Up, Up and Away!

Up, Up And Away What goes down must come up right?  Well kind of!  Belching is a symptom of gas in the upper part of the digestive tract.  It is release of trapped air from the stomach and usually comes from swallowed air.  It’s normal.  Food and drink that contain air contribute to belching.  Without fail, when most people drink a beer, soda or some other bubbly drink they have to belch.  For some whipped cream and egg whites will do the same thing. Gulping food and drink causes us to take in more air. Eating slowly and chewing completely, prevents us from swallowing air.  People swallow air during exercise and while chewing gum, sucking on cigarettes and pipes and straws.  Be glad you belch, I do not, air trapped in the stomach can be painful and belching is a safety valve that relieves the pressure.  People like me that don’t belch tend to get hiccups and that isn’t a lot of fun.  Mine can last for hours. If you feel that you are belching too much here are some suggestions: Make lifestyle changes – eat slowly and chew your food well.  Avoid carbonated beverages.  If you smoke, stop.  Maintain an ideal body weight.  Stop chewing gum and sucking on candy.  I had one client that saw incredible relief from really bad gas once he stopped chewing gum!  Yep it was that simple.  Check your supplements some can cause belching such as fish oils and probiotics. Heartburn and Acid Reflux is caused by stomach acid backing up into your esophagus.  The esophageal sphincter is supposed to keep the stomach contents in place but if the sphincter relaxes, acid can push up into the esophagus.  The most common sensation is a burning sensation above the stomach, excessive salivation, belching, regurgitation and a sour taste in the mouth.  Nearly one third of Americans experience frequent heartburn known as GERD.  Another 3 to 7 percent suffer from Barrett’s esophagus illness caused by acid reflux that results in scarring, constriction of the esophagus and swallowing disorders.  Some medications can cause heartburn such as birth control pills, diazepam, nicotine, nitroglycerine, progesterone and provera.  Heartburn is common amongst pregnant women that are experiencing all their organs being more confined to a tight area.  Stress plays a huge part in this.  Other triggers are wearing tight fitting clothes, lying down after a meal, bending over when full and eating a excessively large meal.  Acid Reflux is when the stomach acid is regurgitated into the esophagus.  This can cause heartburn but you do not necessarily feel pain with acid reflux.  If you experience heartburn in the middle of the night make sure you eat at least 4 hours before going to bed. These problems are rarely seen in those eating a high fiber diet.  Heartburn sufferers take antacids for temporary relief.  Initially, use of antacids causes the body to produce more HCI which helps digest the food.  Eventually the cells that make the acid get exhausted and they begin making much less HCI.  Anti acids also decrease your stomach’s ability to digest protein by reducing the effectiveness of protease enzymes Here are some healthy suggestions for reducing acid reflux.  Eat healthy food – bet that was a surprise.  Increase fruit, vegetables, grains and high-fiber foods.  Foods that are more acidic like tomatoes and citrus are more likely to cause heartburn.  Dairy products have been shown to trigger symptoms.  I have more clients that believe that a cold glass of milk will soothe their stomach.  Not true – and the higher the fat content the more the issues.  Alcoholic beverages, coffee and to some extent tea provoke heartburn as well as high fat, fried, spicy foods; onions and chocolate (say it isn’t true!).  Trigger food are personal so you need to figure out what bothers you.  Drink plenty of water, for some this alone can remedy the situation.  Various spices and herbs have been known to help.  Slippery elm is soothing to the mucus membranes.  Slippery Elm can be found in tea or lozenge form.  Ginger tea is also a great thing to drink to calm your digestive tract. If you are suffering from anyone of these three conditions relief is in sight and in most cases easy to come by.  Whether you work it out on your own or with the help of a nutrition coach – you need to isolate the causes for your problem and modify your diet and lifestyle accordingly. I wish everyone a great weekend and remember….. Good health is as close as your next meal! * I will now be offering a wellness and weight-loss newsletter that will also be bi-weekly on the opposite weeks as the digestive newsletter. If you are interested in receiving this information packed newsletter please say YES! and follow the instructions!  I thank everyone for their support and feedback and look forward to our expanded offerings!

Spring is a time of cleansing with new baby greens that act to clean our bodies of the proteins and heavy foods we have been consuming all winter long.  This is the time of the year when asparagus is on my mind. Let me know what type of recipes that you would like to see! Asparagus with Mustard Vinaigrette and Toasted Pecans 2 lb of Asparagus 3/4 Cup pecans Vinaigrette 1/2 Cut extra virgin olive oil 1/4 cup red wine vinegar 1 T prepared Mustard 1/8 t sea salt Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together niaigrette ingredients and set aside. Place pecans on parchment -lined cookie sheet and toast until fragrant and lightly bowned.  Remove from oven and set aside to cool. To prepare asparagus, bend each piece near the tough dried end until it snaps off.  Discard ends and steam asparagus until it turns bright green (about 3 minutes). Remove from heat, place on a serving dish and drizzle with vinaigrette, top with toasted pecans and serve. Baby Bok Choy with Chick Peas and Cashews 2 T of Olive Oil 1 T of minced ginger 1 T Mirin 1 T Liquid Aminos 6 heads of baby Bok Choy 1/2 C toasted cashews 1 Can chick peas Add oilive oil to saute pan.  Toss in garlic and gently saute for 2 or 3 minutes. Add Mirin, liquid aminos and chick peas. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes till well blended and very fragrant. Add baby Bok Choy and cover so as to lightly steam for 4-5 minutes until greens are slightly softened. Toss well and place in serving bowl. Lightly toss in the cashews and serve. Simple and very flavorful! Enjoy Healthy Relationships by Candace Brindley Relationships take us on the journey of a lifetime and, if we’re smart, can be richly rewarding!  Are you pumping love fuel into your relationships?  Is your home a safe haven where you can turn for comfort and love?  It’s in your hands! Passionate happy relationships don’t happen automatically.  We are easily deluded to think so by the euphoria of early relationships. Romance comes so naturally.  We feel like masters at the art of love.  The truth is that creating a lasting bond of love takes more than the chemicals that had us blinded and blushing in the first 18 months.  We can’t fly on autopilot and expect to land on the tarmac called ‘Soulmate’. Healthy relationships are built by adopting learning-oriented attitudes, as opposed to blaming attitudes, and working to master very specific core competencies, just as with any specialty at which you might strive to become proficient.  You can’t wing it when life throws its inevitable curve balls.  You have to know where you are going. The first thing you can do to help yourself have a healthy relationship is to consciously choose your partner based on compatibility, not just on the chemistry of the moment.  Choose someone with whom you can be yourself.  Ask yourself, “Do I love who I am when I’m with him/her?”  When you can honestly be yourself, you can be sure your attraction is not entirely chemistry driven.  Chemistry tends to ebb and flow over time, but being deeply compatible will help you bridge the gaps as they emerge. As couples we can build love and trust with our partners by treating our relationships as a separate entity from ourselves.  When we turn our focus toward our partners, we are actually building a third entity, the relationship, which thrives by being nurtured every day.  Learning to replace complaints with requests, negotiating to find win-win solutions, practicing heartfelt listening, and keeping your word are examples of skills that may take a life time to master, but are golden to the relationship. Be consciously and passionately involved in caring for your personal relationships. The resulting sense of fulfillment and peace will have an enormously positive impact on your emotional and physical health.  Feeling loved and supported frees you up to live forward with confidence and be energized to pursue your dreams.  So ask yourself the following question, “Do your relationships support your good health”? Candace Brindley, Relationship Coach and Professional Member of The Relationship Coaching Institute.   Candace coaches people into realizing their goals by empowering them to get into action and make effective choices as they find and build long-term relationships.To contact Candace please call 203 247-4613 or go to her website: Rich Relationships

April and May Events! I am taking my show on the road!  I am getting tons of requests for informational seminars and food demonstrations. If you are part of or know of a group that is interested in having a great time learning more about how great tasting food can create great longlasting health let me know.  Seminars are resonably priced and in some cases free! I am wiling to travel anywhere in New England and New York! Fairfield County Women's Expo  April 30-May 1, 2011 Stamford Plaza Hotel 11 Am - 5 PM Sponsored by Stamford Hospital, Foxwoods and Lord And Taylor Come see 220 vendors with a wide variety of products and services for women! We will be at booth 158 Send me an email for free tickets! Fairfield Library Fairfield, CT May 12. 2011 2:00 - 3:00 PM How to beat those sugar blues! REGISTER NOW! Health & Wellness Expo 2011 Stamford Plaza Hotel May 25, 2011 5:30- 9:00 PM Hosted by The Greenwich Young Professionals Group April 20, 2011 Beach recovery Cafe in Norwalk, CT   PROGRAMS OFFERED Nutritional Coaching Programs Create your own:  Choose from any number of coaching sessions, cooking classes, menu and shopping list creation to create a program that is right for you. Optimum Health: Six month program that includes 12 coaching sessions and a health food store tour.  Add cooking classes, menu and shoping list creation and personal chef services at a discounted price. Group Wellness Seminars These seminars address the factors that contribute to our lack of energy and focus, digestive problems, weight issues and stress. Individual or Small Group Cooking Classes Want to cook for yourself or your family but not sure how to prepare healthy food? Classes Offered: Calcium Without the Cow Glorious Greens Great Grains Vegetarian Entrees Breakfast Food Sweet Tooth Teen Food Natural Foods Personal Chef Have your healthy meals prepared in your home by a personal chef. Plans are personalized to your health and wellness goals and meal plan desired. WANT TO LEARN MORE: CONTACT ME AT 203-210-7462 MindyKannon@yahoo.com www.MindyKannon.com