DigestionDiet
Latest guidelines for water, sodium, and potassium intake
You have your vitamin and mineral requirements down pat, right? Now, thanks to the Institute of Medicine, you can be current about three other important dietary elements: water, sodium, and potassium. read more »
Calcium supplements don’t give kid's bones a leg up
Some parents may think that giving their children calcium supplements can boost their peak bone mass (achieved about age 18) and reduce their fracture risk later in life. But a new study that reviewed the findings from 19 clinical trials on calcium supplementation and bone health doesn’t support that idea. The investigators found that children who took calcium supplements showed only small improvements in bone mineral density—changes unlikely to reduce the risk of fractures as they get older. read more »
“Good" bacteria tested to prevent traveler’s diarrhea
If you travel abroad, you have a 50-50 chance of coming down with diarrhea, caused by eating food or drinking water contaminated by germs like E. coli and salmonella. Some have suggested bolstering the gastrointestinal tract before travel with “good” bacteria to counteract “bad” germs you might encounter. To put this idea to the test, researchers assigned 245 people to take either a preparation of the “good” bacteria Lactobacillus acidophilus or an inactive look-alike preparation (placebo) twice a day. read more »
Dinner-to-bed time linked to acid reflux
People who suffer from gastroesophageal acid reflux disease (GERD) are often advised to leave at least 3 hours between their evening meal and going to bed. That interval, it is thought, reduces the chances of being troubled by nighttime heartburn—lying down with a full stomach practically invites stomach acid to back up into the esophagus. Now, a new study seems to support the early-dinner recommendation. Researchers looked at the meal-to-bed intervals of GERD sufferers and of a similar group of people without the condition. read more »
