9 Foods That Help To Relieve Nausea

Apple

A little fiber goes a long way toward clearing nausea-inducing chemicals out of your system — but too much at one time can make you feel even worse. Throughout the day, snack on such fiber-rich foods as a whole apple (Gala apples are a good choice) and crunchy raw vegetables. Try applesauce or apple juice if you're having trouble digesting solid food.

Crackers

Foods high in starch — such as saltines, bread, and toast — help absorb stomach acids and settle a queasy stomach. Keep a handful of crackers on your nightstand; eating a few before you get out of bed may help ease nausea in the morning.

Ginger

Capsules of powdered ginger have been found to reduce nausea and vomiting. You could also try a cup of ginger tea, a glass of ginger ale (some people swear it works better if it's flat), a few gingersnap cookies, or a piece of ginger candy. Pickled ginger, the kind that usually comes with sushi, may also help.

Water

Small sips from a plain glass of water will help you stay hydrated — and avoid the headaches that often accompany nausea. Start out by slowly drinking tiny amounts until you feel you can stomach a larger amount.

Nuts

A lack of protein can make nausea feel even worse, so look to protein-packed foods, such as nuts — even peanut butter (as long as you're not allergic) — that are easy to digest. They'll quickly replenish your depleted energy and help keep your nausea at bay.

Chicken Broth

Chicken soup may make you feel better when you have a cold, but it's too heavy when you're nauseated. Instead try chicken broth to soothe your symptoms — the lower in fat, the better. Broth made from bouillon cubes may be your best bet because it's easy to prepare and less likely to spoil.

Sports Drinks

Most sports drinks contain the electrolytes sodium and potassium, which help restore an athlete's depleted nutrients. While you may not be up for sports, sports drinks can help even non-athletes feel better when they're suffering from nausea.

Banana

If your nausea is accompanied by dehydration, or if you have been vomiting, snack on a piece of this peel-and-eat fruit. Bananas can help restore potassium, which is often depleted as a result of diarrhea and vomiting. Doctors also recommend starting on "bland" foods like bananas when you're ready to eat solids again.

Sprig of Mint

The refreshing aroma alone may be enough to make you feel better, but actually chewing on fresh mint or drinking a glass of mint tea is considered an effective remedy for nausea.

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First Aid: Fact or Fiction?

Four of these common misconceptions will worry you needlessly. One fact may save someone's life.

You Can Call 911 on a Cell phone That Isn't Activated

Fact. Cell phone companies are required by law to put 911 calls through from any phone that has power and can receive a signal. For this reason, an old cell phone is an excellent addition to the first-aid kits you keep in your car and boat (remember to recharge the battery from time to time). Just be aware that because there is no number assigned to the phone, there's no way for 911 to reach you should you be disconnected; you'll have to redial.

Seizure Victims Can Swallow Their Tongues

Fiction. Despite what Hollywood has taught us, it's physically impossible to swallow one's own tongue, and forcing your fingers or a spoon or spatula into someone's mouth is only going to injure you and the victim. At times, a seizure sufferer may sound like he's gagging on his tongue, but by rolling him onto his side, you'll help keep his airways clear.

If Someone with a Head Injury Falls Asleep, They Could Go into a Coma

Fiction. The only reason to keep a person with a head injury awake is to observe her symptoms, say the experts at the American College of Emergency Physicians. And if you're too worried about the victim's symptoms to let her go to sleep, then you should take her to the ER. Otherwise, wish her good night and sweet dreams.

Rabies Requires a Series of Painful Shots to the Stomach

Fiction. Though you will get a series of injections, the treatment is far less distasteful these days. Remarkably, there's still no cure for rabies, and once an infection sets in, it's almost always fatal. The shots you'll get are antiviral: They're designed to keep the virus from taking hold. For that reason, they must be started as soon as possible after a bite. The first shot is given near the bite; over the next 28 days, you'll get 5 or 6 more shots in the arm. That sounds much better than 12 or 24 or 36 shots in the belly, as playground lore would have it.

Cuts Should Be Washed with Hydrogen Peroxide

Fiction. Leave that brown bottle on the shelf and clean cuts and scrapes with running water instead, then apply an antibiotic ointment. Peroxide does kill bacteria that may have invaded a cut, but it also knocks off cells working hard to knit your skin back together. In one study, wounds treated with hydrogen peroxide healed more slowly than those treated with an antibiotic ointment or with an ointment that didn't contain any germ-fighting ingredients. 

From: Instant Health Answers

Heart Trouble? 30 Herbal Remedies to Avoid

A dangerous combination

Millions of Americans take herbal remedies for ailments ranging from high cholesterol to depression. Though widely viewed as safe, these products can cause serious interactions in people taking prescription drugs for heart problems.

A 2010 report by Mayo Clinic researchers listed more than 25 herbal products that can be dangerous for heart patients on medication. The following guide to herbal products that heart patients should avoid was prepared using data from the report, as well as from the National Institutes for Health and the Natural Standard Research Collaboration.

Garlic

What it is: A member of the onion family, available commercially as an oil, extract, or pill (in addition to its natural state).

What it’s used for: To lower total and LDL (bad) cholesterol, as well as blood pressure. Also used as a blood thinner and to combat atherosclerosis.

The risk: Garlic’s blood-thinning properties can increase the risk of bleeding associated with warfarin, an anti-clotting drug commonly prescribed to people with heart-rhythm disorders, and to people who have had heart attacks or heart-valve replacements.

Saw palmetto

What it is: The fruit of the palmetto tree (a type of palm tree), available as a capsule, liquid, or tea.

What it’s used for: Primarily used to fight the urinary problems caused by an enlarged prostate gland, saw palmetto is also used to combat hair loss, chronic pelvic pain, and decreased sex drive.

The risk: Increases the risk of bleeding associated with warfarin.

Gingko

What it is: The extract of the leaves of the ginkgo plant (also known as the maidenhair tree), sold as a capsule or tea.

What it’s used for: Ginkgo is mainly used to improve memory and prevent dementia (including Alzheimer’s disease), but it has also been used to treat asthma, ringing in the ears, sexual dysfunction, and leg pain caused by poor circulation.

The risk: Increases the risk of bleeding associated with aspirin and warfarin.

Echinacea

What it is: The roots and herb of the echinacea plant, dried or extracted and sold as a capsule, tea, or juice.

What it’s used for: To prevent colds and flu and boost the immune system.

The risk: Can increase the risk of liver damage associated with statin medications, niacin, and fibrates, all of which are prescribed to lower cholesterol.

St. John's wort

What it is: A yellow-flowered plant, Hypericum perforatum, that is sold as a capsule, tea, or liquid extract.

What it’s used for: Primarily used to treat depression and anxiety, St. John’s wort is also used as a sedative in sleep disorders.

The risk: Affects how the body absorbs dozens of prescription medications and may diminish the efficacy of statins, beta-blockers (a class of drugs used to treat high blood pressure and heart-rhythm disorders), and calcium-channel blockers.

Green Tea

What it is: The leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. Usually steeped in water, but also available as a capsule or extract.

What it’s used for: To lose weight, improve mental alertness, lower cholesterol, and prevent cancer.

The risk: Green tea contains vitamin K, which can counteract the effect of warfarin.

Alfalfa

What it is: A plant in the pea family, the dried leaves of which are ground up and sold as capsules.

What it's used for: To lower total and LDL (bad) cholesterol, and to reduce the plaques caused by atherosclerosis.

The risk: Increases the risk of bleeding associated with warfarin.

Ginger

What it is: A root, often used in cooking, that is also processed and sold as a capsule.

What it’s used for: Ginger has been used for centuries to treat various stomach ailments (such as nausea, diarrhea, and stomachache). It is also used to treat joint and muscle pain.

The risk: Increases the risk of bleeding associated with warfarin.

Billberry

What it is: The dried extract of the bilberry fruit, which is very similar to the blueberry. Sold as a capsule.

What it’s used for: Bilberry is used to treat problems associated with poor circulation, most notably varicose veins and venous insufficiency, in addition to diarrhea, skin problems, eyestrain, and menstrual cramps.

The risk: Bilberry may improve blood circulation, but it can also increase the risk of bleeding associated with warfarin.

Fenugreek

What it is: A seed (often ground into a powder) that has been used since the days of ancient Egypt and is available in capsule form.

What it’s used for: Fenugreek has been used for a wide range of ailments, including digestive problems, hot flashes, and a lack of breast milk. More recently, it has also been used to lower cholesterol.

The risk: Increases the risk of bleeding associated with warfarin. Fenugreek can also lower blood sugar, which can cause complications for diabetics.

Ginseng

What it is: An herb, native to Asia, that has been used in traditional medicine for centuries and is now sold as a capsule.

What it’s used for: To boost energy, stamina, and the immune system. Also used to lower LDL cholesterol and blood pressure.

The risk: When overused, ginseng can actually increase blood pressure and can diminish the effect of warfarin.

Grapefruit juice

What it is: The juice cartons in the supermarket, right next to the orange juice.

What it’s used for: To lose weight and to promote heart health.

The risk: Grapefruit juice interferes with an enzyme that is essential for properly absorbing medications including statins and calcium-channel blockers, which intensifies the effect of those drugs. A single glass of grapefruit juice more than doubles the amount of calcium-channel blocker available to the body, research has shown.

Aloe Vera

What it is: The pulp of the aloe vera plant.

What it’s used for: In addition to its familiar use as a lotion and salve, aloe is taken orally to treat serious health conditions including arthritis, epilepsy, diabetes, and asthma.

The risk: Aloe vera can cause a drop in the blood’s potassium level, which in turn can lead to heart-rhythm problems (arrhythmias), as well as complications in heart patients taking the drug digoxin.

Black cohosh

What it is: The extract of the root of the black cohosh plant, Actaea racemosa. Sold as a capsule.

What it’s used for: Black cohosh is mainly used to assuage the symptoms of menopause (hot flashes, vaginal dryness, night sweats), but it has also been used to treat joint and muscle pain.

The risk: Like St. John’s wort, black cohosh may interfere with certain prescription medications, including statins, beta-blockers, and calcium-channel blockers. It also carries a risk of liver damage.

Hawthorn

What it is: A flowering shrub related to the rosebush.

What it’s used for: The fruit of the hawthorn shrub has been used to treat the symptoms of heart disease for hundreds of years, while the leaf and flower are also used to treat heart failure.

The risk: Hawthorn has been shown to strengthen the contractions of heart muscle, which may interact negatively with prescription heart-failure medications.

Yohimbe

What it is: An extract of the bark of the Pausinystalia yohimbe tree (also known as yohimbine or yohimbe bark).

What it’s used for: As an aphrodisiac, and to treat erectile dysfunction and other sexual problems in men.

The risk: Yohimbe increases heart rate, and can both raise and lower blood pressure, potentially causing complications in people with heart problems.

Licorice root

What it is: The dried extract of the root of the licorice plant, sold as a capsule.

What it’s used for: Licorice root is used to treat ulcers and other stomach ailments, bronchitis and sore throat, and some viral infections.

The risk: It can raise blood pressure. Like aloe vera, it can also cause a dangerous drop in blood potassium levels.

Butcher's broom

What it is: The extract of the shrub Ruscus aculeatus, also known as butcher’s broom. Sold as a capsule.

What it’s used for: To improve ailments associated with poor circulation, such as varicose veins, venous insufficiency, and leg cramps.

The risk: Butcher’s broom can interfere with the action of alpha-blockers, a class of drug that is prescribed to lower blood pressure.

And many more...

These aren't the only herbal products heart patients should be wary of.

In addition to the products pictured, angelica, capsicum, fumitory, gossypol, Irish moss, kelp, khella, lily of the valley, ephedra, night-blooming cereus, oleander, and strophanthus can all interact negatively with heart medications.

Heart patients taking medication—and everybody else, for that matter—should check with their physician before taking a dietary supplement.

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5 Quick Ways to Stop Back Pain

From Crunches to Lunches, How to Ease the Ache

Roughly 8 out of 10 people suffer from back pain at some point during their lives. Women, in particular, are prone to posture and back problems—thanks to toting around outrageously heavy purses, going through pregnancy, or giving one-hip rides to kids. Whether you’re in the midst of fighting the ache or just want to prevent it, here are some expert-endorsed quick-and-easy ways to wage your war.

Pass the broccoli, please

You know that calcium is key for strong bones, but Japanese researchers have identified something else you need: vitamin K. It’s believed that the vitamin, found in broccoli, spinach, and other dark leafy greens, helps calcium deposit in the bones, making them denser. The stronger your bones, the stronger your whole body—and the lower your chances of an injury that could cause back pain.

Lighten your load

If your purse or briefcase tips the scales at more than 10 percent of your weight, it’s too heavy. And you need to carry it right. Your best bet is a model with a long strap that lets you position it across your chest like a messenger bag. Our pick: the Ellington Leather Moroccan Shoulder Bag ($169.90). Can’t part with your shorter-strapped number? Switch shoulders every 20 minutes.

Sleep right

A harder bed may not be better for your back. A recent study in Spine found that people who slept on softer beds reported less lower-back pain than those who snoozed on harder ones.

Pillows? Yours shouldn’t raise your head out of alignment with your spine. How to tell: If you’re a back sleeper, your chin shouldn’t press into your chest. If you’re a side sleeper, it shouldn’t curve up toward your shoulder.

Tighten those abs

Having strong core muscles (we’re talking abs here) can help protect your back from injury. Do this core-strengthening pelvic tilt 2 to 3 times per week: Lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat on the floor, and lower back flattened. Pull in your belly button toward your spine, contracting your abs; your pelvis should lift slightly off the floor.

Do 2 to 3 sets of 12 reps.

Aim for good posture

Sitting at a desk for eight (or more) hours a day can really do a number on your back. Make sure to sit with your back against your chair (get a lumbar pillow if you chair doesn’t allow this) and both feet flat on the floor. Another option: Try using a stability ball as your desk chair like many Health staffers do—good posture is a must just to stay on the thing. Start off slow (20 minutes at a time), and if it feels good, stick with it.

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Is your Rx to blame?

9 Medications That Can Cause Heartburn

By Amanda Gardner

If you have heartburn, pills can be your best friend and worst enemy.

Some pills (such as antacids) soothe the painful burning you experience after downing an order of buffalo wings or drinking one too many glasses of wine.

Other pills—the ones you take for health conditions that are not related to heartburn—can make the pain worse or even trigger heartburn in the first place. Is your medication to blame for your pain? This guide will help you find out.

Ibuprofen

Popular over-the-counter ibuprofen products such as Motrin and Advil can increase acid production in the stomach. Try acetaminophen (Tylenol) instead.

“It does not increase acid levels,” says Vivek Kaul, MD, a gastroenterologist at the University of Rochester Medical Center, in Rochester, N.Y.

Even a narcotic such as Percocet may be better for your stomach than taking six Motrin tablets a day, he says. But some narcotics can cause heartburn—in addition to being habit-forming—so discuss your options with your physician.

Bone-strengthening drugs

Osteoporosis drugs known as bisphosphenates—including blockbusters like alendronate (Fosamax), ibandronate (Boniva), and risedronate (Actonel)—are notorious for causing heartburn.

Newer formulations that are taken less frequently may be easier on the stomach.

Reclast, for instance, is an infusion drug that needs to be taken only once a year.

If you’re still on a daily or weekly pill schedule, taking the medication first thing in the morning (before eating or drinking) may help minimize heartburn.

Blood pressure drugs

The blood pressure medications known as calcium channel blockers and beta blockers can provoke heartburn by relaxing the lower esophageal sphincter, which can allow stomach acid to seep up into the esophagus.

If this happens to you, ask your doctor about alternatives. “There are a lot of blood pressure medications out there, and sometimes you can successfully switch,” says Timothy Pfanner, MD, assistant professor of internal medicine at Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, in College Station.

Aspirin

The world’s wonder drug may be able to fix everything from headaches to heart attacks, but for heartburn sufferers it also comes with a cost: more acid production in the stomach.

Aspirin also inhibits the formation of prostaglandins, which have a protective effect on the digestive tract.

Sleeping pills and sedatives

Medications such as Valium (diazepam) that are designed to relieve anxiety and help you relax, unfortunately, also relax your esophageal sphincter, which may lead to heartburn.

The fact that you’re supposed to lie down after taking these drugs doesn’t help, because lying down can aggravate acid reflux.

Iron supplements

Iron spurs the body to produce more red blood cells, but it can also lead to acid reflux.

Ask your doctor for alternative supplements, or reduce the odds of reflux by taking the pills standing up or sitting down, not lying down.

Tricyclic antidepressants

Some of the older tricyclic antidepressants (such as imipramine or amitriptyline) may contribute to heartburn by slowing the speed at which the stomach empties, Dr. Kaul explains.

“If the stomach isn’t emptying as it’s supposed to, then acid and food products will sit there for a long time and will be more likely to reflux back,” he says.

Generally speaking, newer psychiatric drugs work in a more targeted way and have fewer gastrointestinal side effects.

Antibiotics

Antibiotics such as tetracylcine that are used to treat common bacterial infections can cause heartburn.

If you experience heartburn often and need an antibiotic, check with your doctor to see if she can prescribe one that’s gentle on the esophagus and stomach, or if an enteric-coated antibiotic is available.

Potassium supplements

These supplements are often taken to normalize high blood pressure, but they can irritate the lining of the esophagus, says Dr. Kaul.

Not every patient who takes potassium is going to suffer from heartburn. To reduce your chances, be sure to take the medicine while sitting up and wash it down with plenty of water.

If you still feel the burn, ask your doctor for another type of blood pressure medication or for a slow-release enteric-coated version of potassium. (The coating causes the medication to dissolve in your small intestine instead of in your stomach.)

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