Heartburn or GERD can Kill

Heartburn is a common annoyance. The busy lifestyle, quick meals, fatty or spicy foods all contribute to the occasional need of a chewable pain reliever. The acceptance of heartburn as an inconvenient, but natural, part of the daily grind can blind you to the warning that a severe heartburn symptom can bring.

Heartburn as a Disorder

Heartburn can be a symptom as well as a disorder. Simple heartburn or GERD can be controlled and dealt with. However, heartburn can signal the presence of a much more serious problem. If it’s heartburn, you will have a burning sensation in the chest usually after eating. There may be a spread of the burning to the throat, sometimes accompanied by a bad taste, difficulty in swallowing, belching, coughing, hoarseness and/or wheezing.

It can become worse by lying down or bending over or by eating. Relief can come from an antacid. While the more severe heartburn symptoms may be mistaken for a heart attack, simple heartburn is usually not made worse by exercise. If there is any concern that the pain may signal a heart attack, get help quickly.

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Why Allergy Sufferers Love Silk Flowers

By Phillipa Davis

Are you worried about having flowers at your wedding because of allergies? There is no need to worry about this any longer because the high quality silk flowers that are available will make you forget all about fresh cut flowers. The silk flowers that are on the market now are so realistic that nobody will know the difference unless they touch them. If you have been worrying about suffering from allergy symptoms on your wedding day, you can relax because you have found the solution. You will be able to enjoy the beauty of flowers without all the downsides as long as you choose wisely.

Improved technology means that there are brands of silk flowers available that are extremely detailed and lifelike. You would really be hard pressed to tell them apart from real flowers. It's really not surprising that they have gotten so popular. People with allergies to real flowers will enjoy them because they are non allergenic, but that's not the only benefit. Silk flowers will never wilt, crush under careless handling, or turn brown. There are so many varieties available that you can come up with endless possibilities for your wedding arrangements. Think about it, the flowers you adore will always be in season.

To create a basic silk flower arrangement for your wedding reception tables, consider using opaque vases. That way, you'll be able to set a piece of floral foam securely in the bottom. If you need to, you can use a glue gun to keep it from moving. For clear vases, use glass pebbles and water. It's important to create a sturdy base that's heavy enough to keep the arrangement from tipping. Some silk blossoms are heavier than they look, after all.

When making the arrangements, choose one flower to be the focus. It should be tallest bloom in the vase and should never be more than three or four times the height of the vase. Since you want this flower to catch the eye, choose one that is richly colored and large. If this flower is drooping, simply trim the stem a little to stabilize it. Once you have this bloom in place you can start adding smaller and slightly shorter flowers to give some visual support. Make sure all of the flowers are above the lip of the vase or they will be unseen. Three to five flowers are usually sufficient for small arrangements and will draw the eye to the center of the arrangement.

Once all the flowers are in place, you're ready to add some filler. You can use fern fronds and other kinds of leafy greenery. You can also add some very small accent flowers like forsythia, eucalyptus branch, baby's breath, and forget me not. You want the arrangement to look full without it appearing to be overcrowded. Keep in mind that imperfection is much better that perfect symmetry, which will look rather artificial. You may have to try several times, but once you're finished you'll have the perfect silk flower arrangements for your wedding. The nice thing a about silk flowers is that you can do it over and over until you are pleased.

About the Author:

No comments: