Ulcers

Ulcers are sores that erode mucous membranes in the skin and penetrate the underlying muscles. Peptic ulcers are those that occur in the lower part of the oesophagus, the stomach or the duodenum.They are formed when these areas get exposed to stomach acidsand the enzyme pepsin. Peptic ulcer is a common disease in both men and women.

An ulcer in the upper part of the small intestine is called duodenal ulcer and a lesion in the stomach is called gastric ulcer.

Symptoms:
A person suffering from peptic ulcer faces a gnawing or burning pain which occurs 2 to 3 hours after eating. It is worse when the stomach is empty and can be relieved by eating a small amount of food or by taking an antacid. People suffering from ulcers also develop intestinal bleeding, heartburn, bloatig and gas, nausea and vomiting.

Causes:

• Excess secretion ofthe stomach acids does play a role in the cause of ulcer but most ulcers develop when the bacteria Heliobacterpylori infects the intestinal tract.
• Emotional stress, smoking and heavy drinking also contribute to a person's risk of ulcer. Hereditary predisposition is also a cause in some people.
• Ulcers are also caused in people who are subjected to extreme physical stress such as serious burns or surgery.Heavy use of drugs like aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen and other non steroidal, anti - inflammatory drugs also causes ulcers.

What to do?

1. Visit the family doctor for the correct prescription of anti biotics.
2. A daily yogurt supplement with live lactobacillio can reduce the side effects like nausea and diarrhea during antibiotic treatment.
3. Quit smoking as it is a factor which is linked to poor healing and ulcer recurrence.
4. Discontinue harmful medication which causes ulcers.
5. Exercise as it raises your endomorphin levels that dull pain and elevate mood.

Fennel in your Diet

Including fennel in their diet is ideal for people trying to lose weight as it is filling yet low in calories. 1 cup serving has only 25 calories . Fennel like celery is a member of the parsley family. Its stalks are often mistaken for celery but has a distinctively different licorice like flavour and is much more nutritious.It is a good source of potassium, fiber, some vitamin C, folate, iron and calcium. Its leaves are also a good source of beta carotene and vitamin C.

Benefits of Fennel:

Through the ages physicians have prescribed fennel for a variety of ailments. It has been used to -

• aid digestion and prevent bad breath.
• stimulate milk production in nursing mothers.
• treat kidney stones.
• treat gout, liver and lung disorders
• its seeds are prescribed to treat obesity.
• fennel seeds are used to make a refresing cuppa tea that alleviates bloating and flatulence.

Ways to include Fennel in your diet:

• Try baking fish in a bed of fennel stalks as its licorice flavour goes well with fish.
• As all parts of fennel are edible, include them in raw salads.
• They can be braised or sauteed as a side dish.
• Stuffing the bulbs is another favorite recipe.
• Its chopped leaves make a colourful and nuritious garnish for other vegetable dishes.

Packed with nutrients - Wheat Germ

Wheat Germ is the nutritional heart of the wheat kernel. It gets removed during the milling of white flour resulting in loss of nutrition. Although the smallest part of the grain, it is packed with nutrients like vitamin E, thiamine, folate, magnesium and zinc. It is a complex carbohydrate that has a positive influence on blood sugar levels and reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes in women.

The other health benefits of wheat germ are -

• It contains vitamin E, a powerful anti-oxidant that is linked to heart health and a powerful immune system.
• The polysaturated fat in wheat germ , can help to reduce LDL cholesterol levels.
• It is also a source of plant sterols that help reduce cholesterol levels.

Ways to include wheat germ in your diet:

• Include a little wheat germ in all sorts of baked goods like cookies, cakes, muffins, breads, pancakes, pizza doughs, savory pie doughs, coffee cakes and apple crisps.
• Sprinkle wheat germ over cereals and salads.
• Use as a substitute for bread crumbs when coating fish, chicken or vegetables.
• Mix wheat germ into meat loafs and burgers.

Once open keep the wheat germ jar tightly closed and refrigerate to prevent it from going rancid.

Cholesterol Busters

Fruits and vegetables are rich in anti-oxidants that helps prevent cholesterol formation in the blood vessels. The grearer the skin colour the the greater the anti-oxidant content.

Here are some great anti-oxidants to include in your diets.

• Berries - Like blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries,mulberries, cranberries etc. are rich in anti-oxidants and strengthen the immune system. They also protect your eyesight and help in improve memory. They also save cells from premature ageing.
• Avocado and grapefruit - These contain glutathione, an anti-oxidant which help oxidise fats and neutralise harmful free radicals.
• Cabbage - Both the red and green varieties are potent in anti-oxidants . It can be eaten raw or lightly cooked with garlic.
• Carrots - Contain beta carotene a powerful anti-oxidant.
• Soy beans - Contain anti-oxidants that reduce 'bad' LDL cholesterol and raise 'good' HDL cholesterol.
• Tomatoes - They are the richest source of lycopene, which controls the build up of cholesterol in the arteries.

The Role of Cranberries in Cystitis

Cranberries belong to the same family as blueberries and huckleberries but are too tart to eat raw. They can be consumed as juice, a dried snack food or as an ingredient in muffins and cakes.

Their Role in Cystitis
Cranberry juice has long been used as a home remedy to prevent kidney and gall bladder stones and cystitis.This is because they contain quinic acid , a substance which increases urine acidity and prevents the formation of calcium stones. The acidity prevents cystitis too.

Cranberries also contain a natural antibiotic substance that makes the bladder walls inhospitable to micro organisms responsible for uinary tract infections. People who suffer from recurrent or chronic bladder infections should drink a couple of glasses of cranberry juice daily as a preventive measure.

Since commercial cranberry juice is too diluted, it is ineffective in preventing or treating urinary infections. It also contains large amounts of sugar or other sweetners. Hence it is recommended to make your own cranberry juice by using a juicer.

The role of diet in Urinary Tract Infections

Sorry friends I was out for almost a month and had no access to a computer. Here I am back again and ready to blog on my favorite topic ' the Role of Diet in our Health'. Today lets talk about how diet can help in speeding up the healing of UTIs and also prevent recurrence.

UTIs or cystitis affect the bladder and the most common symptom is an urgent need to urinate even when the bladder is not full.Urination can be accompanied by pain and burning and in severe cases small amounts of blood with fever and a back-ache.

Most urinary tract infections are caused by the E.choli bacteria which lives in the intestinal tracts but can also travel to the bladder.

Role of Diet:
Although antibiotics are needed to cure bacterial urinary infections, diet also helps.

1. Drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of fluids per day to increase the flow of urine and to flush out the
bacteria.

2. Avoid bladder irritants like tea, coffee, colas, alcoholic drinks and spicy foods.

3. Drink Canberry and Blueberry juices as they help to eliminate bacteria by not allowing them
to stick to the bladder walls.

4. Eat Citrus foods for Vitamin C which helps strengthen the immune system, fight infection and
acidify urine.

5. Consuming fermented dairy products containing probiotic bacteria ( found in some yogurts)
help as they inhibit the growth of micro organisms causing UTIs.

Dietary cures for a Sore Throat

The most common symptom of a sore throat is a raw, stinging throat. It could be an indication of a cold or a flu due to a viral upper respiratory infection or a bacterial infection such as a strep throat.
Doing these simple things could help in reducing the duration and severity of a sore throat -

• Get lots of vitamin C - Atleast 200mg of vitamin C a day is recommended as it helps protect against viruses, bacteria and other infectious agents. One way of doing this can be by having a soothing and beneficial lemon tea made with a dash of honey.
• Take zinc lozenges - As zinc has the ability to strengthen the body's immune defenses. However getting more than 40mg per day for an extended period of time would be detrimental as it would weaken the body's immune system. So taking zinc supplements for a cold or as a preventive measure would not be a good idea. Dietary sources of zinc would include yogurt and other dairy products, oysters and other sea foods, lean meat, eggs and grains.
• Avoid Alcohol - As it reduces immunity and irritates inflammed mucous membranes.
• Eliminate coffee - As its diuretic effect increases the loss of body fluids and results in drying of the membranes and thickening of the mucus.
• Switch to a liquid diet temporarily - As it would help maintain nutrition without exacerbating throat pain. A good choice would be to include milk shakes, fruit juices, broths and shakes and semi liquid foods such as custards and puddings.

A favorite home sore throat remedy to alleviate symptoms is to gargle with salty warm water.

Foods that help fight Arthritis

1. Fish - Eating lots of salmon, sardines and other cold water fish rich in omega-3 oils, 3 times a week is beneficial for arthrits.
2. Vegetables - Eat 5 to 10 servings everyday of dark green or bright orange vegetables to provide beta carotene.

Eat broccoli, peppers, cabbage and brussels sprouts for vitamin C.

Eat avocados for VitaminE.

3. Fruits - Eat yellow-orange fruits for beta carotene.

Eat citrus fruits, berries, melons and kiwi for Vitamin C.

Eat nuts, seeds and whole grains regularly for Vitamin E.

Food Allergies:

A small percantage of people with Arthritis have food allergies that exacerbate joint pain symptoms. These may include shell fish, soy, wheat, corn, alcohol, coffee and certain food additives.

Removing these allergy-causing foods from the diet has resulted in less pain.