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.

Saturday, June 13, 2009

How to Naturally Control Diabetes

By Marcus Clarkson

Unfortunately, when it comes to Diabetes there is actually no cure for this condition it can only be treated and controlled. However, today there are both conventional and alternative treatments, which can be used in order to help keep the condition under control. Studies carried out in the USA have shown that the various different diabetes control natural treatments available can help to reduce the risk of complications arising by as much as 60 percent.

Although conventional treatments are effective, in this article, we are looking at some of the natural treatments, which are considered to be effective in helping to control diabetes. Certainly, there are many advantages to be had from using natural treatments and the main one is that they do not cause side effects. Where as those who use conventional treatments (drugs) will find that they suffer additional health problems ranging from skin allergies to tiredness and dizzy spells.

Plus choosing to use natural treatments for controlling diabetes is actually far safer. As well as the cost of buying the natural treatments over the chemical ones is much cheaper, and they are far readily available as well. Now let us look at some of the natural treatments that you may want to consider trying.

1. Pterocarpus Marsupium (Indian Kino) is a plant that contains a gum resin that is similar in looks to dried blood and is often referred to as Dragon's Blood. It is this part of the plant, which has been used for centuries in Indian Medicine for treating various different health issues including diabetes.

2. Momordica Charantia (Bitter Melon) or Balsam Pear as some people called it and can be found in Asia, Africa and South America. Just like the Indian Kino, this herb has been used for centuries and is effective at treating diabetes. It is the fresh juice and the extract taken from the unripened fruit that has been found to be effective at controlling a diabetic's blood sugar.

3. Gymnema Sylvestre (Gurmar) works by helping those who suffer from Type 2 diabetes pancreas to produce insulin. But as well as doing this, it contains properties which can control blood sugar levels in both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetics.

4. Garlic and Onion have been used for centuries in treating various ailments and it is the properties that these plants contain which have been found to be effective at controlling a person's blood sugar when they suffer from diabetes.

As well as the diabetes control natural treatments, we have mentioned above there are other ones that you may want to consider trying. There are ones such as Cinnamon, Fenugreek, Blueberry Leaves and Bilberry which are all effective at helping to control this condition and which can be readily purchased at your local health store or online. But with any other treatment that you are considering using it is important that you discuss matters with your doctor first.

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Hand Towel Hygiene Makes Sense!

By Maria Dunning

It is common knowledge that frequent hand washing is required to prevent germs from spreading. The hands are capable of carrying more germs that one might imagine. Not only do you need to wash your hands to prevent the spread of germs but it is important to dry the as well. For this reason it is important that everybody be aware of proper hand towel hygiene.

Paper towels are inexpensive and can be used for a majority of purposes, but the greatest benefit that they provide is that they help to keep things neat and tidy. Hand towel hygiene is something that is recognized all across the world. Hand towels are not only used to dry the hands, but they also have various other uses as well. One very famous usage of the paper towel includes their ability to quickly clean up a mess.

Whenever an accident or spill occurs in the kitchen, most people reach for a paper towel to make quick work of the clean up. Some people use paper towels for towel paper as well since it is available in all kinds of textures and brands. Many people feel that paper towels are much more affordable than regular toilet paper.

Paper towels also make excellent tissue paper or can be used as a facial towel. If you are experiencing the sniffles, you have an instant solution when you reach for an absorbent paper towel. It is easy to see that a paper towel is convenient, affordable and versatile.

Most public restrooms today provide paper towels for people to use to dry their hands after washing. Convenience is not the only reason that they are found in public restrooms. Paper towels are quickly becoming known as the best choice for hand towel hygiene. Their ability to control messes is absolutely their best characteristic.

Whether the mess be on your face, kitchen table, living room floor, hands, or some other very possible place, hand towel hygiene makes quick an easy clean up a grand possibility. Another thing that you might notice inside of public restrooms are the electric driers as an option for hand drying. These machines can be definitely great for drying hands, but as far as the hygienic aspect goes, they are really not preferred.

The reason is because research as shown that they force air borne germs into the air and surrounding environment. When they force out air, it goes directly downward, and in turn, all of the germs on the floor and everywhere else come bouncing right back up. Electric driers can cause public restrooms to become even more of a breeding ground for sickness and germs.

Hand towel hygiene isn't just a choice, it is a necessary part of everyday life to be practiced in order to keep viruses and germs to a minimum. Practice hand towel hygiene in your own home restroom as well to dry your hands and prevent messes. Likewise, spills can create smells that are very unpleasant to the senses, and no one wants an ongoing odor lurking about their household. It is best to get the mess up and quickly. You will notice that life is much easier and cleaner with paper towels.

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4 Keys for Milk Sales Growth

By Kenrick Chatman

The dairy product production industry's global demand and dairy prices have declined due to the global economic crisis. A decline in world income and wages and increases in unemployment and supply (predominantly from milk production in New Zealand) have also contributed to a reduction in global demand and dairy prices.

Consumers in developed countries are expected to trade down to cheaper dairy products such as private labels and to reduce consumption of discretionary dairy products such as ice cream. In developing countries, dairy products are considered more of luxuries instead of necessities and as a result demand for these products has declined tremendously.

For the past ten years, consumption of consumer fluid milk has decreased due to factors such as better convenience, advertising, and better packaging from substitute beverages, an increase in soy milk consumption, and a decrease in the children population.

What measures could dairy product manufacturers employ to profitably increase milk revenue in the long term? They could use product development, marketing, health campaigns, and industry consolidation.

1. Consolidation within the dairy product production industry can encourage continuous investment in branding and production technology, access to quality milk supplies at generous prices, and enhance production efficiencies - factors that are important to maintain and/or acquire national retailer supply contracts.

2. Continued product development can result in increased milk sales. Flavored milk products with new flavors and energy boosters have been increasing.

3. Pull and push marketing strategies for healthier milk products such as organic milk, reduced fat milk, and value-added milk (milk with added nutrients, vitamins, or low carbs) can also result in milk sales growth by catering to the health consciousness of consumers.

These strategies could also help counter consumer shifts from branded organic milk to either private label organic milk or conventional milk.

4. Educating consumers such as young people (main dairy product customers) and baby boomers via more health campaigns about the significance of milk and calcium could result in an increase of daily milk consumption.

Dairy product manufacturers can cushion or enhance the effects of energy, raw milk, and oil price fluctuations on margin, by using the measures above. In addition to the measures above, what else could manufacturers do to generate revenue and profit growth?

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Why You Shouldn't Count Out Your Current Health Club Members When Successfully Marketing Your Health Club to New Members

By Curtis Mock

It is easy to become obsessed with obtaining as many new members as possible, but in today's competitive health club market, you need to make sure you keep the members you already have. Otherwise they will gladly take their money and their loyalty to one of your competitors.

It's likely you have heard that it is 7 times more expensive to gain a new member than it is to keep an existing member happy. And you really don't have to make them "happy", you simply have to keep them content. The most important thing is to impress them enough that they renew or continue on their roll-over membership. Let's look at that for a moment. Would you rather spend $10,000 for marketing or $70,000 for marketing, if both would generate the same amount of member revenue? Obviously you would rather spend seven times less to get the same results!

That's not to say that collecting new memberships is not important, because it definitely is. But attracting new members should never mean neglecting the members you currently have. It is funny how salespeople are amazingly sweet to guests, but once that guest becomes a member, that salesperson hardly notices them again. Okay, maybe not funny it is actually quite pitiful, considering your members are smart enough to recognize this change in demeanor. Overpromising and under delivering are commonplace in the health club industry these days. It is your mission to make sure this doesn't happen at your fitness center!

What makes your members happy?

Ask each person when they check in at the front desk to fill out a quick survey. Ask both closed-ended questions and open-ended questions, which will allow them to elaborate on what they like and dislike. Question if they have any special requests and be sure to implement them, within reason.

If you are with a prospect and a member requests your assistance, be sure to oblige the member. The prospect will not be upset. Rather, they will notice that your paying members are valued and are taken care of. If you take that extra moment to help your existing member in front of your prospect, you can then use it as a selling feature. "I'm sorry. At least you should feel good that we would drop anything to help one of our members!"

Always pay attention to your members, always say hello and goodbye to everyone, and make it a point every day to get to know a few of your members a little better. Ask how their day is going. Inquire how their family is doing. Introduce them to a new exercise. Have them meet another member with similar interests. Make sure you take care of your existing members and they will do so in return.

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Stop Smoking Patch - Reasons To Use A Patch

By Denzil De Vries

When smokers attempt to quit the unhealthy smoking habit, headaches, anxiety, nervousness and cravings oftentimes surface as symptoms of their withdrawal. As a result, many smokes decide to utilize nicotine medications in an effort to ease their quitting attempts. For example, a stop smoking patch is one available method for many smokers attempting to quit for good. A stop smoking patch allows smokers to fight withdrawal symptoms.

A stop smoking nicotine patch is used by many smokers as a temporary aid to help them stop smoking. This patch helps smokers control symptoms of withdrawal. For example, a nicotine patch can help smokers avoid the irritability, insomnia, fatigue, and headaches that often result from nicotine withdrawal. By using a nicotine patch, smokers can avoid these withdrawal symptoms and instead focus on what is more important. Smokers can instead overcome their ingrained behaviors which have led them to smoke as well as the psychological factors that make it difficult to stop smoking.

When an individual starts using nicotine patches, they must immediately stop smoking. Those people who choose to smoke and use nicotine patches at the same time are only doing themselves harm as they increase the amount of nicotine they take in. They could even overdose from nicotine and/or experience side effects. In order to use a nicotine patch safely, individuals must apply them every day to a hairless, clean spot on their upper body. They must not place the patch on a wet area. Suggested sites include the chest back, stomach or upper arm. Individuals can use the patch for about 16 to 24 hours, after which they should take off the used patch and replace it with a new patch.

Only a doctor can help you decide whether or not to use a nicotine patch as part of your effort to stop smoking. If you do use the patch, you need to apply a fresh patch each day, so get into a daily routine so that you don't forget. This is important as you may need to use a patch for up to 12 weeks depending on how long it takes for you to stop smoking and stop craving cigarettes.

There are many side effects associated with stop smoking patches. Difficulty sleeping, , dry mouth, burning or itching at the patch site, swelling at the patch site, sweating or skin rash are some of the minor side effects that may be experienced.

Significant side effects of the stop smoking patch are cold sweats, breathing difficulties, bad dreams, skin irritations and seizures. If you have serious side effects you should go to the doctor right away. This could be the result of absorbing excess nicotine through the stop smoking patch.

You must also tell your doctor if you have recently had heart trouble, such as heart palpitations, heart disease, or an irregular heartbeat. Also inform your doctor about diabetes, high blood pressure, or stomach ulcers. This will aid your doctor in deciding whether or not you will benefit in using nicotine patches. Do not use stop smoking patches if you are pregnant or are nursing.

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