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Cutting-edge information and tips for creating health in all areas of life – wellness, nutrition, fitness, attitude, and relationships

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January 16, 2025

Managing IBS: When Almost Everything You Eat Gives You Gas or Stomach Pain

There’s so much confusion and misinformation about irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Most of it comes from the fact that symptoms vary from one person to the next and doctors don’t really know what causes it. IBS is a painful condition that affects the large intestine causing what seems like constant abdominal pain, gas and diarrhea. While most people have mild to moderate symptoms, for some it’s a debilitating condition. It affects nearly 20 percent of the population and is the second most common reason why people miss work and school (the number one excuse is the common cold). IBS has no visible signs like inflammation, polyps or tumors, so it’s diagnosed by a process of elimination. And while the symptoms can be treated with diarrhea medication, laxatives, nerve pain medication and antibiotics, they can also be managed with dietary and lifestyle changes. Figure Out Your Triggers Tracking your diet and keeping a food journal is the easiest way to figure out which foods give you stomach pain or gas. Most “attacks” happen right after meals, so it shouldn’t be too hard to figure out what’s causing your symptoms. Keep in mind that there are also non-food triggers, the most common is stress. If you think some of your symptoms are caused by stress, it’s time to explore stress reduction methods like counseling and exercise. Eat a Low FODMAP Diet Research has shown that a low FODMAP diet provides relief for more than half of IBS patients. FODMAP refers to Fermented…

Do you find that losing weight is more challenging as you get older, especially after 50? Then you’re not alone. It’s frustrating and discouraging to see less than desirable results on the scale after so much hard work and effort. Luckily, you can do a few things to move the needle in the desired direction. …

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Stress affects everyone, even superheroes. There’s no escaping it.  According to The American Institute of Stress, about 33 percent of people report feeling extreme stress 77 percent of people experience stress that affects their physical health 73 percent of people have stress that impacts their mental health  48 percent of people have trouble sleeping because of…

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Do you dream of retiring one day? What do you imagine life will be like when that day finally comes? Lazy days at the beach? Living in an RV traveling from coast to coast? Exploring the world? Taking dream vacations? Or perhaps more time to serve your community of faith?  Retirement means something different to…

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You might be sick and tired of hearing about pandemics, endemics, masks, vaccines, boosters, and the granddaddy of them all: social distancing. Ugh! But that doesn’t change the fact that we’re in the cold and flu season. So, staying healthy is still a top priority. Our last post shared how hand washing is your first…

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In an age of social distancing and masking up, the last thing you want is to take foolish health risks and catch something (not that you ever do). With so much talk about the pandemic, it’s easy to forget that we’re in the cold and flu season. We want to do everything we can to…

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Is it really such a bad thing to be shy? Shyness used to be seen negatively as an unpleasant emotional state related to loneliness or social anxiety, a perspective that is being questioned. If you consider yourself shy, you’re not alone because about 40 to 60 percent of all adults consider themselves shy, according to…

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Sympathy. Pity. Concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others. Mercy. Grace. Forgiveness. These are things that seem in short supply these days. In a word, we’re talking about compassion. Have you ever met someone who was all heart, whose very presence brightened the world? And thought, wow, we could use a lot more of…

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Don’t underestimate the power and strength of being compassionate. Just because a person is compassionate doesn’t mean they’re soft or weak. Compassionate people are confident, resilient, and even fearless.   Here are a few habits and qualities of genuinely compassionate people.  They Don’t Take Things Personally Compassionate people know that life happens, and people make mistakes;…

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What do you imagine when you dream of retirement? Beach house? Traveling the world? Time to enjoy your hobbies and passions?  Finding happiness in retirement goes far beyond relaxing in your chair and sipping your favorite beverage. Here are six crucial tips to enjoy retirement more. Safeguard Wealth With Budgeting Everyone knows that money can’t…

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One of your most important relationships is the one you have with yourself. Maybe even the most important. Of all the articles and books on healthy relationships, how many deals with improving your connection to yourself? Not many, that’s for sure.  The kind of relationship you have with yourself influences everything in your life. It determines how…

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There’s an old saying that goes, “You only live once but if you do it right, once is enough.” Age is more than the number of the candles on your birthday cake. It doesn’t matter if you’re blowing out forty or fifty or sixty candles if your well-being is youthful! Aging well isn’t just about…

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How happy do you feel?  How happy do you want to feel? And, do you believe feelings of happiness are out of your control – that your circumstances and world events determine how happy you’ll feel in 2022 and beyond? What if… experiencing sustainable happiness was as simple as deciding to feel happy?  What if you took control and…

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