Friday, October 30, 2009

Having a Healthy Halloween

With Halloween just around the corner, I'm happy to report that I am ready for a healthy halloween. I've prepared a lot of home baked goods, and even got some of Wai lana little yogi snacks for giveaways.


I read this interesting and useful article on Halloween Candy and how they can cause heart burn.

Halloween Candy Without the Heartburn

Have goodies without GERD

By Mara Betsch

Halloween is tricky for anyone watching her waistline, but for chronic heartburn sufferers, all those goodies can make for a miserable night. "When it's not treated, chronic heartburn can have serious consequences. The good news is that heartburn and GERD are things you can control," says Pat Baird, RD, and board member of the National Heartburn Alliance.

Certain foods trigger heartburn in some patients and not others, but Baird lists citrus products, fatty foods, chocolate, and peppermint as common heartburn triggers. Besides avoiding certain foods, scare heartburn away from your haunted house by leaving the spandex costume at home. Tight, constrictive clothing may cause GERD symptoms. And if a chocolate binge happens, Baird recommends avoiding lying down 2–3 hours after eating.

Here, she gives us tips to sort through the tricks and treats in the candy bowl.

Twenty-two pieces of this fat-free, colorful candy will cost you 140 calories. Though it’s high in sugar, Baird says it’s unlikely to cause heartburn symptoms.
Trick: Snickers

An excess of fat triggers GERD symptoms, so Baird recommends you stay away from chocolate, a known trigger of heartburn. Studies show eating it may release serotonin, which causes the lower esophageal sphincter to relax and allows acid to back up into the esophagus. Plus Snickers contains nuts, which add up to 3.7 grams of fat in a fun-size bar. And who stops at one?


Have a happy weekend everyone!

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