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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…

Having a serious illness like cancer, heart disease, or ALS can be very lonely, and no one should try to bear it alone. First, it isn’t practical to hide something that serious from friends and family without them noticing that something is troubling you. Second, acting like everything is okay when it’s not, requires energy…

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Some people really love working out, but most want to get their workout done as fast as possible. They’re always looking for the ultimate bang-for-your-buck workouts that get them the best results in the shortest time! Compound exercises are the easiest way to take your workout from good to great without spending more time in…

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Although baldness is an intentional choice for some people, most desire a full, healthy head of hair because they feel more confident and attractive. Unfortunately, about half of us will experience some form of hair loss before the age of 50. The exact numbers, according to the American Hair Loss Association, are 50% of men…

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Do you ever crave certain foods, like crawling across shards of broken glass kind of cravings?  That might be a bit extreme, but you get the idea. Food cravings are a universal struggle. One hundred percent of young women and seventy percent of young men experience them; scientists have yet to find a “cure.” But…

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It’s early in the New Year, and people are crowding the gyms to get in shape. If you’re one of them, chances are your body is hurting all over!  Usually, when pain occurs in one part of the body, it’s easy to pinpoint the cause. But generalized aches and pains are another story and are…

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Tracking your weight can be frustrating, especially if you have more than a few pounds to lose because weight can fluctuate by more than a few pounds a day. To complicate matters, when you’re thirsty, your body panics and retains water, causing you to weigh even more. When you’re adequately hydrated, your body drops the…

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When someone asks what makes us happy, we often think of our family and friends, circumstances, and possessions. However, happiness has more to do with the chemicals in our brains than with what’s going on in our lives. In fact, there are four main neurotransmitters associated with the feelings we refer to as happiness: endorphins,…

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The average person gains about one pound during the six weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. It may seem like a small price to pay for enjoying your favorite holiday treats, but it’s quite difficult to shed that weight after the festivities. And you know what? That holiday weight gain tends to stick around year…

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Few people push their bodies past their physical limits like Olympic athletes, who’ve proven over and over that when it comes to endurance, strength, and speed, our bodies are capable of far more than we ever thought possible. What if we could learn from these athletes and incorporate their best practices into our workouts? Understanding…

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Did you know that half of all stroke victims don’t realize when they’re having a stroke? Since they assume that the symptoms they’re experiencing will go away on their own, they typically wait three and a half hours before seeking medical treatment. This is dangerous because time is critical when treating stroke. What makes it…

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Everyone knows the health risks of obesity, how it leads to a myriad of harmful health conditions, including hypertension, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and worst of all, death. However, few people know that being lonely and socially isolated is much worse for physical health than being obese or smoking 15 cigarettes a day,…

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Many people have a love-hate relationship with exercise. They view exercise as a kind of penance for a bad diet or an unhealthy lifestyle, and the mere thought of exercise invokes feelings of shame, fear, and self-judgment. It’s why so many people feel the need to hit the gym after the holiday season, and why…

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