UNHEALTHY HABITS THAT CAUSE BLOATING,INDIGESTION AND ACIDE REFLUX

3 Unhealthy Habits That Cause Bloating, Indigestion & Acid ReFLUX

The food coma is something we all experience now and again, but if you’re experiencing it every time you go out to a restaurant or every weekend, then something’s got to change. It’s not normal to feel sleepy, sluggish and bloated after every meal.

But what about when it’s not? What if you’re eating healthy, not overeating and yet you still feel sluggish and bloated afterwards? That’s where digestion comes in. Unfortunately most of us aren’t even aware that the eating habits we’ve developed as a society are causing us to feel this way.

Eating lots of starch and protein together

Steak and mashed potato. Burger and fries. Eggs Benedict. All the glorious combinations that make us want to pass out on the couch after. Eating large amounts of starch (e.g. bread, pasta, rice, potatoes) and protein (e.g. fish, chicken, beef, eggs) at the same time can cause indigestion and acid reflux.

This is because protein has a much slower rate of digestion, and starches digest much faster into simple sugars. Technically speaking, starches should be saying “hasta la vista” to the stomach pretty quickly and entering the next stage of digestion in the small intestine. But because they’re all mushed up with the protein in the stomach, they have to hang around and wait for hours until the protein finishes digesting too.

And when starches hang around too long, they ferment i.e. release gas which causes us to belch every so eloquently.

Solution:

Eat your starch first, follow it up with protein afterwards. Don’t sweat it if you’re having a small portion of starch alongside your protein, the key is not to overdo the rice and potatoes. P.S. you can eat your veggies with starch and protein, either combo works well!

Having ice-cold water with your meal

When it comes to temperature of drinking water at a meal, opt for room temperature instead of cold. Ice-cold water constricts blood vessels, so it hinders the body’s ability to digest food and absorb nutrients.

Ice-cold water will also solidify any fats that are being eaten making them difficult to digest as well. Plus, your body’s energy is going to get diverted from trying to digest food to trying to regulate your body’s temperature. Sooo much unnecessary exhaustion.

Solution:

Think Japanese. Order some hot water (with lemon, optional) or green tea before the start of your meal and slowly sip on it to prime your gut for optimal digestion. Always tell the server “no ice” and “room temperature”.

Keep in mind that these tips are for optimal digestion. If you suffer from weak digestion, these are far more applicable to you than someone who rarely suffers from feeling bloated or sluggish after a meal. These tips are also more crucial when you have a big brunch or celebratory meal coming up — basically, when you know a food coma is just around the corner.

Drinking lots of water with your meal

Feeling confused already? Water is wonderful. And it’s great to have with your meal in small sips, for the purpose of helping the food along the digestive tract. But drowning your meals with multiple glasses of water is just going to give you indigestion and make you feel bloated afterwards.

When food enters your stomach, a substance called hydrochloric acid (HCL) is secreted from the stomach lining to help begin the process of digestion. HCL is super acidic — after all, it needs to be in order to break big chunks of food into tiny, absorbable nutrients. So if you start chugging back water with your meal, you’re going to dilute the hydrochloric acid and thereby dampen its efforts.

If it helps to paint a picture, imagine a pool of water in your stomach with bits of food floating around, the acid just kind of fizzing out trying to do its job. Feeling gross and bloated already? Good, don’t do it!

Solution:

Drink lots of water either an hour before or after your meals. Only sip on a glass of water throughout your meal.

Reasons Your Period May Be Late—Other Than Pregnancy

7 Reasons Your Period May Be Late—Other Than Pregnancy

Unless you're trying for a baby, getting your period regularly is both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, you have to deal with cramps, bloating, and mood swings. On the other, yay, you’re not pregnant! Suddenly missing your period when babies aren’t on the agenda can be a real freak-out moment, but there are a few other factors that may be to blame. Here, ob-gyn Alyssa Dweck, M.D., co-author of V is for Vagina, offers potential reasons your period is late that have nothing to do with a bouncing bundle of joy.

Major Weight Loss or Excessive Exercise
“This is a reason I see not that infrequently in my office," says Dweck. "If your BMI rapidly dips below 18 or 19, you may start to miss periods." This isn’t strictly based on BMI, though. Serious conditions like anorexia and bulimia can cause missed periods, but so can training for a marathon or some other major event that requires you to exercise more than usual. "Nature has a way of protecting you from getting pregnant if your body is under such extreme stress. Your body prevents ovulation so you don’t have a lot of estrogen, don’t build a big uterine lining, and then don't get a period," says Dweck.

Stress
A big scary event in your life can cause hypothalamic amenorrhea. "This particular area of the brain, the hypothalamus, is where a lot of the hormones for your period are regulated," says Dweck. "The hypothalamus is very affected by stress." So if you’re dealing with a big move, death in the family, huge breakup, or any other life event that's shaking you up, it could be the cause.

A Thyroid Irregularity
The thyroid gland, located in your neck, regulates your metabolism. It also interacts with many other systems in your body to keep things running smoothly. “If you’re dealing with any type of thyroid imbalance, whether it’s hypo- or hyperthyroidism, that can have implications for your period,” says Dweck. If you notice other symptoms of a thyroid disorder, check in with your doctor for an official diagnosis.

Polycystic Ovary Symptom
PCOS is a hormone imbalance that comes down to a lack of ovulation, so you have altered levels of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. "We’re seeing a lot more of this, although there are varying degrees. It can cause you to completely miss your period or just not menstruate regularly," says Dweck. Other PCOS symptoms include hair growth in places like the face and chest, difficulty losing weight, and potential fertility issues. Your doctor can help you come up with a treatment plan to manage the conditi

Chronic Diseases Like Celiac
"I know celiac disease is on everyone's mind right now," says Dweck, referring to the disease that's characterized by gluten intolerance. "Any chronic disease that’s left untreated or undiagnosed is a stressor to your general system and can result in missed periods." Think celiac may be the cause of your weird period issues? Here’s how to figure out if you should get tested.

Your Birth Control
A missing period can actually be a harmless byproduct of the measures you take to avoid pregnancy. "Some low-dose pills will cause a lack of menses that isn’t dangerous and is many times a welcome side effect," says Dweck. The same goes for methods like hormonal IUDs, implants, or shots. It can also take some time for your period to come back if you've stopped birth control, but it will usually resume without issue in a few months.

Premature Menopause
When women under 40 have hormones misfiring in a significant way, they can go through premature menopause, also known as premature ovarian failure. Along with missed periods, signs of it include hot flashes, night sweats, and vaginal dryness. "This isn’t very common, so you shouldn’t imme

HABITS THAT IMPROVES FERTILITY IN MEN

8 Great Habits That Improves Fertility In Men

Infertility is a worldwide issue and is a major cause of marital disharmony. In Africa, its effect on the family is frequently seen as divorce from inability to raise children, social and family pressure on the affected couples, low self esteem and the financial burden needed for assisted reproduction.

Infertility is defined by World Health Organization as the inability of a heterosexual couple to achieve pregnancy despite regular and unprotected sexual intercourse for a period greater than one year. Infertility can be caused by the male, female partner or both. Statistically, about 20% is caused by the woman, 20% by the man, and 10% by both partners. The remaining percentage is usually termed as ‘infertility from unknown cause’.

Healthy sperm depends on factors like the Quantity, Quality and Motility. In this article, I will show you 8 great habits that improves fertility in men

Habits that improves fertility in men

1. Keep your underwear and dressing loose

Studies have shown that men who frequently wear tight fitted underwear and clothing stand a higher risk of becoming infertile. The testis which produce sperm cells is housed within a loose fitted sac known as the scrotum because the testes needs an optimal temperature for effective production of sperms. The scrotum is made up of specialized muscles that bring the scrotum close to the body when the environmental temperature is low and it also moves away from the body when the body temperature is higher than the environmental temperature. This effective physiological mechanism ensures optimal testicular temperature for sperm production. So any time you go shopping for your new under wears and trousers, always remember to buy loose fitted ones made of cotton. It is also important to note that nylon pants and trousers absorb more heat hence interfering with the functions of the testes. This is a great habit that improves fertility in men.

2. Eat right

“We are what we eat” is a popular phrase used by nutritionist and dietician. This is absolutely true because whatever we feed into our system is used by the cells of our body, so for healthy cells we need the right diet. Scientific studies have shown that eating meals rich in natural antioxidants e.g. Vitamin A, C, E, K, glutathione, zinc, selenium, folate and flavonoids improves fertility in men. This has an overall effect of boosting sperm count; improve sexual stamina and general health. Eat plenty of bright colored fruits and green vegetables, seafood and grains. Avoid meals rich in red meat, fats, sodas, and excessive carbohydrate because there can interfere significantly with the functions of the testis.

3. Avoid alcohol and tobacco

Excessive consumption of tobacco and alcohol affects the production of sperms by the testis. Tar and other toxins inhaled into the body during smoking damages the DNA of the sperm cells. The DNA is a structure that codes for the entire functions of the sperm so a defective DNA will translate to defective sperm cells. Alcohol has similar effect on the sperm cells. If you want to improve your fertility, then quit smoking and excessive consumption of alcohol.

4. Reduce exposure to occupational/ environmental toxins

Exposure to occupational or environment toxins pose a significant risk on infertility in men. Exposure to hydrocarbons insecticides, pesticides, industrial fumes, and printing/dry cleaning reagents reduces fertility rate in men. Always try to minimize exposure to such agents. Protective clothing must be used by men working in factories and companies to minimize occupational hazard.

5. Treat all STDs and avoid unprotected sexual intercourse

Untreated sexually transmitted disease like gonorrhea may persist in the body thus damaging the sperm producing mechanism in the testes. There may also damage the tubes responsible for the transportation of  the sperm cells from the seminiferous tubules to the epididymis and the urethra. About 50% of infertile men are as a result of untreated or poorly treated gonorrhea and other STDs. Always endeavor to use condoms when having causal sexual intercourse and make sure you visit your doctor for treatment of STD. The sperm count/ function has been significantly improved in men after a course of antibiotics to eradicate any infection interfering with sperm production.

6. Reduce stress levels

Stress does not only affecting libido and sexual arousal, it also affect sperm production. For optimal sperm production, hormones like testosterone must be produced by the brain in sufficient amount to stimulate sperm production by the testis. Stress affects the production of reproductive hormones hence causing male infertility. Stress can be managed by exercising regularly and appropriately, massage, psychotherapy and slight alteration in lifestyle. A stress free live is a great habit that improves fertility in men.

7. Maintain adequate body weight

For men who want to boost their sexuality and also improve fertility, another great habit is for you to exercise regularly and maintain a healthy diet which will enable you lose weight and maintain your body weight. Fat accumulation interferes with the synthesis and function of testosterone in the body. This affects the rate at which sperm cells are produced. Obesity has other effect of increasing premature ejaculation, impotence, low self esteem and low sperm count.

8. Visit your doctor regularly

Evaluation for male infertility always begins with a sperm count. After the initial assessment by your doctor, he/she will request for a sperm count to be done. This measures the number of sperm cells per ml of ejaculate, the structure of the sperms, the function/ motility of the sperm cells and seminal fluid assay. Your doctor will also request for your hormone profile and will also check for other medical conditions like diabetes mellitus, drug interaction, and spinal cord disorders that may affect fertility. After the evaluation, your doctor will place you on the most appropriate therapy which will help improve your fertility.