How To Improve Digestive Health

Maintaining your digestive health is just as important as maintaining your heart health, bone health and the health of the rest of your body. The digestive system breaks down the food you eat into the nutrients your body needs. If you neglect your digestive health, your body could run into digestive problems like abdominal pain, cramping, constipation, diarrhea, gas, bloating, and nausea. Some of these digestive problems can be reduced or avoided entirely by improving your diet and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. By following simple tips you can improve and maintain your digestive health more efficiently.

Tips For Better Digestive Health:

1. Eat High Fiber Diet

• Fiber can help your Gastro Intestinal tract stay regular, improve cardiovascular health and regulate blood sugar levels. Fiber is found only in plant food. It's the part of the plant that is not digested in the human body. It's important to eat foods containing both soluble fiber, such as oat bran and beans, and insoluble fiber, such as whole-wheat products.
• Soluble fiber mixes with water to create a gel-like consistency, this slows digestion to help the body absorb more nutrients and remove substances like cholesterol. Eat foods rich in soluble fiber like oats and oat bran, nuts, legumes, peas, and some fruits and vegetables such as dried plums, apples and carrots. soluble fiber also controls your cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
• Insoluble fiber does not mix with water but adds bulk to stool and helps move food through the digestive system. Whole grains (especially wheat bran), skins of fruits, dried plums and many vegetables (cauliflower and potatoes) provide insoluble fiber. Increasing your intake of insoluble fiber will improve your bowel movements  and prevents constipation.
• High fiber foods are generally low in calories and they will also help you control your weight, lower your blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and reduce your risk of hemorrhoids (swollen and inflamed veins in the rectum and anus that cause discomfort and bleeding).

2. Drink Plenty Of Water

• Healthy digestion requires adequate fluid intake. The fiber in your food and water will increase the efficiency of your digestion by helping to soften and break down foods so your body can absorb the nutrients. It will also soften your stool and make regular bowl movements easier.

3. Eat More Fermented Foods

• A healthy digestive tract contains many species of microorganisms which help break down food. Fermented and cultured foods are high in good bacteria and eating them will help you regenerate and balance the bacterial community in your digestive system.
• Eat fermented products like yogurt or kefir on a daily basis, to strengthen the immune system, treat irritable bowel syndrome and maintain a healthy digestive system.

4. Exercise Regularly

• Exercise for at least 30 minutes every day. Exercise will reduce stress, control your weight, and help your intestines to contract normally, moving food through your system. Regular exercise will help the food move easily through the digestive system and reduce constipation.

5. Eat Less Fatty Foods

• Processed foods contain high quantities of sugar, salt and fat. Fatty foods tend to slow the digestive process, prevent us from being hungry for healthy foods and they cause irritable bowel movement and constipation. When these fatty foods pair with high fiber foods, it makes the digestion easy.

6. Eat Meals On A Regular Schedule

• Consuming meals on a regular schedule will keep your digestive system in good condition. Try to eat your breakfast, lunch, dinner around the same time each day.

7. Quit Smoking And Alcohol

• Excessive smoking and drinking leads to inflammation of the stomach lining, ulcers, cramping, bleeding, abdominal pain, heartburn and acid reflux. By quitting smoking and drinking you can reduce the risk of ulcers and cancers involved with the digestive system. 

8. Manage Stress

• Stress has a direct effect on digestive health. Stress can cause the passage of food through the digestive system to slow down or to speed up, which can cause abdominal pain. The digestive enzymes will be released in smaller amounts when you are under stress, thus leads to improper digestion, irritable bowel syndrome and constipation.
• Yoga, meditation, pranayama, listening to soothing music, massage, baths and other relaxation techniques can help you to handle stress and maintain proper digestive health.

9. Adjust Eating Patterns

• Avoid eating late at night or right before bedtime. It helps in reducing acid reflux and heartburn. Frequent, small meals keep your digestive system busy without overloading it.

Conclusion

Your lifestyle is directly impacted by the foods you eat and the lifestyle you live. By following the above tips your digestive system will work efficiently, improving your overall health. Consult a physician and seek their advice before changing your diet and lifestyle.

How Skipping Meals Is Unhealthy

Majority of people tend to skip their meals, giving various excuses. Some people skip their meals occasionally but some people skip their meals regularly thinking that if they eat fewer meals, they’ll take in fewer total calories and lose weight more successfully. Although skipping a meal on rare occasions is harmless, skipping meals often does have negative health effects. Skipping meals regularly have long-term effects on the body and even contribute to the development of some chronic conditions. By skipping meals, you don’t get any closer in developing a healthy-looking body. In fact, doing it might make it even harder for you to get rid of the extra weight.

Effects Of Skipping Meals On Health

The effects of skipping meals on health is explained below:

1. Weight Gain

• When you don’t eat for a long, it turns the hunger to craving. In this situation, the spicy, peppery, frozen, oily and fried eatables attract more. Craving leads to overeating and insensible eating. This leads to more calorie intake, which boosts weight gain.

2. Lowers Nutritional Levels

• Cutting back on meals means cutting back on opportunities to consume adequate amounts of the vitamins, minerals, protein, and essential fatty acids our bodies need in a day. These dietary components are vital to many body processes such as growth and development, disease prevention and overall well-being.

3. Drop In Blood sugar levels

• When you skip a meal, you don’t supply your body with the fuel it runs on. Consequently, your blood sugar levels drop and the body experiences a shortage of energy.
• Sticking to a healthy eating routine can become much more difficult when you skipped your last meal. So you start craving unhealthy snacks just to bring those sugar levels up.
• When your sugar levels drastically fluctuate between highs and lows, your dieting efforts get seriously compromised. Also, insulin – the hormone that regulates glucose levels – gets disturbed. There is a chance that you are contributing to the development of diabetes later in life.
• The drop in blood sugar level due to skipping meal makes your body releasing hormones to compensate for low glucose level. It causes an increase in blood pressure and affects the arteries, making them narrow. 

4. Impairs Concentration

• Glucose, which your body obtains by breaking down nutrients in the food you eat, is the primary source of energy for your brain and central nervous system. When you fast for several hours or more, the supply of glucose to your brain dwindles.
• Within four to six hours of your last food intake, the brain starts experiencing a fuel shortage, you become tired, sluggish, moody and irritable and your cognitive functions are affected, and you might have difficulty with attention, memory, concentration and general mental performance.

5. Slows The Metabolism

• When you skip meals, your metabolism slows down. As a result, the food transforms into fat more readily and gets deposited in all the places you don’t want it to be.
• When your body enters into starvation mode, it looks for new sources of energy. Your metabolism starts transforming fat into energy. This might sound like a good plan, but can have health consequences that include nausea, constipation, fatigue, kidney stress, low blood pressure. fat more readily and gets deposited in all the places you don’t want it to be.

6. Miss Your Exercise Session

• When you are physically and mentally feeling unwell, this affects all other areas of your life. Like you might want to give your exercise session a miss, because you’re simply not feeling energetic enough to do it. Or, you start craving unhealthy snacks just to bring those sugar levels up.
• Even if you push through your fatigue and hit the gym, skipping a meal can leave you feeling terrible through your session.

7. GERD, Gas, Bloating

• The digestive juice is responsible for proper functioning of digestive tract. They work in form of digestive enzymes and from chewing process, they kick-start to perform their action. Missing meals not only causes lack of nutrition, but also decrease the formation rate of digestive enzymes. Their insufficient quantity results to poor digestion, triggering gas and bloating.  
• Gastro-colic reflex also causes irritable bowel syndrome or diarrhea.

8. Bad Breath or Chronic Breath

• When you skip meals regularly, the chemical reaction of ketoacidosis starts. In this, the body chemicals break down and develop an unpleasant, odd fruity odor.
• Empty stomach reduces the amount of saliva production. Saliva helps to flush away the unwanted bacteria in tongue, gums and teeth; less formation of saliva leads to dry mouth, which results in bad breath.

Conclusion

Skipping meals sets your body for a slower metabolism and crazy hunger pangs that are tough to resist. Lose weight by eating smaller, healthier meals throughout the day. Make sure to eat high-quality, nutrient-rich food: lean protein combined with carbs from whole grains and some monounsaturated good fats. Ramp up your workouts so you burn more calories, as well. In order to maintain a healthy lifestyle and set your body up to succeed, focusing on consuming more nutritious, well-rounded meals is necessary for overall health.

The Difference Between Organic Foods And Whole Foods

Nowadays we hear a lot about the organic and whole foods. If you are confused about the difference between whole foods and organic foods, read below to better understand these terms. Both whole foods and organic foods are beneficial for the human body compared to foods that contain chemicals and preservatives.

What Are Whole Foods?                         

• The term whole food refers to any food that is as close to its natural state as possible for consumption.
• Whole foods are foods that are unprocessed and unrefined, or processed and refined as little as possible, before being consumed.
• Whole foods are free of chemicals, additives and preservatives. Whole foods typically do not contain added salt, carbohydrates, or fat.
• Fruits and vegetables are a simple example of a whole food. Other types of whole foods include nuts, beans, seeds, milk, eggs and certain cuts of meat, fish and poultry. If any additives or processing has occurred, then a food is no longer considered a whole food. The process of pasteurization to milk is not considered an unnatural process and pasteurized milk is still considered a whole food.

What Are Organic Foods?

• Organic food has become very popular these days. Organic foods are foods produced by organic farming. Farmers are not allowed to use synthetic pesticides, bioengineered genes (GMOs), petroleum-based fertilizers, and sewage sludge-based fertilizers.
• Organic livestock must have access to the outdoors and be given organic feed. They may not be given antibiotics, growth hormones, or any animal-by-products.
• The goal of organic foods and organic farming is to "integrate cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity."
• To be certified as organic, certified government officials visit the farms and plants that grow and process these foods. After inspection, if the locations are up to USDA standards, hen the farm or plant is certified as organic.
• When you’re shopping for organic foods, look for the “USDA Organic” seal. Only foods that are 95 to 100 percent organic (and GMO-free) can use the USDA Organic label.
• 100% Organic – Foods that are completely organic or made with 100% organic ingredients may display the USDA seal. Organic – Foods that contain at least 95% organic ingredients may display the USDA seal.
• Made with organic ingredients – Foods that contain at least 70% organic ingredients will not display the USDA seal but may list specific organic ingredients on the front of the package. Contains organic ingredients – Foods that contain less than 70% organic ingredients will not display the USDA seal but may list specific organic ingredients on the information panel of the package.

Benefits Of Whole Foods

• When foods are processed, vitamins, minerals, fiber and water are often lost during the process, which makes the food less healthy. Whole foods are not processed nor do they have any of these unhealthy additives.
• Many studies have found that a diet high in healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are associated with a reduced risk of diseases such as many types of cancer, type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases.
• They also contain phytochemicals, the general name for natural compounds in plants, which protects our cells against damage.
• One of the biggest advantages of eating whole foods is that you're getting the natural synergy of all the nutrients together.
• With all of the extra fat and sugar in processed foods, the calories can quickly add up. That leads to weight gain. But eating more healthy whole foods may actually help you maintain or lose weight. The natural fiber in many vegetables, fruits, and grains may fill you up without adding many calories.
• Whole foods do not have any unnecessary added sugars and salt. The extra salt and sugar in processed foods leads to high blood pressure and numerous other health problems.
• Generally, the more processed things are, the higher the cost. Whole foods are much cheaper than processed foods. They're also available everywhere.

Benefits Of Organic Foods

• Organic food benefits the environment. Organic farms do not produce pesticides or fertilizer run-off, which often can end up in rivers, lakes or streams. These chemicals could containment drinking water and destroy habitats. Research has shown that certain pesticides are toxic and can lead to health problems such as Parkinson's disease, cancer, reproductive disorders and respiratory problems.
• One of the goals of organically grown and produced foods are to encourage environmentally friendly farming and growth practices, cycling of natural resources, and growing food without the need for harsh pesticides or chemical fertilizers.
• The Annals of Internal Medicine summary concluded that organic foods have no substantial vitamin or mineral advantage over foods that are conventionally grown. It stated that there is no strong evidence to prove that organic foods are significantly more nutritious than conventional foods. Consumption of organic foods may reduce exposure to pesticide residues and antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
• Organic produce contains fewer pesticides. Pesticides are chemicals such as fungicides, herbicides, and insecticides. These chemicals are widely used in conventional agriculture and residues remain on (and in) the food we eat.
• Organic food is often fresher. Fresh food tastes better. Organic food is usually fresher because it doesn’t contain preservatives that make it last longer.
• Organic food is GMO-free. Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) or genetically engineered (GE) foods are plants or animals whose DNA has been altered in ways that cannot occur in nature or in traditional crossbreeding, most commonly in order to be resistant to pesticides or produce an insecticide. In most countries, organic crops contain no GMOs and organic meat comes from animals raised on organic, GMO-free feed.
• Organic foods are expensive than whole and conventional foods. Part of it is a matter of supply and demand, and part of it is that organic produce, meat, and dairy often require more money to grow than conventional goods.

Conclusion
Whether you want to buy organic foods or whole foods over conventional depends entirely on you, your budget, and what you expect to get out of those foods. If the reason you've been buying organic or whole food for is nutritional purpose, then there's no reason to continue. However, if you've been buying them because they're "better for you" in terms of chemical pesticides or growth hormones or antibiotics, you'll definitely be getting food with lower levels.

Jet Lag

Jet lag, medically refered to as desynchronosis, is a physiological condition which results from alterations to the body's circadian rhythms resulting from rapid long-distance transmeridian travel on high-speed aircraft. It is a temporary sleep problem that can affect anyone who quickly travels across multiple time zones. Our bodies have a sort of internal biological clock that follows a 24-hour cycle, called a circadian rhythm. A tiny part of the brain called the hypothalamus acts like an alarm clock to activate various body functions such as hunger, thirst, and sleep. It also regulates body temperature, blood pressure, and the level of hormones and glucose in the bloodstream. To help the body tell the time of day, fibers in the optic nerve of the eye transmit perceptions of light and darkness to a timekeeping center within the hypothalamus. So, when the eye of an air traveler perceives dawn or dusk many hours earlier or later than usual, the hypothalamus may trigger activities that the rest of the body is not ready for, and jet lag occurs.

Symptoms Of Jet Lag

 

The symptoms of jet lag can vary. You may experience only one symptom or you may have many. Jet lag symptoms may include:

• Disturbed sleep. Sleep disruption includes trouble falling asleep, early awakening, trouble remaining asleep.
• Poor performance on mental tasks and concentration, increased fatigue, headaches, and irritability.
• Problems with digestion, including indigestion, changes in the frequency of defecation and consistency of feces.

Causes

• The influence of sunlight is one main cause for jet lag. A key influence on your internal clock is sunlight. That's because light influences the regulation of melatonin, a hormone that helps synchronize cells throughout the body. Certain cells in the tissue at the back of your eye (retina) transmit the light signals to hypothalamus. 
• At night, when the light signal is low, the hypothalamus tells the pineal gland, a small organ situated in the brain, to release melatonin. During daylight hours, the opposite occurs, and the pineal gland produces very little melatonin.
• You may be able to ease your adjustment to your new time zone by exposing yourself to daylight in the new time zone so long as the timing of light is done properly.
• Some research shows that changes in cabin pressure and high altitudes associated with air travel may contribute to some symptoms of jet lag, regardless of travel across time zones. 
• Humidity levels are low in planes. If you don't drink enough water during your flight, you can get slightly dehydrated. Dehydration may also contribute to some symptoms of jet lag. 

 Home Remedies For Jet Lag

 

The disruption of normal schedules caused by flying and especially jet lag completely change your sleep patterns. If you're traveling between time zones, you can try some of these home remedies to cope up from jet lag.

 

1. Sunlight

• Use sunlight to reset your internal clock. It's the most powerful natural tool for regulating the sleep-wake cycle.
• Morning light exposure can usually help you adjust to an earlier time zone (traveling eastward), while evening light helps you adapt to a later time zone (traveling westward). Combining light exposure with exercise such as walking or jogging may help you adapt to the new time even faster.

2. Follow A New Schedule before you leave

• If you’re traveling east, start moving your bedtime earlier. Shift it a half-hour earlier each night for several nights before you leave.
• If you’re traveling west, do the opposite. You can also try moving your mealtimes closer to the time you’ll be taking them at your destination.

3. Adapt To Your New Schedule

• Change your watch when you get on the plane. This is mostly psychological, but it helps you get into the mind-set of what you’ll be doing in the place where you’re going.
• Try to sleep on the plane if it’s nighttime where you’re going or stay awake if it’s daytime but don’t force it. It can be difficult to force yourself to sleep and that can cause frustration, which can then prevent sleep. If that happens, just try to rest as much as possible.

4. Stay Hydrated

•  Drink water before, during, and after your flight to counteract dehydration.

5. Drink Caffeine

• Beverages with caffeine such as coffee, soft drinks may help offset daytime sleepiness. Drink caffeinated drinks judiciously. Avoid caffeinated beverages after midday since caffeine consumed after that time may make it even more difficult to fall asleep or sleep well.

6. Melatonin

• Melatonin, a natural hormone secreted in our bodies helps regulate our circadian rhythms so that we sleep at night. It is also sold out as a supplement to combat jet lag and aid sleep.
• Melatonin can interact with medications, and if taken incorrectly can actually disrupt sleep, so be sure to consult your doctor before trying it.

7. Eat Sensibly

• You should not take heavy meals containing high carbs, fatty foods before bedtime. Because heavy meals close to bedtime disrupts your sleep.

8. Take A Hot Shower Before Bedtime

• A hot shower can ease sore muscles from travel and help you relax. The drop in your body temperature when you get out of a bath may also make you sleepy.

 Treatment

 

Jet lag is generally temporary and usually doesn't need treatment. Symptoms often improve within a few days. If the home remedies don't work out and the symptoms aren't improved, then you need to consult a physician for the treatment. The physician may prescribe you with few medications or light therapy.

 

Medications:

• Nonbenzodiazepines, such as zolpidem (Ambien), eszopiclone (Lunesta) and zaleplon (Sonata).
• Benzodiazepines, such as triazolam (Halcion).

• These medications sometimes called sleeping pills may help you sleep during your flight and for several nights afterward. Although these medications appear to help sleep duration and quality, they may not lessen daytime symptoms of jet lag. These medications are usually only recommended for people who haven't been helped by other treatments.

Light therapy:

• Your body's internal clock or circadian rhythms are influenced by exposure to sunlight, among other factors. When you travel across time zones, your body must adjust to a new daylight schedule and reset, allowing you to fall asleep and be awake at the appropriate times.
• Light therapy can help ease that transition. It involves exposing your eyes to an artificial bright light or lamp that simulates sunlight for a specific and regular amount of time during the time when you're meant to be awake.

Conclusion

 

It's not possible to prevent jet lag, but there are things you can do to reduce its effects. By following the above home remedies you can quickly recover from the jet lag. If the home remedies aren't working for you its better to consult a physician as soon as possible for the treatment. 

 

Balanced Diet For Healthy Mind and Body

Eating is our most vital bodily function. To create a healthy body and mind, our food must be nourished. Ideal nutrition comes from consuming a variety of foods that are appropriately prepared and eaten with awareness. Nutritional deficiencies can cause an imbalance in the body. This might be experienced as mental or physical fatigue, which can severely affect all parts of our health. It’s more important to eat a healthy diet than ever when learning to bring balance back to the body. These balancing foods nourish us physically, providing vitamins, minerals and some provide amino acids to give us energy and nourish our cells. Others help calm the mind to bring balance mentally. Eating too many of the same foods, processed foods, or a simple lack of variety in the diet can all lead to dietary imbalance.

Foods For Maintaining A Healthy Mind And Body

1. Green vegetables

• Green vegetables include lettuce, spinach, cabbage, broccoli, kale etc. contains high magnesium content and provides quality minerals that can help curb sugar cravings.
• They also provide iron for energy, B vitamins for the brain and metabolic health, and physically chewing them or drinking them in a smoothie truly does have a cooling, calming effect on the body.

2. Root vegetables

• Root vegetables include carrot, beetroot, radish, turnip, celery root, ginger, garlic, turmeric, sweet potatoes etc. These foods are rooted in the earth, the deepest sense of nourishment all foods can come from. Just like roots are grounded in the earth, they also help calm the body, provide a steady energy, and relieve mental stress that comes from eating too many stimulating foods.

3. Grains

• Grains like oats, rice, wheat, etc. all provide amino acids and protein that the body needs to stay healthy. They also contain B vitamins, fiber, and magnesium, which helps calm you down and also provides a natural, steady energy.

4. Herbs

• Herbs like oregano, basil, sage, etc. are all some of the most calming and nutritious herbs to eat. These provide satiety and flavor to meals. Herbs like mint and cilantro, parsley helps keep the digestion flowing well to promote gastrointestinal balance.

5. Dairy

• Dairy products like milk, yogurt, cheese, probiotic candies etc. now on the market are good ways to balance the body. These foods provide probiotics to keep the gut working well. A healthy gut leads to a healthy mind, so take care of your micro biome with these healthy foods. 

6. Healthy fats

• Avocados, olives, raw coconut, and raw nuts and seeds will give your body healthy fats it needs for balance as well. These foods, even in a raw state, provide B vitamins and fats that bring a sense of calm to the brain. They also help your body absorb nutrients from other foods.

Conclusion

Eating nutritious food offers long-term health benefits. Making nutritious food choices can keep your energy level steady, boost up your immunity and even help you sleep better. Don’t overwhelm yourself by trying to overhaul your diet all at once. Small, simple changes add up.

Acid Reflux

Acid reflux is when some of the acid content of the stomach flows up into the esophagus into the gullet, which moves food down from the mouth. At the entrance to your stomach is a valve, which is a ring of muscle called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). Normally, the LES closes as soon as food passes through it. If the LES doesn't close all the way or if it opens too often, acid produced by your stomach can move up into your esophagus. This can cause symptoms such as a burning chest pain called heartburn. If acid reflux symptoms happen more than twice a week, you have acid reflux disease, also known as gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD).

 

Causes Of Acid Reflux

 

Several factors may increase the risk of acid reflux disease:

• Stomach abnormalities: One of the main causes of acid reflux disease is a stomach abnormality called a hiatal hernia, which can occur in people of any age. A hiatal hernia happens when the upper part of the stomach and the LES move above the diaphragm. This is the muscular wall separating your stomach from your chest. When it works correctly, the diaphragm normally helps keep acid from rising into your esophagus. If you have a hiatal hernia, it is easier for acid to move up into your esophagus. 
• Smoking: Smoking causes acid reflux disease by damaging mucus membranes, impairs the muscle reflexes in the throat, reduces the LES muscle function and salivation which neutralizes the effect of acid.
• Diet: Eating large meals or lying down right after a meal can trigger heartburn or other symptoms of acid reflux disease, such as a dry cough or trouble swallowing. Acid reflux increases by the type of diet we take. Foods that cause acid reflux are alcohol, carbonated beverages, chocolate, citrus fruits such as oranges or lemons, coffee or tea (regular or decaffeinated), fatty or fried foods, foods containing tomato such as spaghetti sauce, salsa, or pizza, garlic, onions, mint, spicy foods.
• Pregnancy: Many women experience acid reflux for the first time during pregnancy. This is caused by increasing levels of hormones combined with pressure from the growing fetus. It becomes worst during the third trimester. The symptoms almost always go away after the delivery.
• Being overweight or obese.
• Eating a heavy meal and lying on your back or bending over at the waist.
• Snacking close to bedtime.
• Low dietary fiber. 
• Low physical exercise.
• Medications, including drugs for asthma, calcium-channel blockers, antihistamines, painkillers, sedatives, and antidepressants.

 Symptoms Of Acid Reflux

Common symptoms of acid reflux are:

• Heartburn: A burning pain or discomfort that may move from your stomach to your abdomen or chest, or even up into your throat.
• Regurgitation: Sometimes acid escaping from your stomach can make its way into the back of your throat, leaving an icky, bitter taste in your mouth. In really extreme cases, this can cause choking.
• Chest pain: Chest pain, which occurs because stomach acid is splashing into the esophagus, is a classic acid reflux symptom. But the pain can last longer and be more intense than expected. Many people mistake heartburn from a heart attack. You can never ignore chest pain, especially if it gets worse when you exercise.
• Hoarseness: You might think you're in the early stages of a cold when your voice starts cracking, but hoarseness can be another heartburn symptom. If stomach acid is seeping into your esophagus it can irritate your vocal cords.
• Sore throat : A sore throat is another classic cold or flu symptom that might actually be caused by digestive problems. If your throat tends to ache only after meals, you may have heartburn. Unlike with a cold or the flu, however, this type of sore throat can also be chronic. If you don't develop other symptoms, such as sniffling or sneezing, consider acid reflux.
• Cough: Many respiratory symptoms, such as chronic cough and wheezing, can also be due to heartburn, likely because stomach acid is getting into your lungs. If you suspect heartburn is at the root of your breathing difficulties possibly because it occurs immediately after eating.
• Nausea: Nausea is associated with so many things that it can be hard to attribute it to reflux. If nausea tends to come on right after meals, then it might be an indication of acid reflux.
• Dysphagia: Overtime, the continuous cycle of damage and healing after acid reflux causes scarring. This, in turn, causes swelling in the lower-esophagus tissue, resulting in a narrowing of the esophagus and difficulty swallowing.
• Bloody or black stools or bloody vomiting.

Natural Remedies To Reduce Acid Reflux

Millions of people all around the world suffer from acid reflux and heartburn. Whether it’s caused by eating a huge pizza or burger or something as light as a bread, there are several foods that can trigger acid reflux. Your reflux might not be so bad as to require prescriptions and a doctor visit, but you may want a simple solution to help you eat whatever you like. These simple, natural home remedies help in reducing acid reflux, letting you enjoy your favorite foods.

 

1. Fennel seeds

• Fennel has been used for thousands of years in the treatment of digestive issues. It helps to reduce stomach muscle spasms and acid creation, calming the stomach down before it gets upset and creates too much acid.
• Fennel is often used in combination with baking soda to treat colic in infants as well. Try mixing it with baking soda for the ultimate acid reflux relief. You can also chew fennel seeds or boil them in water for a fennel tea.

2. Baking soda

• Baking soda is one best method to reduce acid reflux. Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate, which counteracts stomach acid, calming an upset stomach and helps to prevent gastric acids from flowing back into your esophagus and chest.
• To prevent acid reflux, mix 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda in half a cup of water and drink the liquid. It takes about 15 minutes to work.

3. Mint

• Mint herbs can help aid in digestion and calm the stomach. You can chew on mint leaves or drink mint tea before or after the meal. Mint oil can be added to any drink for quick acid reflux relief.

4. Licorice Root

• Clinical studies have actually shown licorice as a great supplement for a number of problems. Unlike antacids, licorice helps heal the stomach and the esophagus lining by creating a protective mucous.
• One ingredient naturally found in licorice is Glycyrrhizin, which can raise blood pressure. When shopping for licorice, look for deglycyrrhizinated licorice, which is specifically made for treating digestive issues.

5. Ginger

• Ginger is a popular remedy for pregnant women suffering from morning sickness, and it also prevents an upset stomach and “cleanse the palate”.
• Because ginger is such a potent remedy for stomach ailments, it is great for treating acid reflux. You can use powdered ginger, fresh ginger, candied ginger, ginger capsules or liquid ginger to get relief from acid reflux.

6. Turmeric

• Turmeric is a member of the ginger family, has been used for thousands of years to treat various ailments. Turmeric is a potent aid in digestion, and it reduces acid build up in the stomach. Turmeric also has anti-inflammatory effects, soothing a burning esophagus.

7. Aloe Vera juice

• Aloe Vera is a great remedy for relieving a burning esophagus and throat while calming the stomach.

8. Chewing gum

• Besides eliminating garlic breath, chewing gum after a meal might have other advantages. Several studies have shown that chewing gum increases saliva production, which is a natural acid neutralizer. As saliva is created and slides down the throat, it coats the esophagus to help neutralize stomach acids.

9. Chamomile tea

• Like aloe Vera, chamomile can decrease inflammation flare ups in the esophagus and help calm an acid-filled stomach.

10. Slippery elm

• Despite limited research, slippery elm has been used in herbal remedies for centuries to treat a variety of illnesses, including GERD symptoms. This tree extract thickens the layer of mucous lining the stomach, creating a stronger barrier against acid.

Prevention Of Acid Reflux Through Lifestyle Changes

Lifestyle can play a large part in the development of acid reflux-related problems, and changes to lifestyle or behavior can prevent or improve symptoms. Here is a list of things to try to see if symptoms resolve:

• Avoid fatty or greasy foods, chocolate, caffeine, spicy foods, citrus, and tomato-based foods. These foods decrease the competence of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES).
• Don't eat large meals. Eating a lot of food at one time increases the amount of acid needed to digest it. Eat smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day.
• Don't eat within 3 hours of bedtime. This allows your stomach to empty and acid production to decrease.
• Don't lie down right after eating at any time of day.
• Avoid increased pressure on your abdomen, such as from tight belts or doing sit-up exercises.
• Lose excess weight. Overweight and obese people are much more likely to have bothersome reflux than people of healthy weight.
• Stand upright or sit up straight, maintain good posture. This helps food and acid pass through the stomach instead of backing up into the esophagus.
• Avoid drinking alcohol. Alcohol increases the likelihood that acid from your stomach will back up.
• Stop smoking. Smoking weakens the lower esophageal sphincter and increases reflux.
• Talk to your healthcare professional about taking over-the-counter pain relievers such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), or medicines for osteoporosis.

Conclusion

 

If self-care and treatment with nonprescription medication does not work, your health-care professional likely will prescribe one of a class of stronger antacids. This therapy may be needed only for a short time or over a longer period while you make gradual changes in your lifestyle.

 

 

Laziness

Laziness (also called indolence) is a disinclination to activity or exertion despite having the ability to do so. Laziness is an existent part of this world. People have all been lazy at some point of their life or another. Laziness is a feeling of not doing anything. Do not get it confused with tiredness it is a completely different thing. When you are feeling tired, it is your body that feels tired, but when you are feeling lazy, it is when you mentally fail to get up and do something. The main cause of laziness is lack of motivation, when you don’t feel like doing anything. This may be because of pressure initiated by your fellow human beings or the fact that you are completely absorbed into the world of entertainment technology. Lack of motivation would lead us relying on technology, therefore, we would become more lazier.

 

Causes Of Laziness

 

The factors that are responsible for laziness and lack of action-taking in most people are:

 

1. Distraction

• Anything external that prevents you from taking action qualifies as a distraction. Common examples of distractions are social networking websites, games, TV, etc.
• These things get in the way and prevent you from doing the things you want to do.
• When people believe they are multitasking they are just switching between the various tasks that they have on their plate. Your brain is basically a single channel processor, so you have to switch off one task to do another and then switch back.
• People try to multitask in their ‘busy’ lives, as they will start on a task and then a tweet arrive that they feel they have to answer or a Facebook message, etc. We are our own worst enemies is this area as we feel we need to stay connected all the time.
• Modern multitasking is a terrible cause of distraction as it puts too many different things in front of us at once.

2. Procrastination 

• Procrastination is a psychological cause of laziness that basically means you put off things you need to do. This might sound somewhat similar to distraction, but the difference lies in the fact that procrastination is an internal factor.
• It comes from within your mind and can be caused by various factors like fearing a negative outcome, or not being able to find a starting point.
• When one is overwhelmed with things to do, the brain tends to slow down. The person convinces themselves that they simply cannot do it. When one is convinced that the task at hand is too much for them, they see no reason to even start hence entertaining the idea of laziness.

 3. Low energy

• A common source of laziness is simply being drained.
• Even small changes can lead to an impact on your energy levels that you might not notice immediately.
• Fewer hours of sleep or lower quality sleep can mean you start each day with less energy.

4. Lack of motivation

• Every project usually begins with inspiration. However, if you’re working with the same tasks for months, some of the initial motivation for starting might be gone. Your big plans get replaced with smaller frustrations and it can be hard to find the motivation to keep going. 
• You don’t like the work. You can’t see a long-term vision from the work. You can’t find a reason to be productive. This is a genuine reason to be in a slump.

5. Lifestyle issues

• For a number of people the cause of their laziness can be identified by poor nutrition. Again, today’s lifestyle drives people to take quick snacks and takeaway foods that over time can lead to us feeling run down, or being overweight.
• These areas, like poor diet, lack of the right vitamins and minerals, and insufficient exercise leave you with little energy that also contributes to your general feeling of laziness.
• If you have an unhealthy diet like junk food and sugary snacks/drinks that lead to hormone or insulin spikes, then you will probably feel lazy because of them.
• Staying up late doing things that are not important at all, such as chatting on social media, watching movies and texting. These things tend to consume too much of your time. They might prevent you from doing what really matters.

6. Irresponsibility

• Irresponsible people are lazy. A perfect example of this is people who hire others to do tasks that they can do but don’t want to for instance nannies, gardeners, personal assistants. Having everything done for you makes you lazy and disabled.

7. Indecisiveness

• Life is all about the decisions you make. Some people’s minds are never made up or they can’t decide, and this can lead to indecision or laziness. You might start thinking about things to do in the morning and by noon, you still haven’t decided yet. This means that you have wasted half a day. By the time you decide, there isn’t enough time left to do it. This is a wasted day and the fact that no chore or duty.

 How To Overcome Laziness

• Every time you start being lazy, stand back and do a little assessment of what's really been happening. Laziness is generally a symptom and not the problem itself. Are you tired, overwhelmed, afraid, hurting, or just plain uninspired and stuck. Most likely, the issue is smaller than you think, and you can get past it more easily than you realize.
• Whatever it is that is holding you back, do your best to unearth it. In most cases, it'll be one single specific problem or detail. Finding the cause is the only way you can actually address it. Once you have addressed it, you can deal with it effectively.
• A cluttered environment clutters your mind too and leads to laziness. Ensure that your home, car, office, purse and bedroom are well organized. This will motivate you to maintain the cleanliness as well as help you relax and think more clearer.
• First off, the habit of procrastinating or postponing things reduces our chances of accomplishing. It takes our chance to achieve whatever we desire to reach. In order to overcome procrastination, it is very helpful to split tasks, which look at first glance impossible or very difficult, into sub tasks that you can perform one after the other and that help you to get started.
• Lack of self worth breeds laziness, believe in yourself and traits of laziness will disappear. Just like any other person, you deserve better things, chances and life. Listen to inspirational speakers, read motivational books and surround yourself with positive people. This way, you will want only the best for yourself hence work harder at achieving the best.
• Working without a plan is like shooting an arrow at no particular target. It will land anywhere. Start your day with specific targets, guided by a timetable. Write down the things that you need to do and focus on beating deadlines. When you get used to this you will experience more results, become organized and laziness will become a thing of the past. Get a day planner, diary, timetable and organizers to help you plan better.
• Breaking down tasks into small steps helps us to reduce the pressure of deadlines and will keep us motivated to perform these tasks one after the other in a relaxed way. Once you have completed one sub task you can tell yourself that you´re on a roll and that you will soon have finished the next sub tasks as well.
• It is important to get started with the task you want to perform in order to fight laziness effective. An effective trick that helps you doing so is to start with the simple things first that will slowly but surely break your inner resistance.
• Eat healthily. Junk food doesn't give your body the nutrients it needs to be active. A body lacking in energy can easily cause you to feel lazy and apathetic. Proper diet makes our body healthy and active.
• The benefits of exercise are innumerable. It gets your blood flowing, your metabolism up, and your body in an energized state.
• Doing meditation can help reduce laziness by improving your level of alertness and your awareness of the present moment as you pay attention to your breathing, posture and five senses, as well as your capacity to control and focus your thoughts, emotions and level of positive energy.
• One of the things holding you back from success is distraction. It’s just too easy in our age of 24/7 connectivity to get distracted by text messages, social media, news sites, or videos on YouTube.
• Eliminating distractions from your life will have one of the biggest impacts on your ability to get stuff done and kick procrastination to the curb.
• Start by using a tool like "Focal Filter" to block sites that are distracting you from your work. If there are only a few websites you need to visit to complete any one task, then block everything else until you get it done.

Conclusion

Most of the people who complain about being lazy can relate to  some extent with the causes mentioned above. It isn’t actually that difficult to stop procrastinating and overcome laziness. It just takes the consistent application of proven methods. By identifying the factors that affect you, you can then take the appropriate steps to eliminate or minimize laziness.