January 22-31, 2013 - Original Health Articles

Best Sounds to Help You Sleep

The popularity of nighttime sound machines is a testament to the fact that noise has a profound effect on how well we sleep. The right noises can help you settle down and drift off, while the wrong ones will jar you awake, as anyone who has ever shared a bedroom with a snorer can attest.

Don't Let Winter Rob Your Energy

The cold, gray days of winter can leave you feeling lethargic. It can be hard to stay enthusiastic and focused in the face of zero-degree wind chills and a dearth of sunlight. At this time of year, it's more critical than ever that you eat well and maintain good sleep habits in order to power through the season in fine form.

Top Health Apps to Try

Using your smartphone can be good for your health. It can help you learn how to choose more nutritious foods, lose weight, tone up, avoid gluten, evade food allergies, and help you find a doctor in your area. The right app can make it easier for you to do all of this and more from the comfort of your phone.

How Men Lose Weight

Love handles. Spare tire. Beer belly. Whatever men call it, that abdominal bulge is not healthy and is not a normal part of aging. According to the Mayo Clinic, men who carry extra weight around the belly are at greater risk for serious health problems, including heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, cancer, type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome.

10 Strategies to Cut Home Heating Costs

Here are 10 energy saving tips that can help you to reduce your overall energy and heat consumption: 1. Invest in a programmable thermostat. These heating control panels enable you to pre-set the temperature in your home to be lower during hours when you're at work or asleep, and higher when you're up and about.

Get to the Root of Your Oral Health

"There's a huge link between systemic health and oral health," explains George Shepley, DDS, MAGD, spokesperson for the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD). He says that the connection can be traced to the inflammatory response that occurs in periodontal disease and is seen in other conditions as well.

Brush Up Your Teeth Cleaning Skills

"In our office, we often put a toothbrush in a patient's hand and ask him to show us how [he] brush[es] [his] teeth," explains Ted Sherwin, DDS, FAGD, a spokesperson for the Academy of General Dentistry. "Having a good tooth brushing technique is that important.

Is Heartburn the Same As GERD?

Heartburn is a symptom that's a result of acid reflux and the more severe condition gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). GERD occurs when the lower esophagus gets irritated from the build up of continued acid reflux, explains Frank Gress, MD, chief of the Gastroenterology Division at SUNY-Downstate Medical Center in New York City.

Digestive-Friendly Eating on a Budget

Eating healthy on a budget is challenging for anyone who has stepped inside a grocery store lately. Pair that with the limits of food shopping when you suffer from a digestive condition such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and inflammatory bowel disease and—well—eating healthy on a budget can seem almost impossible.

Best Ways to Treat Nighttime Acid Reflux

So you've avoided trigger foods such as chocolate, coffee, and alcohol, reduced portion sizes at dinner, and stopped snacking late at night to avoid a nightly bout of acid reflux. But as you retire to bed it's still there. Now what? These behavior modification approaches help make a lot of people feel better and reduce acid reflux symptoms.

Myths and Facts About Carbs

Low-carb diets. No-carb diets. Good carbs. Bad carbs. Is it any wonder why people are so confused about carbohydrates? Are they inherently evil and fattening, to be shunned permanently? Or are they a crucial source of fuel that our refrigerators and pantries should never be without? Myth: All carbs are fattening.

Myths and Facts About Calories

For many of us, calories have come to symbolize overindulgence and are thought of as "bad." Yet you need a certain number of calories to function well. Myth: Certain types of calories are more fattening than others, such as those from carbs. Fact: Calories are created equal.

Cooking With Coconut Oil

Thinking about coconuts may bring to mind softly swaying palm trees, hot white sand, and cool, aqua water—not necessarily good health. However, research on populations who consume large amounts of coconuts find they have low rates of heart disease.

Is Organic Meat Healthier?

Meat (love it or leave it) has a good source of protein and iron—nutrients your body needs. All plant and animal cells contain protein, but the amount and the quality varies widely among various foods. Meats such as roast beef, turkey, and chicken breast are considered complete proteins because they contain all nine of the essential amino acids required by the human body to synthesize hormones and enzymes and build, maintain, and repair body tissue.

Are Egg Yolks as Bad as Cigarettes?

Eating egg yolks regularly can accelerate heart disease nearly as much as smoking, according to an online study published in the journal Atherosclerosis that was reported by CNN. Patients in the study who consumed three or more yolks per week had significantly more plaque buildup in blood vessels than individuals who ate fewer than two yolks per week.

5 Surprising Asthma Triggers

Having trouble taming asthma flare ups? It could be caused by a number of subtle and not so subtle triggers. 1. Bug Spray. Exposure to cockroaches, bees, and mosquitos can pose health risks. But surprisingly, using bug spray and other aids to get rid of those common pests can be a problem, too.

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