade in the summer can also be helpful. Eating regular, small meals rather than larger ones helps to prevent the drop in blood pressure that occurs after eating. If medications are a factor, they may need to be adjusted by a doctor.

Taking these steps can help to reduce the chance of experiencing a head rush, but if the symptoms persist, its best to see a doctor.

How to Wear Wedges

Wedge heels are all the rage in shoe wear for spring of 2008. Youll see them paired with full, flowing skirts and dresses, skirts, and even jeans for a fun and fresh warm weather look. Wedges are a popular selection since they have a substantial enough heel to add height but are more comfortable than conventional high heeled shoes. They also offer versatility since they can be worn with everything from warm weather casual to evening elegant, although most styles of wedges are meant for casual wear. If youve never worn this style of shoe, this is the year to give them a try. Here are some tips on wearing wedges:

How to wear wedges: Consider your build

Wedge heels are one of the most flattering shoe styles for women with heavy or thick calves and ankles. The clunky heel of the wedge shoe tends to balance thicker thighs and ankles. If your calves are bigger than youd like, youll want to grab several pairs of this shoe style to wear with skirts and dresses. If you have thinner calves and legs, you can still wear them, but try to avoid excessively chunky styles as they can overwhelm your leg.

How to wear wedges: Wear them with spring dresses and skirts

The full, flowing skirts and dresses youll see everywhere this spring are a natural for wedge heeled shoes .The wedge heel will give you the height you need and provide a nice balance for full, puffy skirts. Wedge heels will coordinate beautifully with gauzy pheasant skirts, tunics, and wrap dresses. Theyre also a perfect choice for a casual, summertime party or get together.

How to wear wedges: Wear them with pants

Wedge heeled shoes will add style to wide legged pants and will give you the extra height you need to prevent the leg shortening effect these pants can sometimes have. These shoes can look boho chic with a pair of faded wide legged jeans for a casual day of shopping. Wide leg pants are all the rage this spring so youll want to have the right shoes to go with them. Use caution when wearing wedges with pants that have narrow legs especially if you have larger feet since they can make you look too foot heavy.

How to wear wedges: Explore the different materials

Wedge heels will be found in an overwhelming array of colors, styles, and materials this year. Youll find these trendy heels in the form of boots, sandals, and pumps in leather, suede, canvas, and even metallics. Look for neutral shades to go with the popular Safari look and bright colors to go with this years focus on brights. Youll even find wedge heeled shoes in graphic print fabrics for casual wear. Consider all of your options before making your selection.

Spring 2008 is definitely the season of the wedge shoe. Dont overlook this fun fashion trend!

How to Write a Press Release to Promote Your Handmade Jewelry Business!

Do you want to generate some buzz for your handmade jewelry business! Heres how to write a good press release:

1. Always write your press release on your official company letterhead which includes your contact information including address, phone number, email address, and web site.

2. The words "For Immediate Release" should be typed at the top of the page in the left hand corner. This should be in all capital letters for additional emphasis.

3. In the upper right hand corner, you should type "Contact" in all caps. Skip a space and then type the contact persons name, address, and phone number. Heres an example:

CONTACT:

John Doe
John Doe Company
1111 Any Street
City, State 11111
#xxx-xxx-xxxx

4. Write your headline in bold type and center it just above the press release body. Make your headlight intriguing as is MUST grab the readers attention.

5. Your dateline will come next. This will include the city where the release was written along with the date.

Example: St. Louis, Missouri - January 1, 2002

6. The next portion should be a strong opening statement that includes the why, when, what, and where of your news release.

7. You should follow this statement with a more detailed description of what makes this item newsworthy. Similarly to constructing a sales letter, you want to think in terms of how your item might benefit the reader. Consider using a bulleted list of benefits that your product and service provides. Make your words compelling Its critical to keep the readers full attention!

8. The last few lines should inform the reader on how to get more information about your product or service. This should be brief and might include the address of your website.

9. Youll now want to include the medias universal code for the end of a press release. To do this, you would center -30- at the bottom of the page.

10. Congratulations, youve just completed your first press release!

A few other tips:

1. A press release should only be one page in length.

2. Since youre promoting your jewelry, its a good idea to send photos with your release. Photos should be 5" x 7".

3. Keep your press release short and simple. A press release is meant to briefly inform the reader of your product or service and how it might benefit them. Its not meant to be an exhaustive summary.

4. Ideally, a press release will be in the 350 - 550 word range. Longer is not better.

Hopefully, this will take some of the fear out of writing a press release. Why not start writing one today?

Exercises You Can Do to Stop a Leaky Bladder

A leaky bladder is a common problem, especially among women. Its more common in women who are obese and those who have carried several pregnancies. As a physician, I have encountered numerous women with this frustrating problem thats caused by pelvic muscles weakened by childbirth or obesity. Most people with a leaky bladder have urine leakage when they laugh, cough or sneeze. These movements put stress on pelvic floor muscles that are already weak. Fortunately, treating stress urinary incontinence or a leaky bladder can be as simple as strengthening the muscles in the floor of the pelvis through exercise. One of the best types of exercise for doing this is Kegel exercises.

What Are Kegel Exercises?

Kegel exercises are exercises used to strengthen the muscles of the pelvis wall that control urine flow. These exercises can be performed anywhere at any time and are effective for strengthening the muscles that support the bladder and pelvic organs. The exercises are simple to do and can be done while sitting, standing or lying down.

The Procedure for Doing Kegel Exercises

To do Kegel exercises, begin by emptying your bladder of urine. While assuming a sitting, standing or lying down position, contract the muscles in your pelvis and anal region as if youre trying to avoid urinating. Hold this position for three to five seconds before releasing. Repeat twelve to fifteen times throughout the day.

You can do these exercises when youre seated at your desk at work, while brushing your teeth, standing in line at the grocery store or doing other tasks. The good news is no one can see you doing them! One way to remember is to set an alarm to go off several times a day to remind yourself to contract your pelvic muscles. By doing these exercises consistently, youll strengthen these muscles over time and reduce the leakage of urine.

How Well Do Kegel Exercise Work for Treating a Leaky Bladder?

The good news is Kegel exercises are effective. A study published in the British Medical Journal in 1999 (BMJ 1999; 318(7182):487-93) compared pelvic floor exercises to two other types of treatment for stress urinary incontinence and leaky bladder. Kegel exercises resulted in greater improvement in leaky bladder than vaginal cones or electrical stimulation, two other treatments for this problem. Thats good news since women with leaky bladder can do these exercises anytime, anywhere.

How Long Does It Take to See Results?

You can expect to see results from Kegel exercise in about three months if youre doing them correctly.

References:

BMJ 1999;318(7182):487-93.
Merck Manual Nineteenth edition.

Depressed? Could it Be High Lead Levels?

Are you feeling a bit down lately? If so, you may want to get your lead level checked. According to a study published in Archives of General Psychiatry young adults with high levels of lead in their blood may be prone to depression, anxiety, and even panic attacks.

High Blood Levels of Lead and the Risk of Depression: A Study

To determine this, researchers looked at almost 2,000 young adults under the age of forty. After examining them and determining if they had psychiatric problems such as depression, anxiety, or panic attacks, they collected blood to check for high levels of lead. As it turns out, those adults who had the highest blood levels of lead were 2.3 times more likely to be diagnosed with depression and five times more likely to have panic disorder compared to those who had the lowest levels of lead in their blood.

How Does High Blood Lead Levels Cause Psychiatric Problems?

While the issue of lead poisoning has always focused around its effects on children, high levels of lead can cause problems for adults too - particularly brain health issues. Lead affects communication between brain cells by altering the levels of certain brain neurotransmitters which can increase the risk of depression, anxiety, and panic attacks. If blood levels of lead arent extremely high this may be the only symptoms a young adult experiences. Other symptoms of high blood levels of lead include nausea, decreased energy level, a bad taste in the mouth, irritability, headache, and difficulty focusing.

How Does an Adult Get High Blood Lead Levels?

Lead is commonly found in the environment as well as in the air, soil, and water. The most common way that adults get exposure to high levels of lead is through industrial occupations that manufacture products containing lead. Its not uncommon for workers to bring home lead particles on their clothing and expose other members of the household. Lead can also be found in soil and water that runs over lead pipes especially in areas near industrial sites. Food can be contaminated with lead especially if its cooked in ceramic bowls painted with lead glazes. Lead based paints and fumes from batteries are another source. High blood levels of lead can come from ingestion, inhalation, and even through skin contact.

Psychiatric Problems and High Levels of Lead: The Bottom Line?

If youre experiencing anxiety or depression, it may be helpful to check a lead level to se if it could be contributing to your symptoms. This can be checked with a simple blood test at your doctors office.

References:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091207164848.htm