Seven Herbs for Indigestion

If indigestion is your problem, below are some herbs that can help you.

Fennel / Fennel Seed

There is a reason Indian restaurants serve the fennel seed mix, Mukhwas, after dinner. Fennel seed has long been used to help fight gas, cramps, and acid indigestion, and to help ease spasms in the intestinal tract.

Fennel has a long history of use in both food and medicine. Traditionally, it is said to act as a carminative, which means that it helps the body expel gas and sooth indigestion. Fennel is also a common ingredient in "gripe water," a traditional (and very alcoholic, by the way) preparation used for treating infant colic.

Fennel leaves can be used to make tea. NYU Langone Medical Center says that a typical dose of fennel is 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons of seeds per day.

Lemon Balm

Lemon balm is a member of the mint family and has been a favorite since the Middle Ages for reducing stress and anxiety, abetting sleep, sparking appetite, and easing indigestion.

These days, lemon balm is commonly mixed with other calming herbs to help promote relaxation. Evidence suggests that lemon balm, in combination with other herbs, may help treat indigestion -- although just soothing the stress alone can sometimes help with dyspepsia.

To reduce indigestion, flatulence, or bloating, the University of Maryland Medical Center recommends:

Capsules: Take 300 - 500 mg dried lemon balm, 3 times daily or as needed.
Tea: 1.5 - 4.5 grams (1/4 - 1 teaspoonful) of dried lemon balm herb in hot water. Steep and drink up to 4 times daily.
Tincture: 2 - 3 mL (40 - 90 drops), 3 times daily

Turmeric

Turmeric is the little minx of the spice drawer -- super bright, spicy, and boasting a broad array of health claims. You may know it as the main spice in curry and the one which imparts that intense golden glow, but turmeric is also used for health remedies.

In traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic medicine, turmeric has been used to aid digestion and liver function, relieve arthritis pain, and regulate menstruation. It has also traditionally been used for heartburn, stomach pain, diarrhea, intestinal gas, and stomach bloating.

According to the NYU Langone Medical Center, turmeric's superpower comes in the form of the substance, curcumin, that, among other properties, may stimulate gallbladder contractions. One double-blind, placebo-controlled study showed that 87% percent of the curcumin group experienced full or partial symptom relief from dyspepsia as compared to 53% of the placebo group.

The National Institutes of Health recommends a dosage of 500 mg of turmeric four times daily for dyspepsia.

Ginger

Ginger has long been used as a medicine in Asian, Indian, and Arabic herbal traditions. In China, ginger has been used to aid all types of digestion disorders for more than 2,000 years. Fast-forward to modern medicine, and health care professionals still commonly recommend ginger to help prevent or treat nausea and vomiting. It is also used as a digestive aid for mild stomach upset.

Germany's Commission E has approved ginger as a treatment for indigestion and motion sickness. Curiously, while most anti-nausea drugs work on the brain and the inner ear, ginger seems to act directly on the stomach.

For most purposes, the standard dosage of powdered ginger is 1 to 4 g daily, divided into 2 to 4 doses per day. (To prevent motion sickness, you should aim to begin treatment 1 or 2 days before the trip and continue it throughout the period of travel.)

Artichoke Leaf

If you have ever wondered what in the world were those Italians thinking when they invented the artichoke aperitif liqueur, Cynar, here's you answer. In traditional European medicine, the leaves of the artichoke plant (not the leaves of the bud, which is the part that we eat) were used as a diuretic to stimulate the kidneys and as well as the flow of bile from the liver and gallbladder; which plays a starring role in digestion.

Over the past century, much research has been done looking into the traditional medicinal uses of the artichoke plant; conclusions suggest that the plant does indeed stimulate the kidney and gallbladder. In the mid-20th century, Italian scientists isolated a compound from artichoke leaf called cynarin, which appeared to duplicate many of the effects of whole artichoke. Salute!

In 2003, a large study evaluated artichoke leaf as a treatment for dyspepsia; artichoke leaf extract proved significantly more effective than placebo for alleviating symptoms of functional dyspepsia. Germany's Commission E has authorized the use of artichoke leaf use for "dyspeptic problems" -- they recommend 6 grams of the dried herb or its equivalent per day, usually divided into 3 doses. Artichoke leaf extracts should be taken according to label instructions.


Peppermint

Peppermint is often used to soothe an upset stomach or to aid in digestion. Because of its subtle numbing effect, it has been used to treat everything from headaches, skin irritations, and anxiety to nausea, diarrhea, menstrual cramps, and flatulence.

Peppermint oil seems to be helpful for a variety of conditions that involve spasm of the intestinal tract. Most studies have involved irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), for which peppermint oil has shown considerable promise.

Peppermint relaxes the muscles that struggle with digestive gas and improve the flow of bile, which the body uses to digest fats. In studies on using peppermint to treat IBS, there seems to be a trend indicating mild effectiveness in the reduction of some symptoms, especially flatulence and abdominal pain and distension. However, if your symptoms of indigestion are related to a condition called gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD, peppermint should not be used.

Cayenne

OK, this one is confusing: Doesn't spicy food cause stomach aches? According to the folks at NYU, evidence suggests that oral use of cayenne can reduce the pain of dyspepsia! Counter-intuitive, at best, but apparently hot peppers don't actually inflame the tissues they contact; in fact, hot peppers aren't even harmful for ulcers. Rather, they merely produce sensations similar to those caused by actual damage.

Oral use of capsaicin seems to reduce discomfort in the stomach. In a double-blind study, individuals with dyspepsia were given either 2.5 g daily of red pepper powder (divided up and taken prior to meals) or placebo for 5 weeks. By the third week of treatment, individuals taking red pepper were experiencing significant improvements in pain, bloating, and nausea as compared to placebo, and these relative improvements lasted through the end of the study.

For treatment of dyspepsia, cayenne may be taken at a dosage of 0.5 to 1.0 g three times daily (prior to meals).

For these and all herbs, do not exceed dosage recommendations, and be sure to consult with your doctor if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking any medication. Click Here for More information!

Top 10 Driving Mistakes

Read below to find out the most common driving mistakes people make, and what you can do to improve your road skills.

1. You're not paying as much attention to the road as you think you are.

Distracted driving is a huge cause of accidents, and cell phone use is one of the biggest culprits. Think you're in the clear because you're wearing a headset? Experts agree that even if you're talking hands-free while behind the wheel, you're still endangering yourself and others. "You're driving a two- or three-thousand-pound piece of metal, and anything you do that distracts you from driving is a danger," says Rick Adam, vice president of claims at High Point Auto Insurance in Leesburg, Virginia. "Texting while driving is now approaching the danger level of drunk driving."

2. You're focusing on the wrong part of the road.

Trying to navigate unfamiliar territory while driving is tricky, but instead of zeroing in on road signs and exit numbers in the distance, you should focus on the road immediately ahead of you, says Steven Ross, owner of Empire Defensive Driving School in Long Island, New York. "Swerving out of lane is a common problem, and failure to focus on the road ahead of you—even if you think you're paying attention—can cause you to shift out of lane." Instead, Ross recommends that if you don't have a passenger to tell you which turns to make, you should pull over to the side of the road to look at a map, or use a GPS device to guide you.

3. You're waiting too long to check your tire pressure.

If the low tire pressure indicator lights on your car's dashboard, you've already waited too long, says Tony Molla, vice president of communicationsfor the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence. "You should be checking your tires regularly; when the light comes on it's usually a worst-case scenario." Molla recommends pulling over to the side of the road if this happens. If the tire looks almost completely flat, don't try to drive on it. If it's only low, pull off at the nearest exit, find an air pump and replenish. Not only can low tire pressure use up more gas, but if all four tires don't have the correct air pressure, it's harder to maneuver the car in emergency situations—especially when you have to make a quick turn. Learn about 8 other car maintenance checks you can do yourself.

4. You're not bothering to improve your parallel parking skills.

As long as you manage to make your way into a parking spot, it doesn't matter how you got there, right? Wrong, insists Ross, whose students often hit the curb while attempting the maneuver. "There are two major problems with that: Hitting the curb will deteriorate your tires and it will damage the alignment." If it gets to the point where your tires look whitewashed from so many encounters with the curb, chances are high that they will pop.

So what's the best way to parallel park? Ross recommends pulling up beside the car parked in front of your space until the two rear bumpers are parallel, leaving two feet of space between the cars. Put your car in reverse and back up slowly, turning the wheel toward the curb as far as it will go. Once the back of your front door is even with the rear bumper of the car beside you, begin to turn the wheel away from the curb and continue to reverse into the spot.

5. You're spending too much on gas.

"The most common mistake drivers make is that they fill up their cars with premium fuel when they don't need to," says Molla. "While some vehicles do require that high level of octane gas, 99 percent of the cars out there are going to run just fine on regular gas." Check your owner's manual to see what your car's manufacturer recommends, and if it doesn't call for premium fuel, don't bother.

6. You aren't heeding wet roadways quickly enough.

Adam says his company processes an enormous number of accident claims due to people not adjusting their driving to rainy conditions. "People fail to do this because they're unaware of the fact that the first 10 minutes of rain are when roadways are most dangerous," he adds. "Those initial minutes of precipitation cause the oil that has built up on the roads to make conditions extremely slick." So when it starts to drizzle, slow down immediately.

7. You're applying too much pressure to the gas and brake pedals.

According to Molla, you're going to get the best fuel economy "if you drive like you have an egg under your foot." The more smoothly you accelerate and brake, the further your gas will go. Similarly, ignore the old rule that says starting up your car will waste more fuel than idling. "It's not true. If you're going to be sitting for more than a minute or two, turn off your car. Restarting it won't waste any more fuel than if you left it on."

8. You change your mind about turning too often.

Everyone has switched on their turn signal only to later figure out that they're at the wrong exit. Their biggest mistake? Not making the turn anyway. "The person behind you may not be driving with the best etiquette, and may move to pass you before you turn," says Adam. "If you pull back onto the road, you could have a collision." Adam often deals with accidents claims that involve people turning their indicators on too soon or too late: Signal at the last minute and the driver behind you may not slow down in time; signal too early and the driver may think you're not really going to turn and therefore stops paying attention.

9. Your car isn't properly adjusted to your body.

Automobiles aren't one size fits all—that's why seats and other parts are adjustable—and chances are you don't have the right fit, yet. "I know a lot of smaller women who want to be very close to the steering wheel, but you really want to leave about 8 to 10 inches between you and the wheel so the airbag can inflate properly," says Stephanie Janczak, a safety coach at Ford Motors. She also recommends that your seat belt cross over the middle of your shoulders and chest, and that the top of your headrest be level with the top of your head—not only is it more comfortable in this position, it will help prevent whiplash-type injuries. (And the same goes for children: If they aren't tall enough for the seat belt to cross the middle of their chest, they should sit in a booster seat.)

10. You aren't prepared for vehicle maintenance.

"Most consumers think of their car as just another appliance, like a toaster, until the day it won't start," says Molla. He recommends putting away $25 each month to cover oil changes and unexpected maintenance. "It will slowly build up to the point where, if you need a $600 alternator, you'll probably have enough money in the bank to cover the repair. The worst that can happen is you'll have Some extra money on the side."

How to Have a Happier, Healthier, Smarter Baby

Pregnant women have tweaked their diets, tried prenatal education tricks, and attempted whatever else baby books and doctors have recommended—all in the quest to have happier, healthier, and perhaps even smarter babies. Mothers-to-be have latched onto fish oil, to cite one example, because of studies crediting omega-3 fatty acids with brighter babies and a lower risk of postpartum depression.

New research suggests none of the above. A study published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association of more than 2,000 pregnant women who took either fish oil or vegetable oil capsules found no benefit to cognitive or language skills of babies born to fish oil-taking mothers. (Nor did fish oil seem to alleviate their postpartum depression.)

So what can women do to enhance their babies' prenatal experiences and give them a leg-up when they enter the world? In her new book Origins: How the Nine Months Before Birth Shape the Rest of Our Lives, journalist Annie Murphy Paul explores the burgeoning field of fetal origins, which examines how the conditions we encounter before birth influence us down the line. U.S. News spoke with Paul, who shared her insight on which prenatal behaviors withstand scientific scrutiny—and which are shaky at best. Edited excerpts:

Does research support gadgets and other devices marketed to boost babies' intelligence?

Parents often try prenatal education systems, which are completely unsupported by science. There's no indication they will make your baby smarter. Likewise, playing Mozart through headphones to the pregnant belly won't increase intelligence, and could even be harmful. A fetus isn't expecting music to be blasted into the womb, and it may be so loud it causes damage.

What's the deal with chocolate—can eating it during pregnancy really benefit babies, as you say in your book?

Frequent chocolate consumption during pregnancy has been tied to a happier, less fussy baby. Pregnant women who eat five or more servings of chocolate each week have a 40 percent lower risk of developing preeclampsia, a high blood pressure condition [that can endanger the lives of both mother and child]. If you're dying to treat yourself when pregnant, I would suggest some chocolate.

You advocate that pregnant women do a "kitchen purge," especially to discard certain plastics. Why?

Household plastics often contain the chemicals bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates. These chemicals are endocrine disrupters, which means they imitate the action of chemical messengers in our bodies. Even a small amount can be damaging because our bodies don't recognize them as foreign, and they can mess up the fetus's development process. You can tell if your [plastics contain BPA] by looking at the recycling code on the bottom. Anything labeled 3, 6, or 7 should go in the trash. And don't use plastic in the microwave or put it in the dishwasher, since heat can release BPA.

Speaking of toxins, what's the consensus on alcohol use during pregnancy? A recent study suggests light drinking may not harm the fetus, contrary to traditional advice to abstain.

There's a reason public health experts and doctors always say no amount of alcohol is safe during pregnancy. That's not just an evasion or a stock line—it's true. We don't know how much is safe to drink and how much is problematic. The genetic makeup of the woman and the fetus also plays a role, because both will differ in how they respond to alcohol. That fuzziness is why I decided not to drink at all when I was pregnant. If you're thinking about it, remember that the fetus is most susceptible to damage from alcohol during the first trimester.

Pregnant women often go to great lengths to avoid stress. Should they be so concerned?

Traumatic, life-threatening stress—like being in a war-zone or experiencing a terrorist attack—can have a negative impact on the fetus. Some research shows an association between prenatal stress and cognitive and language skills. The more severe the stressful events, the poorer the infant's abilities, and the greater the rates of attention and behavior problems. That's why we need to have better systems in place for helping pregnant women during emergencies and disasters. Everyday stress, on the other hand, can actually be beneficial. It tones the fetus's nervous system and accelerates brain development.

In Origins, you say that exercising while pregnant makes babies healthier and smarter. Are concerns about overdoing it and harming the fetus unfounded?

Moderate exercise is very beneficial. When a woman works out, her fetus is getting a workout, too. Research suggests that women who exercise while expecting have larger babies who grow up to be smarter adults, perhaps because their brains are bigger. But if you're getting so winded you can't manage to gasp out a sentence, you're probably working out too hard. Pregnant women need to make sure they don't become dehydrated—so, drink a lot of water during and after exercise.

About 20 percent of pregnant women experience mood or anxiety disturbances, and at least 10 percent develop full-blown depression, according to your book. How does this affect the fetus?

Pregnant women who are depressed are more likely to deliver early and have babies with a low birth weight. The mother's emotional state can also influence the fetus's developing brain and nervous system, and potentially shape the way the baby will experience and manage its own emotions. Plus, babies born to depressed mothers are more likely to be irritable and have trouble sleeping. Pregnant women should be screened for depression, just as we screen for gestational diabetes.

Pregnant women are inundated with tips: Do this, but avoid that—until next week, when the advice changes. How can women become more savvy about what's worthwhile, and what they should approach more skeptically?

Women should read and learn as much as they can, and talk with their obstetrician. And remember that the fetus is resilient. We've been giving birth to babies for the entire history of humanity. If you're thinking about it and worrying about it, you're probably doing the best you can.

What's the single most important habit for pregnant women to adopt?

Nutrition. What a woman eats and drinks during pregnancy is so important—not only for her own health, but for the health of her offspring into infancy, childhood, and potentially even adulthood. Eat a well-balanced, healthy diet, with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fish. A lot of women are scared to eat seafood because of warnings about mercury, but it actually facilitates fetal brain development. Opt for kinds that are low in mercury: sardines, anchovies, tilapia, salmon, or shell-fish.

6 Diet Rules You Can Break!

Here are six universal diet truths that, as it turns out, aren’t always true.

1. You Must Exercise To Lose Weight. Controlling calories and food intake is key to shedding unwanted pounds (much more so than exercise). If you’re not able to be active or just can’t commit to a regular workout schedule, you can still lose weight without exercising if you carefully monitor your food intake. Of course, being physically active provides a whole host of health benefits outside of weight management, and for this reason I highly encourage everyone to incorporate fitness into their lifestyle. But if you absolutely can’t or won’t exercise, know that it’s still possible to achieve your weight loss goals.

2. Only Weigh Yourself Once Per Week. There is no “one size fits all” rule with weighing. Some people do better with daily weigh-ins and others with no scale at all; it’s really a personal choice. If you find that daily or weekly visits to the bathroom scale help you stay accountable, by all means, maintain your usual routine. If tracking your numbers tends to make you obsess a bit, you can always gauge your weight loss by taking occasional measurements or noting changes in your clothing size.

3. Dessert is a No-No. As long as you account for the calories, dessert is perfectly okay—whether it’s berries, cookies, or a slice of rich, fudgy chocolate cake. Some dieters that I’ve counseled like to build in one portion-controlled treat per day—maybe two cookies or a low-fat ice cream pop. Others prefer to save up their “discretionary calories” and splurge on one decadent dessert per week from a restaurant or bakery. Whatever your preferred strategy, it is definitely possible to satisfy a sweet tooth without derailing your diet.

4. Portion Control Everything You Eat. Not true! You can overeat non-starchy vegetables to your heart’s content, as long as you prepare them in healthful ways. Non-starchy vegetables—like leafy greens, cucumbers, carrots, celery, tomatoes, mushrooms, peppers, broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower and green beans—are incredibly low in calories, thanks to their high water and fiber content. They’ll fill you up and displace more caloric foods…and ultimately help you lose weight by eating more!

5. Never Skip Breakfast (it’s the most important meal of day.) Some people are just not naturally conditioned to be early morning eaters, and that’s completely understandable. There’s no reason to force yourself into eating breakfast if you’re not hungry, as long as you’re not having a problem with overeating later in the day. Instead, have a meal or mid-morning snack later on, when your appetite finally kicks in.

6. Salads Are Your Best Bet For Losing Weight. Sadly, some salads are actually more caloric than a loaded burger with a side of fries…those certainly won’t do you any favors on the scale. And if you hate salads and they leave you feeling completely unsatisfied, they can actually be counterproductive. If you view these diet staples as bland, boring “rabbit food”, you certainly shouldn’t feel obligated to include them in your meal plan. Find more interesting lunch and dinner options that excite your taste buds and satisfy your appetite. You’ll stick with your diet longer if you’re enjoying what you’re eating.

Toddler Survives Seven-Floor Fall in France

PARIS (AFP) – An 18-month-old boy survived after falling seven floors and bouncing off a Paris cafe awning into the arms of a passer-by, witnesses said Tuesday.

"My son saw a little boy on a balcony. He had gone right outside the railing... I said to myself I mustn't miss him," the toddler's saviour, local doctor Philippe Bensignor, told AFP, recounting Monday's drama.

"I had time to move from side to side to get in the right position," he added. "The little boy was fine. He cried a little bit but calmed down straightaway."

An official involved in investigating the incident said the boy had been left alone in the family apartment in northern Paris with his sister by their parents, who were taken into custody afterwards.

"It's a real miracle," said the cafe's barman, who gave his name as Gaby, pointing to a small tear in the awning where the toddler bounced off.

"We were closed yesterday but the mechanical device for closing the awning wasn't working."

Google Pays Cash to Hackers for Finding Web Security Flaws

Google Pays Cash to Hackers for Web App Security FlawsWanted by Google: Bounty-hunting hackers who can find security vulnerabilities in popular Web apps.

For security researchers who find flaws in Internet services like Gmail, Blogger and YouTube, Google will reward $500 or more per bug. Vulnerabilities that are "severe or unusually clever" pay up to $3,133.70. Optionally, benevolent hackers can also donate their rewards to charity, in which case Google will match the winnings at its discretion.

Bug-hunting researchers will also be credited on Google's security page.

To keep Web services running smoothly, Google is excluding bugs caused by denial of service attacks and search optimization tricks. Technologies recently acquired by Google are also off-limits.

This isn't the first time Google has opened up security research to the masses with cash rewards. In January, the company announced a bounty program for Chromium, the open-source project behind Google's Chrome Web browser, following the lead of Mozilla's Firefox bounty program.

The move to Web apps, however, is an important and logical step for Google. The company is putting a lot of faith in Web apps as the future of computing, as evidenced by the upcoming Chrome OS. If users are going to store more and more sensitive information into online services, those services need to be secure.

In the future, Google may expand the program to client applications such as Android, Picasa and Google desktop. Let's hope that happens soon; analysis firm Coverity recently found 88 high-risk defects in the Android kernel.