Being lactose intolerant means that you can not digest dairy products. The digestive system has the inability to digest this major carbohydrate in milk and other dairy products. People with this disorder do not make enough of the enzyme lactase which is needed in order to digest lactose. The common symptoms of lactose intolerance are bloating, gas, diarrhea, and stomach cramps. An urgent need to go to the bathroom, pain in the lower abdomen, nausea and vomiting are also symptoms of the disorder. There are some preventative measures that can help reduce flare ups: 1. Eat a lactose free diet Eliminate lactose from your diet. Choose to eat foods with active cultures like yogurt. Fruit juices can be used to replace milk in some recipes. There are lactose free dairy products on the market today that will be a better choice than regular milk or other dairy products. 2. Keep a food journal Some people with a lactose sensitivity can eat small amounts of lactose without experiencing symptoms. Learn what your limits are. Keep track of the food that you eat and drink to help determine when and if you have symptoms after eating, and if a small amount of lactose can be digested without problems.

Reaching for Ice cream or a bag of chips after a long, stressful day of work is completely normal. Foods high in sugar and carbohydrates tend to make us feel good. Comfort foods like french fries, ice cream and pizza can change your mood by activating the brain’s reward system. Activating the brain’s reward system releases the hormone dopamine, which leads to the overall feeling of being content. The hormone dopamine is responsible for the satisfaction you feel after a strenuous workout or the joy you may feel attending a social event. The hormone dopamine can also cause an individual to become addicted to the actions that stimulate the release of this feel good hormone. An addiction to eating is referred to as a binge eating disorder or emotional eating. Emotional eating can lead to weight gain and other serious health problems. Receiving help for emotional eating requires you to figure out what your emotional eating triggers are and how to correct or avoid them: 1. Stress response When your body is under continuous stress it releases hormones like cortisol, the stress hormone, and reduces hormones like dopamine, resulting in depression or a feeling of being discontent. Eating comfort food is an almost effortless way of self-medicating.

Gardening is considered an art and a healthy choice that can induce peace, joy, and harmony into one’s life. It also induces a deep sense of connection with the self, promotes health, and opens a new perspective of life. Gardening can include focusing on cultivating a particular type of plant or a specific series of plants. It also involves cultivating numerous varieties of plants and shrubs for food and medicinal use. Irrespective of your planting choice, gardening involves active participation, with the health benefits of gardening eventually showing through: 1. Gardening lowers blood pressure Apart from assisting you in burning calories, gardening activities are effective in reducing and preventing high blood pressure. Spending 30 to 45 minutes doing garden work is what you need to do on a daily basis. 2. It’s good for your bones One of the biggest health benefits of gardening is that you spend a good amount of time outdoors. Your skin is exposed to the sun and you absorb Vitamin D that enhances calcium levels. The result is healthier bones and more flexible joints. It’s especially a recommended activity for elderly people so that they enjoy the simple pleasures of life while maintaining health. 3.

At least 16 million Americans suffer from illnesses caused by smoking, such as heart disease, lung cancer, COPD, diabetes, hypertension, and more. Quitting smoking is a smart decision for your overall health. However, kicking a smoking habit can be very difficult. Many opt smoking cessation programs, nicotine patches, or nicotine gum or lozenges to help them quit. Still, certain foods can act as smoking triggers. Here are a few foods that trigger smoking, so avoid them if you’re attempting to quit: 1. Alcohol Nicotine is an addictive drug that stimulates the brain to produce dopamine, the feel-good hormone. Now, if you are a frequent user of cigarettes, your brain begins to react differently to alcohol. That is, alcohol raises the impact of nicotine on your brain. Hence, more of the dopamine is produced due to alcohol consumption. That’s why most smokers will smoke more when out on a drinking spree. 2. Caffeine Have you noticed how smokers love coffee? Well, it is no coincidence. Research shows that the same inherited genetic variant CHRNA5 responsible for smoking induces caffeine cravings. Then, if you have more copies of this gene, your urge for caffeine is stronger. Worse still, caffeine tends to increase one’s absorption of nicotine.