Chronic heartburn and acid regurgitation (or reflux) are two of the most well-known symptoms of GERD, but there are several other lesser-known symptoms as well. In addition, some people with GERD don’t have symptoms and may not realize they have the condition unless complications, such as Barrett’s esophagus, result.

According to the International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders, less common symptoms of GERD include: belching, difficulty or pain when swallowing, waterbrash (sudden excess of saliva), dysphagia (the sensation of food sticking in the esophagus), chronic sore throat, laryngitis, inflammation of the gums, erosion of the enamel of the teeth, chronic irritation in the throat, hoarseness in the morning, a sour taste and bad breath. Coughing may also be a symptom of GERD.

Chest pain is a tricky symptom of GERD. I’ve dealt with GERD myself for years, and I often still can’t tell whether the pain I sometimes have in my chest is due to GERD or if my heart is attacking me! That concern has led me to having several cardiac tests done, which were OK. If you’re unsure whether your chest pain is caused by GERD, it’s always best to err on the side of caution and make sure your heart is doing fine.

One of the best treatments for GERD is simply watching your diet, avoiding caffeine, chocolate, alcohol, coffee, citric juices and spicy foods. If you have GERD, you may notice that other foods, like onions, may cause heartburn. Once you know your triggers, it’s easier to avoid them. My gastroenterologist once said to me that some people with GERD can take medication (like Nexium) and eat pretty much what they want without issues. Well, that’s not the case with me and many others. Despite the medication I take, I still must watch what I eat. However, I still have decaf coffee and chocolate at times! In any case, smaller meals are recommended.

Other factors that may aggravate GERD include being overweight and eating close to bedtime. Unfortunately, there’s no cure for GERD. It’s a chronic condition usually managed with medication and lifestyle modification. Surgery may be an option for some, but it’s not generally recommended for most people with GERD. Treatment for GERD aims to improve symptoms for comfort and to heal any damage caused by acid reflux, preventing serious complications.

If you find yourself regularly taking over-the-counter medications for heartburn, it’s time to consult your doctor. Prescription medication may be needed to promote healing to damaged tissue. Learn more about GERD at AboutGERD.org.

(Image via WikiMedia Commons)

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GERD Awareness Week, November 22-28

The advice given in this book is often quite different from what you’d hear from your specialist or primary care doctor. I won’t say I agree 100% with everything Colbin says in her book, but she does present a different view than you’d normally hear in your doctor’s office. And, at a time when drug companies seem more in charge than ever, a different opinion isn’t such as bad thing. Think about this for a minute: When’s the last time you visited a doctor and didn’t see a drug company rep walking in to speak with someone?

In The Whole-Food Guide to Strong Bones: A Holistic Approach, Colbin, founder of the Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts in NYC, shares with readers risk factors for bone fracture, why medication (including calcium supplements) and estrogen therapy may not work, how nutrients in whole foods build bone mass, and 85 recipes to help build bones with whole foods. The recipes presented include several different stocks and a variety of leafy greens, as well as other vegetables, fish and chicken.

In addition to recipes, the author includes detailed lists of all the best foods for bones. Colbin also explains how exercise and achieving personal balance can help prevent fragility fractures, menopause-related bone loss and osteoporosis.

The Whole Food Guide to Strong Bones isn’t the most exciting read ever. Sometimes the guide has the tone of a textbook, with in-depth explanations of bone composition, hormones, minerals and vitamins. The idea is to get a better understanding of your bones as living parts of your body, affected by everything you do, including eating that sugary snack! However, the author also includes many real-life examples and personal stories, so all isn’t dry.

The best thing that Colbin accomplishes with this book is to show you that all’s not as cut and dry as your doc or drug makers might have you believe. It’s certainly not a bad book to have around when you’re planning meals. Plus, it’s not just a book for women. Men suffer from bone fractures too! Read more about Colbin’s guide at FoodAndHealing.com.

(Image via New Harbinger Publications)

Post from: Blisstree

Review: Whole Food Guide to Strong Bones

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) issued their newly revised, evidence-based cervical cancer screening guidelines on Friday. They’re published in the December issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

The new guidelines advise that most women under 30 years old should have a cervical screening (Pap test) once every two years rather than annually. Women age 30 and older may be re-screened once every three years provided that they’ve had three consecutive negative cervical cytology test results. According to ACOG, women vaccinated against HPV still need to follow the same screening guidelines as unvaccinated women.

Exceptions
Women with certain risk factors will still need to be screened more often. The risk factors include: HIV, immunosuppression, exposure to diethylstilbestrol (DES) in utero, or previous treatment for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 2, CIN 3, or cervical cancer.

The ACOG now recommends that women may wait until they’re 21 to have their first Pap test. Invasive cervical cancer is very rare in women under age 21, and the ACOG noted that HPV-related precancerous lesions (dysplasia) in adolescents usually resolve on their own without treatment. Researchers have also seen an increase in premature births among women who had excisional procedures for dysplasia.

“Adolescents have most of their childbearing years ahead of them, so it’s important to avoid unnecessary procedures that negatively affect the cervix,” said Alan G. Waxman, MD, who headed the document by ACOG’s Committee on Practice Bulletins-Gynecology.

Cervical Cancer Rates
Due to the widely used Pap test, cervical cancer rates have plunged more than 50% in the last 30 years. In 2006, only 6.5 per 100,000 women had cervical cancer, compared to 14.8 per 100,000 in 1975. Currently, most new cervical cancer cases in the US occur in women who either haven’t been screened at all or those who get screened very rarely.

How do you feel about the new cervical cancer screening guidelines?

(Image via MorgueFile)

Post from: Blisstree

New Cervical Cancer Screening Guidelines

Many breast cancer patients aren’t aware that their lumpectomy cavity — or area where the cancerous tumor was removed from — can move and change shape from day-to-day after surgery and before radiation treatment begins. Lumpectomy cavity movement makes delivering targeted radiation more difficult, possibly leading to under-treatment or to unnecessary exposure of healthy tissue to radiation.

Physicians are beginning to address the challenge of lumpectomy movement with a new FDA-cleared application of 3-D ultrasound called the Clarity Breast System. The system helps doctors locate the tumor cavity in real-time during planning and treatment.

Dr. Joseph Imperato, a radiation oncologist and medical director of radiation oncology at Lake Forest Hospital in Lake Forest, Illinois, answered my questions about the Clarity Breast System. Dr. Imperato relates why he believes the new system is beneficial to breast cancer patients and further explains how this 3D-ultrasound technology is being applied for the first time in the planning and treatment of breast cancer.

As a radiation oncologist, do you prefer working with the 3-D ultrasound technology of the Clarity System over other methods for locating a lumpectomy cavity? If so, how does it help you tailor treatment?

Dr. Joseph Imperato: Given the extended duration of a course of radiation treatment, a practical solution to the problem of lumpectomy cavity movement is to visualize the cavity on a daily basis prior to delivering radiation to ensure precise targeting. For many years, we relied solely on computed tomography (CT) imaging as the standard tool used for radiation treatment planning. However, CT is limited in its ability to visualize certain soft tissues, such as lumpectomy cavities, particularly in its ability to distinguish them from the adjacent scar or normal tissue. Historically, in the treatment room, physicians have relied on the surgery scar to serve as a marker to localize the lumpectomy cavity. Several studies have found that locating the lumpectomy cavity based solely on this scar may result in a partial miss of the cavity in over 50 percent cases. We have the capability of doing daily X-rays in the treatment room to try to see the cavity, but the images are often unclear, and this is extra radiation that we definitely want to avoid in breast patients. With a lack of alternatives for ensuring precision, many physicians have no option but to expand the treatment margins to accommodate for this movement, exposing additional healthy tissue to radiation.

3D-ultrasound such as the FDA-cleared Clarity System is a much-needed alternative for addressing lumpectomy cavity changes. Ultrasound is a proven technology that many patients may positively associate with memories of pregnancy and the first images of their unborn babies. What’s more, it is a gentle imaging alternative with no radiation and no need to place anything inside the patient. With Clarity, 3D ultrasound is used to visualize the cavity at the time of planning to make sure we target the right areas for treatment. Then at the time of treatment, we reuse Clarity to make sure we are hitting that target every day. For the first time, radiation oncologists are able to increase their certainty and confidence in treating the target in the breast, without any added imaging radiation dose. This confidence could allow radiation oncologists to tighten the margins we are treating, resulting in reduced radiation exposure to the surrounding healthy tissue.

Why it is important to image the tumor cavity daily?

Dr. Joseph Imperato: Clinical evidence suggests that patients who are diagnosed early respond well to breast conservation treatment, a lumpectomy followed by a course of radiation treatment with a very targeted boost at the end of the treatment to minimize the chance of recurrence. While we all understand that radiation is necessary to destroy cancerous cells, both patients and their physicians often worry about the side effects of radiation to healthy tissue and the organs near the breast. The fact that a breast lumpectomy cavity can move or change shape within days and weeks of surgery makes this issue all the more complex.

Changes in size, shape and location of the lumpectomy cavity can occur due to tissue healing and scarring, as well as daily patient setup, which can put the patient at risk for under-treatment of the target or unnecessary radiation exposure to healthy tissue. The Clarity System visualizes the precise location and size of the tumor cavity during treatment planning and then daily in “real time,” with each targeted boost portions of treatment. Patients gain the peace of mind that their radiation treatment is being delivered directly to the area where it is needed most while minimizing exposure to healthy tissue.

Does the use of Clarity System require additional visits to a medical office or hospital?

Dr. Joseph Imperato: No, the Clarity System does not require the patient to come in for additional visits. During radiation treatment planning, Clarity is used to create an ultrasound-CT fusion image, which is then compared to daily ultrasounds taken on each consecutive day of radiation treatment, to get an actual visual image and location of the tumor cavity on a regular basis. This makes it more practical for the patients and for our staff since no additional appointments are required.

Many women are familiar with ultrasounds, but how is a 3-D ultrasound system different from traditional ultrasounds?

Dr. Joseph Imperato: Most women associate an ultrasound with the memories of seeing their unborn child for the first time. However, many women are not aware of the important role that ultrasound plays in the detection and, more recently, even in the treatment of breast cancer. Ultrasound is used because it is a very easy way of clearly seeing soft tissue structures, like breast tumors or cavities. It is advantageous because, unlike X-rays, it does not involve any radiation to the patient. It is also an affordable solution that is easy to implement in hospitals. With the Clarity System, 3D-ultrasound technology is being applied for the first time in the planning and treatment of breast cancer.

In general, do health insurance companies typically cover the use of Clarity System during breast cancer treatment?

Dr. Joseph Imperato: Image guided radiation therapy (IGRT) with the Clarity System is covered by many insurance companies who recognize it as an integral part of any targeted treatment.

(Image via Resonant)

Post from: Blisstree

New Breast Cancer Imaging During Treatment

Registered dietitian Elizabeth Somer, M.A., R.D., author of the new book Eat Your Way To Happiness, has some tips to share below in “10 Steps for a Carb Makeover.” The tips may help you work with your carb cravings to make better food choices.

If you like the tips, you might want to check out Eat Your Way To Happiness. In the new book, Somer presents easy recipes to add to your daily routine to help energize you, elevate your mood and slim your waistline. Learn more about Somer’s new book at EatYourWaytoHappiness.com. And enjoy the carb makeover tips!

10 Steps for a Carb Makeover
by Elizabeth Somer, M.A., R.D., Author of Eat Your Way to Happiness

If you are a carb craver, you need to treat yourself with a little kindness. It’s not your fault you can’t keep your fingers out of the cookie jar or the bag of chips. You can’t “will away” those cravings. They are hardwired in your head.

So work with your carb cravings. Make sure each meal contains at least one whole grain. Plan a quality-carb snack at your most craving-prone time of the day (typically midafternoon or late evening). To maximize your mood and minimize your weight, you need to take this quality-carb message seriously. That means tackling the issue with a 10-step plan.

Step #1. Purge the kitchen of all white flour. Open the cupboards and toss the junk. Throw out the obvious: the white rice, the instant mashed potatoes, any cracker or cookie made with anything but 100% whole grain (you are pretty much down to Triscuits and 100% Whole Wheat Fig Newtons), all potato chips, Pop-Tarts, boxes of bread crumbs, Pasta Roni, Hamburger Helper, cans of Chef Boyardi Ravioli, Costco muffins and such. Search the freezer for French fries, hash browns, breakfast foods made from processed grains or other high-calorie/low-quality items like Marie Callender’s frozen pasta entrees or pot pies.

Definitely toss your carb triggers, junk foods that you are powerless to resist. Remember, if you have to drive to the store to get ice cream, you will be much less likely to binge.

Then read labels on the rest. If wheat flour or enriched flour is in the top three ingredients on a label, you are holding a poor-quality carb. Toss it.

Okay, okay, if this cold-turkey approach is a bit over the top, then keep two or three junk carbs and toss the rest. But beware: these items may be “trigger” foods that tempt you to indulge. Also, keep in mind that this is not so much about “giving up” as it is giving to” your health, your mood, and your belly and thighs.

Step #2. Restock the kitchen with the 100% whole grains you like, such as 100% whole-wheat bread, old-fashioned oatmeal, Kashi Autumn Wheat Cereal or GoLean Cereal, Zoom hot cereal or instant brown rice. Experiment with new grains, like barley, millet, amaranth, whole-wheat couscous or bulgur.

If you can’t imagine your spouse or kids loving whole-wheat pasta or whole-wheat tortillas, then choose the next best thing. For example, try Aunt Jemima frozen Pancakes with Whole Grains, or tortillas or pastas made from blends of whole wheat and refined wheat, such as Ronzoni or Barilla whole-wheat blend pastas.

Step #3. Switch to quality carbs in recipes. For example, if a recipe calls for

• white rice: use instant brown or wild rice, bulgur, millet or other whole grains
• flour: use at least half whole-wheat flour
• bread (such as French toast): use whole-grain bread
• potatoes: use sweet potatoes, yams, squash and/or corn

Step #4. Plan snacks and bring grains with you. When packing your lunch and snacks for the day, make sandwiches with 100% whole-grain bread, use low-fat cheeses such as Cabot Vermont 50% Reduced Fat Cheese, and include other grains like 100% whole-grain crackers or air-popped popcorn.

Step #5. Create nonfood rewards. Praise yourself with a manicure, flowers, a game of golf on Saturday or a Netflix movie. Follow the “if . . . then” rule: if you steer clear of the junk, then you get the back rub, hour of alone time or bubble bath.

Step #6. Take time. Often we grab food before we even know whether we really want it. That knee-jerk reaction gets us into trouble. Take a 10-minute pause before diving into any snack, from popcorn to leftover doughnuts.

Step #7. Identify the craving. Is it for something crunchy or chewy? Cold, sweet or creamy? Once you have pinpointed exactly what you want, then find a low-calorie food that satisfies that craving. Luckily, the better you eat, the more your cravings for fatty or overly sweet carbs will dwindle.

Step #8. Eat breakfast. As discussed in Chapter 2, eat a nutritious breakfast and you are much more likely to resist junk-food temptations throughout the day.

Step #9. Keep hunger at bay. Eat small meals and snacks evenly distributed throughout the day. This helps keep serotonin levels (and other nerve chemicals like NPY) in the normal range.

Step #10. Out of sight, out of mind. Put another way, seeing is craving. Watch out for temptations at the mall, restaurants and friends’ houses. It is easy to overdo carbs when most of the ones offered to you are the low-quality ones. For example, studies at the University of Illinois found that people ate 45% more calories when there was a bread basket placed on the table in restaurants than when the waiter came by and offered them a slice from a basket. Ask that the tortilla chips be removed when dining at a Mexican restaurant and you will save yourself 300 unnecessary calories. Avoid the coffee shop with the display of muffins, scones and croissants.

10 Steps for a Carb Makeover: Copyright © 2009 Elizabeth Somer, M.A., R.D., author of Eat Your Way to Happiness

Author Bio
Elizabeth Somer, M.A., R.D., author of Eat Your Way to Happiness, is a registered dietitian and author of several books, including 10 Habits That Mess Up a Woman’s Diet, Food & Mood and Age-Proof Your Body. She is a member of the editorial advisory board of Shape magazine and editor in chief of Nutrition Alert, a newsletter that summarizes the current research from more than 6,000 journals. She appears frequently on NBC’s “Today” and other national television shows.

(Cover Image: Harlequin; daisies via stock.xchng)

Post from: Blisstree

10 Steps for a Carb Makeover

For women who want to quit smoking, there’s more good news on a how to better make that commitment. Some women choose their appearance over health, continuing to smoke to avoid the weight gain that may come from the absence of nicotine. However, one new study says that need not be the case.

A new analysis of the results of several studies reveals that women who quit smoking while also receiving treatment for weight control are more successful at quitting cigarettes. They are also better able to control their weight gain.

“Women who smoke often feel caught between a rock and hard place, because they’re concerned about their health but also concerned about their appearance,” commented Bonnie Spring, lead author of the study and a professor of preventive medicine at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

Spring said that now women don’t have to choose between health and appearance. Her study, published in Addiction, analyzed the findings from 2,233 smokers in 10 studies from 1991 to 2007.

Specifically, the study found that women whose treatment included smoking and weight control were 29% more likely to quit smoking short term (three months), and 23% more likely to quit in the long term (six to 14 months). These women also gained around 2.5 pounds less after quitting smoking.

That weight difference may not seem like much, but if the combined treatments help women be more successful at quitting, then that counts for a lot, especially considering that cigarette smoking kills an estimated 178,000 women in the US each year.

Are you making plans to quit smoking?

(Image of sticker via cancer.org)

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Quit Smoking & Control Weight at Once

Their reasoning is essentially that it doesn’t save enough lives and causes anxiety over false positives and unnecessary biopsies. Only 15% of women in their 40s are diagnosed with breast cancer via mammograms. Isn’t that enough?

Today, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius commented on the controversy stirred by the task force. She told women to keep doing what they’ve been doing for years and to talk with their doctors about the decision to have a mammogram. Sebelius also noted that the task force doesn’t set federal policy, but that insurance companies often look to them for guidance. However, she indicated that she doubts any health insurance companies will change their guidelines as result of the task force findings (CNN: “U.S. health chief: No change on mammogram policy”).

Has the damage been done though? Will women in their 40s take the task force’s new policy to heart and stop having mammograms? I’m personally rather amazed that the US Preventive Services Task Force would make such a striking recommendation against mammograms, which detect the most common cancer women face. Plus, none of the experts on the panel are oncologists! I would not be surprised if they reversed their opinion.

By the way, if you feel you need a mammogram and you’re under the age that it’s covered by your insurance company, don’t give up. There’s a difference between preventative and diagnostic mammograms. If you have special concerns, your mammogram may be covered with a diagnostic code.

How do you feel about getting a mammogram before age 50?

(Image via WikiMedia Commons)

Post from: Blisstree

Mammogram Policy to Stay the Same

Once again this year, the US has barely passed the test. However, seven states did improve their performance over last year. Some strides that were made include: 33 states and DC reduced the percentage of women of childbearing age who smoke, while 21 states and DC reduced the percentage of uninsured women of childbearing age.

Despite the improvements, the overall grade for the US remained a “D” for the second consecutive year. No state earned an “A,” and only Vermont received a “B.” The March of Dimes assigned grades by comparing preterm birth rates to the national Healthy People 2010 preterm birth objective: 7.6% of all live births. To learn more about how well each state did, visit the March of Dimes interactive map.

How bad is it?

More than 540,000 babies are born prematurely each year in the US. Sadly, premature birth is the leading cause of newborn deaths. And premature infants who survive are often challenged with breathing problems, cerebral palsy, mental retardation and other health problems. Worldwide, more than one million premature babies die each year.

What can be done?

Dr. Jennifer L. Howse, President of the March of Dimes, says that some interventions can help prevent preterm birth. They include smoking cessation programs and health care before and during pregnancy, as well as progesterone supplementation. Women who plan to become pregnant can learn more about preventing preterm birth at the March of Dimes, including 9 Questions to Help You Get Your 9 Months.

(Image credit: March of Dimes)

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America Gets a “D” on Preterm Births

To enter, watch the short video below and leave a comment with your thoughts on LA Boxing. Also check to see if there’s an LA Boxing near you at the LA Boxing gym locator. Several states have LA Boxing locations.

After trying out the LA Boxing experience, the lucky winner will share her thoughts with me so I can post them online for everyone in a reader-style review.

Learn more about LA Boxing
The facilities at LA Boxing provide a unique variety and perspective to the usual gym. You can take part in boxing, kickboxing and mixed martial arts themed group exercise classes, but it doesn’t end there. LA Boxing is also a full-service gym with cardio machines, free weights and strength equipment. An LA Boxing Workout can burn between 800 and 1,000 calories per class.

If you want to keep up with news from LA Boxing, become a fan on Facebook.

Just to recap, here’s how to enter:

1. Watch the LA Boxing video above.
2. Check to see if there’s an LA Boxing near you.
3. Leave a comment on this post sharing your thoughts on this unique gym.
4. If you win, respond to my email request within five days with your name, address and phone (so the LA Boxing rep can set up your membership). Also, the lucky winner can share feedback about the experience to be shared here to help readers considering the gym.
5. Deadline to enter for the free month of membership is November 30 at 11 pm CST.

Good luck!

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Win a Free Month at LA Boxing

The drug flibanserin was created as an antidepressant, but it doesn’t work so well for depression. However, the pooled results from three separate clinical trials revealed that the drug successfully treats women with low libido. But don’t ask your doc about it just yet. Right now, flibanserin is just an investigational drug for women in clinical trials.

In the studies, women with hypoactive sexual desire disorder reported significant improvements in sexual desire and satisfactory sexual experiences while taking flibanserin. “It’s essentially a Viagra-like drug for women in that diminished desire or libido is the most common feminine sexual problem, like erectile dysfunction is in men,” said John M. Thorp Jr., M.D., the principal investigator for North America in the studies.

These clinical trials are the first for a therapy that works at the brain’s level to enhance libido in women. The findings were presented today at the Congress of the European Society for Sexual Medicine in Lyon, France. The trials were funded by the manufacturer of flibanserin — Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals.

Hypoactive sexual desire disorder is defined as a persistent lack of interest in sex that causes personal distress. It’s believed to affect between 9 and 26% of women in the US. Some studies say that more than 40% of women complain of low sexual desire at some point.

According to Mayo Clinic, there are many causes of low sexual desire in women. They include fatigue, medical diseases, sexual problems like pain during sex, surgery (related to breasts or genital tract), medications (blood pressure, chemotherapy, antidepressants, antihistamines), hormonal changes related to menopause or pregnancy, relationship issues and psychological causes like poor body image.

Do you think there’s a market for drugs that treat low sexual desire in women?

(Image via stock.xchng)

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A Female Viagra?