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.

Monday, July 6, 2009

Getting Familiar With The Acai Berry

By Dana Hawkes

The acai berry seems to have reached a sudden dizzying level of superstardom, but the fact is that this berry has been present on mother earth since centuries and has been used for its health benefits too. The acai is a native Brazilian fruit. It has been known in the rainforest region since several centuries. It is one of the staple foods of the region. But, it is only in the recent times that this berry has become popular outside this geographical region.

Acai berries are most popularly known for their high antioxidant content. They have the highest amount of antioxidants of all foods known today. Other foods that have a good antioxidant presence are grapes and blueberries. But the acai berry supersedes both these foods in terms of antioxidants. It has 10 times higher antioxidant property than grapes have and twice that of blueberries.

Apart from the antioxidants, acai berries are also known for the presence of other nutrients such as omega fats (which help in building up the helpful cholesterol in the body and reduce the harmful cholesterol amount), fibers, amino acids, proteins and vitamins A, B1 and E. Some health experts call acai berries as complete foods because of the high concentration of all these nutrients in them.

So, why is the acai berry so popular? The main reason for that is its high-potency nutrient content. There are various health benefits that are ascribed to the acai, including weight loss, mitigating aging signs, improving vision, improving cardiac health, controlling blood sugar levels, correcting cholesterol imbalances, improving mental health and sexual effectiveness and so on.

However, the acai berry is not a very stable food. It has a very short shelf life. The berry doesn't endure for more than 24 hours after it is plucked. That is the reason the berry was not gettable outside of its geographical region until lately.

Today, we have advanced in ways of preservation. That makes it possible to import acai berry around the world in the form of numerous products. The usual products that are made from the acai berry include pulp, squash, freeze dried powder, juice and so on.

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