Padwerke vorder goed - Heilbron Herald

HEILBRON HERALD, DONDERDAG 28 maart 2013BLADSY 7Don't let the Easter Polisieman gewondbunny bringyou heartburnResearch shows that at least 2.5 millionSouth Africans experience heartburn everyday. Over Easter, they may reach for theirchests in discomfort more often than usual andthe culprit, says a local pharmaceutical company,is chocolate.“Very few people are aware that chocolate isone of the top causes of heartburn and thatover-indulgence in Easter eggs can lead topainful bouts of heartburn,” says MariskaFouche, public affairs manager at PharmaDynamics, a leading supplier of over-thecounter(OTC) heartburn medication.She explains that, despite its name, heartburnhas got nothing to do with your heart.“It’s a digestive rather than a cardiac ailment.When the lower oesophageal sphincter(LOS), a tight muscle at the bottom of youroesophagus that acts like a valve, gets irritatedor relaxed, heartburn results. The muscle preventsfood from your stomach travelling backup your oesophagus by contracting. But sometimesit relaxes too soon and food, mixed withstrong stomach acids, does squirt back up,causing the burning sensation. That is whyanother name for heartburn is acid reflux.”Some of the key chemicals in chocolate cantrigger muscle relaxation and thus heartburn.“Chocolate contains concentrations of theobromine,a compound that occurs naturally incocoa, which slackens the LOS. It also containsserotonin – the “feel-good” chemical thatsome say accounts for why we enjoy chocolateso much – which has also been shown to affectthe function of the LOS. In addition, chocolateis high in fat, another cause of heartburn.“So those delicious Easter eggs are full ofheartburn-inducing chemicals!”Chocoholics who can’t resist nibbling on achocolate rabbit or egg this Easter shouldchoose options that contain the least amount oftheobromine.“Dark chocolate with a very high cocoa contenthas the highest levels,” says Fouche.“Milk chocolate has less and white chocolateonly has trace amounts. Your best choice is asmall amount of white chocolate becausealthough it is low in theobromine, it is high infat and sugar.”If you have an attack of heartburn, there area few immediate measures you can take to helpquell the pain.“First, stand up, don’t lie down. Gravity willhelp keep the acid in your stomach. Then drinka glass of water to wash the acid and food backdown your oesophagus. If you can, stimulateand swallow extra saliva by chewing gum, ordrink an alkaline vegetable juice or eat veggieslike cucumbers, radishes, carrots or beetroot.Avoid bending at the waist and wear loosewaistedgarments.”You could also reach for popular OTCmedicines like antacids and proton pumpinhibitors or PPIs.“Antacids typically neutralise the pH levelsin the stomach, offering fast relief. But you runthe risk of suffering from heartburn again oncethe stomach acids return to their previous levels.Antacids are not a long-term solution.Flu-vaccine2013Flu-vaccines now available at all clinicsuntil 15 April 2013.Target group for flu-vaccine:• Adults and children at high risk for influenzarelated complications such as asthma,TB, diabetes and HIV-infected persons.• Pregnant women - irrespective of stage ofpregnancy.• Children aged 6 months to under 5 years(59 months).• Residents of old-age homes.• All persons aged over 65 years.• Health care workers.Heilbron Clinic - 058 852 2021“PPIs - also known as acid secretion reducers- inhibit the proton pumps responsible fortransporting gastric acid to the stomach. Lessacid is released and the patient gets up to 24hours’ relief.“Chronic sufferers may have to make otheradjustments. Try to eat supper at least two tothree hours before going to bed so that acidlevels have subsided by the time you lie down.Stick to smaller but more frequent meals tominimize the production of stomach acid.“If these measures aren’t enough, try sleepingon your left side so that your stomach acidspool away from your LOS and raise the headof your bed by about 10 to 15cm – or sleepslightly propped up - so that gravity helps keepacids in the stomach.”She points out that your physical conditionalso affects your chances of suffering fromheartburn.“If you’re overweight, excess body fat canpush on the stomach, increasing gastric pressureand forcing food and acid up the oesophagus.Obese patients can also suffer from lowerLOS pressure and impaired emptying of thestomach, meaning food and acid are alwayspresent.“Many pregnant women suffer from heartburnbecause increased levels of hormones cansoften the ligaments that usually keep the LOStightly shut. Smokers generally suffer moreheartburn because smoking stimulates stomachacid, weakens the oesophageal muscle andslows the production of saliva, which works toprevent harm to the oesophagus. Drinkers ofalcohol also show heightened levels of heartburnbecause alcohol increases production ofstomach acid and relaxes the LOS. If you combinethese factors with chocolate consumption,you may suffer from recurring and severeheartburn.”“International research shows that up to 94%of heartburn sufferers can link their symptomsto specific foods if they keep a ‘heartburndiary’ for a few weeks. If you know chocolateis a trigger, rather avoid it this Easter, especiallyif you are also overweight, pregnant,smoke or drink alcohol.“Heartburn is also more common at night,which means it may not be immediately obviousthat the chocolate you ate during the day isthe cause. Keeping a diary that tracks your dietand instances of heartburn should quicklyreveal your food triggers.”According to consumer research by confectioners,Africa produces 75% of the world’scocoa and the per capita consumption ofchocolate in South Africa is 1.3kg annually.“As our diets and lifestyles become moreWesternised and sedentary, and we eat morechocolate, we can expect to see an increase inthe prevalence of heartburn. As always, preventionis always better than treatment. Keepfit, avoid trigger foods, don’t smoke and drinkmoderately or not at all to keep heartburn atbay.”Dinsdagoggend omstreeks 02:40 is dieeienaar van Boulevard beroof nadat hylangs die Heilbron/Sasolburgpad gestaan enwag het vir ’n werknemer om saam te ry.Twee onbekende gewapende mans hetlangs hom gestop en hom beroof van kontanten ’n selfoon.Een van Heilbron SAPD se patrollievoertuiehet op die toneel af gekom. 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