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, July 26, 2009

Healthy Snacks for Weight Loss

By Travis Van Slooten

You would think that not snacking between meals is the most logical thing to do to lose weight. Studies have shown however, that having healthy snacks for weight loss is a better strategy than not having snacks at all. Why? Because you'd end up eating more during mealtimes, taking in more calories and fats. The key here is identifying which are foods healthy to snack on and then practice healthy snacking.

The main advantage of being able to snack in between meals is that, when you come to the dinner table, you are not suffering from suppressed hunger. When you refrain from eating if you're hungry, the tendency for you would be to reward your supposed discipline and end up on an eating binge during mealtimes. On the other hand, when you've take in something from time to time, you can practice healthier eating habits and maintain your blood sugar levels too.

So what types of foods are included in the healthy snacks category? Whole grain foods are a good choice because of the fiber content in them that gives you that needed energy to last until a full meal. Some great options for this are whole grain crackers and whole grain pretzels. These and other healthy selections can be found in the organic snacks section in your local grocer.

Other healthy snacks for weight loss are vegetables and fruits. They are rich in vitamins, nutrients and low in calories, plus they are fat free and really healthy for people. Nevertheless, do not ruin a good salad with too much unhealthy salad dressing.

Another great snack are nuts and seeds. They are full of protein but are high in calories, so do not consume too many of them in one sitting.

Low fat dairy foods, like cheese and light yogurt are great choices for healthy sancks between mealtimes. These foods have a lot of benefits and are packed with tons of calcium.

What times are the best times for these snacks? On the average, most people have breakfast at around 8 am and in this case, a 10:30 am snack should keep you going until a 1:00 pm lunchtime. Afternoon snacks are usually eaten around 3:30 pm, and then it's dinner time at 6:00 or 6:30 pm. This sample schedule shows that the ideal healthy snack is eaten within 2-3 hours before and after a meal. This would allow you to eat smaller and healthier, while keeping you full enough to go about your daily activities.

As you are trying to lose weight, it is important that you snack. People who do not snack end up binging on unhealthy and unsatisfying foods at mealtimes because they waited too long to eat. Blood sugar levels get wacky, which causes other physical and emotional symptoms as well. Research has found that people who snack consume less calories throughout the course of a day than people who do not snack. So, if you are trying to lose weight, then snacking is your best option. You will also find yourself happier because your blood sugar levels are maintained and you can focus on what matters throughout the day instead of being distracted by a growling stomach all of the time.

Stay focused, feel better and lose weight. Healthy snacks for weight loss are out there, you just need to eat them.

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1 comment:

Norah said...

Nice post tthanks for sharing