Information and opinions on health from SSuchy at HealthCentral.com. HealthCentral.com is one of the top health destinations on the Web, with more than 35 condition-specific, wellness and general health Web properties. http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/795915/index http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/795915/rss self application/xml en-us 15 120 19 http://www.healthcentral.com/images/hc_logo_sm.gif http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/795915/index http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/795915/153192/explainer Tue, 22 May 2012 12:39:00 -0400 SSuchy A report included with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2010 nutritional guidelines listed the top 25 sources of calories for Americans over the age of two.  And almost a third of those on the list qualified as “empty calorie” foods, meaning they boost calories without adding nutrients.    Given these findings, it should come as no surprise that the obesity rate in American is projected to balloon to 40... http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/795915/153192/explainer http://www.healthcentral.com/ibd/c/795915/152874/myths-celiac-disease Fri, 11 May 2012 16:18:45 -0400 SSuchy Myth: Celiac disease is a type of wheat allergy   Fact: Celiac Disease is not an allergy but an autoimmune disorder that is triggered by gluten.  Gluten is a protein found in all form of wheat, rye barley, triticale and some oats.  When someone with Celiac disease eats a food that contains gluten, the gluten will trigger an immune-mediated toxic reaction that damages the lining of the small intestines – the villi –... http://www.healthcentral.com/ibd/c/795915/152874/myths-celiac-disease http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/795915/152633/booze-lose Thu, 03 May 2012 10:49:00 -0400 SSuchy If you have trouble losing weight even after you've established a good exercise regimen and improved your diet, the answer may lie in what you drink at happy hour.  Alcoholic beverages are notorious for hiding massive amounts of calories in small, easily drinkable servings.  Check out this infographic to see exactly how much one night of drinking may cost your waistline: (click to enlarge) http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/795915/152633/booze-lose http://www.healthcentral.com/acid-reflux/c/795915/152608/gi-esophagus Wed, 02 May 2012 16:49:48 -0400 SSuchy Many gastrointestinal issues, like gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), will wreck havoc on the upper GI tract – the mouth, throat, and esophagus, stomach and duodenum – the first part of the small intestine.  An endoscopy allows a doctor a clear view of the upper GI tract and to take samples of suspect tissue for further diagnostic testing.    Why an endoscopy?   Endoscopies are ordered to determine the... http://www.healthcentral.com/acid-reflux/c/795915/152608/gi-esophagus http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/795915/152424/alzheimer Thu, 26 Apr 2012 11:24:47 -0400 SSuchy Myth: Consistent memory loss is a normal part of aging   Fact: It is common for people to have occasional memory problems as they age, such as forgetting the name of recent acquaintances or where you set the keys.  However, Alzheimer’s disease is much more than occasional memory lapses.   Alzheimer’s disease causes brain cells to malfunction and eventually die, which results in memory loss, personality changes... http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/795915/152424/alzheimer http://www.healthcentral.com/acid-reflux/c/795915/152200/heartburn Wed, 18 Apr 2012 17:44:36 -0400 SSuchy Heartburn, GERD, indigestion, reflux are all different words to describe the same underlying condition.  The terms are usually used to specify severity and frequency of the symptoms, though they are often confused and misused.  Let’s clear this up.   So what is heartburn?     Heartburn usually describes a burning sensation felt in the chest, though the term itself is misleading; heartburn has absolutely nothing... http://www.healthcentral.com/acid-reflux/c/795915/152200/heartburn http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/795915/151746/seasonal Mon, 02 Apr 2012 10:50:00 -0400 SSuchy Seasonal eating is healthy eating; also economical, eco-friendly and downright delicious...in fact, we cannot think of a down-side. Use this infographic to learn which foods are in season then stock up your pantry with the freshest most seasonally delicious fruits and vegetables you can lay your hands on. (please click the infographic to enlarge) For the month of April, we recommend: Penne with Asparagus and Red PeppersSpring Risotto with Fresh... http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/795915/151746/seasonal http://www.healthcentral.com/acid-reflux/c/795915/136579/schroeder Wed, 13 Apr 2011 15:49:00 -0400 SSuchy It is with great sadness that we recognize the loss of one of our true leaders, Jan Gambino, who has been working with me and the rest of my team at HealthCentral since the beginning. Jan has been a fearless voice for the Acid Reflux community, a mother to three daughters and a friend to us and so many others. Her passion and dedication to advocacy for children suffering from acid reflux has touched countless lives through her work with... http://www.healthcentral.com/acid-reflux/c/795915/136579/schroeder http://www.healthcentral.com/acid-reflux/c/795915/136568/remembering Wed, 13 Apr 2011 13:11:00 -0400 SSuchy It is with a very sad heart that I share with you that Jan Gambino, one of AcidRefluxConnection's most prolific and beloved writers, passed away earlier this week. Anyone who has read even one of Jan's articles knows the seemingly inexhaustible passion she had for helping patients living with acid reflux and especially parents with children suffering from acid reflux. Her enduring message of hope combined with the power of the most relevant and... http://www.healthcentral.com/acid-reflux/c/795915/136568/remembering http://www.healthcentral.com/acid-reflux/c/795915/111105/digestive Fri, 07 May 2010 08:41:00 -0400 SSuchy As if pregnant women needed one more thing to worry about, a new study out of the University Of Pennsylvania School Of Medicine suggests that expectant mothers who use Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPI) to quell acid reflux symptoms put their unborn babies at a higher risk of cardiac complications. More than half of all pregnant women suffer from gastro esophageal reflux (GERD), or heartburn, during their pregnancy. Due to the fragile nature of a... http://www.healthcentral.com/acid-reflux/c/795915/111105/digestive