11 Proven Health Benefits of Ginger

Ginger is among the healthiest (and most delicious) spices on the planet.It is loaded with nutrients and bioactive compounds that have powerful benefits for your body and brain.

Here are 11 health benefits of ginger that are supported by scientific research.

1. Ginger Contains Gingerol, a Substance With Powerful Medicinal Properties

Ginger is a flowering plant that originated from China.

It belongs to the Zingiberaceae family, and is closely related to turmeric, cardomon and galangal.

The rhizome (underground part of the stem) is the part commonly used as a spice. It is often called ginger root, or simply ginger.

Ginger has a very long history of use in various forms of traditional/alternative medicine. It has been used to help digestion, reduce nausea and help fight the flu and common cold, to name a few.

This is what ground, fresh and sliced ginger looks like:

Ginger can be used fresh, dried, powdered, or as an oil or juice, and is sometimes added to processed foods and cosmetics. It is a very common ingredient in recipes.

The unique fragrance and flavor of ginger come from its natural oils, the most important of which is gingerol.

Gingerol is the main bioactive compound in ginger, responsible for much of its medicinal properties. It has powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects (1)

Bottom Line: Ginger is a popular spice. It is high in gingerol, a substance with powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

2. Ginger Can Treat Many Forms of Nausea, Especially Morning Sickness

Ginger appears to be highly effective against nausea (2).

For example, it has a long history of use as a sea sickness remedy, and there is some evidence that it may be as effective as prescription medication (3).

Ginger may also relieve nausea and vomiting after surgery, and in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy (4, 5).

But it may be the most effective when it comes to pregnancy-related nausea, such as morning sickness.

According to a review of 12 studies that included a total of 1,278 pregnant women, 1.1-1.5 grams of ginger can significantly reduce symptoms of nausea (6).

However, ginger had no effect on vomiting episodes in this study.

Although ginger is considered safe, talk to your doctor before taking large amounts if you are pregnant. Some believe that large amounts can raise the risk of miscarriage, but there are currently no studies to support this.

Bottom Line: 1-1.5 grams of ginger can help prevent various types of nausea. This applies to sea sickness, chemotherapy-related nausea, nausea after surgery and morning sickness.

3. Ginger May Reduce Muscle Pain and Soreness

Ginger has been shown to be effective against exercise-induced muscle pain.

In one study, consuming 2 grams of ginger per day, for 11 days, significantly reduced muscle pain in people performing elbow exercises (7).

Ginger does not have an immediate impact, but may be effective at reducing the day-to-day progression of muscle pain (8).

These effects are believed to be mediated by the anti-inflammatory properties.

Bottom Line: Ginger appears to be effective at reducing the day-to-day progression of muscle pain, and may reduce exercise-induced muscle soreness.

4. The Anti-Inflammatory Effects Can Help With Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a common health problem.

It involves degeneration of the joints in the body, leading to symptoms like joint pain and stiffness.

In a controlled trial of 247 people with osteoarthritis of the knee, those who took ginger extract had less pain and required less pain medication (9).

Another study found that a combination of ginger, mastic, cinnamon and sesame oil, can reduce pain and stiffness in osteoarthritis patients when applied topically (10).

Bottom Line: There are some studies showing ginger to be effective at reducing symptoms of osteoarthritis, which is a very common health problem.

5. Ginger May Drastically Lower Blood Sugars and Improve Heart Disease Risk Factors

This area of research is relatively new, but ginger may have powerful anti-diabetic properties.

In a recent 2015 study of 41 participants with type 2 diabetes, 2 grams of ginger powder per day lowered fasting blood sugar by 12% (11).

It also dramatically improved HbA1c (a marker for long-term blood sugar levels), leading to a 10% reduction over a period of 12 weeks.

There was also a 28% reduction in the ApoB/ApoA-I ratio, and a 23% reduction in markers for oxidized lipoproteins. These are both major risk factors for heart disease.

This graph shows what happened:

Photo Source: Suppversity.

However, keep in mind that this was just one small study. The results are incredibly impressive, but they need to be confirmed in larger studies before any recommendations can be made.

Bottom Line: Ginger has been shown to lower blood sugar levels and improve various heart disease risk factors in patients with type 2 diabetes.

6. Ginger Can Help Treat Chronic Indigestion

Chronic indigestion (dyspepsia) is characterized by recurrent pain and discomfort in the upper part of the stomach.

It is believed that delayed emptying of the stomach is a major driver of indigestion.

Interestingly, ginger has been shown to speed up emptying of the stomach in people with this condition.

After eating soup, ginger reduced the time it took for the stomach to empty from 16 to 12 minutes (12).

In a study of 24 healthy individuals, 1.2 grams of ginger powder before a meal accelerated emptying of the stomach by 50% (13).

Bottom Line: Ginger appears to speed up emptying of the stomach, which can be beneficial for people with indigestion and related stomach discomfort.

7. Ginger Powder May Significantly Reduce Menstrual Pain

Menstrual pain (dysmenorrhea) refers to pain felt during a woman’s menstrual cycle.

One of the traditional uses of ginger is for pain relief, including menstrual pain.

In one study, 150 women were instructed to take 1 gram of ginger powder per day, for the first 3 days of the menstrual period (14).

Ginger managed to reduce pain as effectively as the drugs mefenamic acid and ibuprofen.

Bottom Line: Ginger appears to be very effective against menstrual pain when taken at the beginning of the menstrual period.

8. Ginger May Lower Cholesterol Levels

High levels of LDL lipoproteins (the “bad” cholesterol) are linked to an increased risk of heart disease.

The foods you eat can have a strong influence on LDL levels.

In a 45-day study of 85 individuals with high cholesterol, 3 grams of ginger powder caused significant reductions in most cholesterol markers (15).

This is supported by a study in hypothyroid rats, where ginger extract lowered LDL cholesterol to a similar extent as the cholesterol-lowering drug atorvastatin (16).

Both studies also showed reductions in total cholesterol and blood triglycerides.

Bottom Line: There is some evidence, in both animals and humans, that ginger can lead to significant reductions in LDL cholesterol and blood triglyceride levels.

9. Ginger Contains a Substance That May Help Prevent Cancer

Cancer is a very serious disease that is characterized by uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells.

Ginger extract has been studied as an alternative treatment for several forms of cancer.

The anti-cancer properties are attributed to 6-gingerol, a substance that is found in large amounts in raw ginger (17, 18).

In a study of 30 individuals, 2 grams of ginger extract per day significantly reduced pro-inflammatory signalling molecules in the colon (19).

However, a follow-up study in individuals at a high risk of colon cancer did not confirm these findings (20).

There is some, albeit limited, evidence that ginger may be effective against pancreatic cancer, breast cancer and ovarian cancer. More research is needed (21, 22, 23).

Bottom Line: Ginger contains a substance called 6-gingerol, which may have protective effects against cancer. However, this needs to be studied a lot more.

10. Ginger May Improve Brain Function and Protect Against Alzheimer’s Disease

Oxidative stress and chronic inflammation can accelerate the aging process.

They are believed to be among the key drivers of Alzheimer’s disease and age-related cognitive decline.

Some studies in animals suggest that the antioxidants and bioactive compounds in ginger can inhibit inflammatory responses that occur in the brain (24).

There is also some evidence that ginger can enhance brain function directly. In a study of 60 middle-aged women, ginger extract was shown to improve reaction time and working memory (25).

There are also numerous studies in animals showing that ginger can protect against age-related decline in brain function (26, 27, 28).

Bottom Line: Studies suggest that ginger can protect against age-related damage to the brain. It can also improve brain function in elderly women.

11. The Active Ingredient in Ginger Can Help Fight Infections

Gingerol, the bioactive substance in fresh ginger, can help lower the risk of infections.

In fact, ginger extract can inhibit the growth of many different types of bacteria (29, 30).

It is very effective against the oral bacteria linked to inflammatory diseases in the gums, such as gingivitis and periodontitis (31).

Fresh ginger may also be effective against the RSV virus, a common cause of respiratory infections (32).

12. Anything Else?

Ginger is one of the very few “superfoods” actually worthy of that term.

Benefits Of Drinking Water On An Empty Stomach [Must Read]

Hydration is super important for several reasons, first your body is composed of about 60% water, fluids exit our bodies every minute, from skin evaporation, breathing and urine, and these losses must be replaced daily for good health.

Good benefits of drinking water in the morning:
1. Drinking water on an empty stomach cleans the colon, making it easier to absorb nutrients.
2. Creates the production of new blood and muscle cells.
3. Essential for weight loss, drinking cold water first thing in the morning can accelerate your metabolism.
4.Healthy looking Skin, water helps to eliminate toxins from the blood making your skin glow and look clear and smooth.
5. Balances your Lymph System. These glands help you perform your daily functions, balance your body fluids, and fight infection.

WATER METHOD TREATMENT
There is a new trend coming from Japan these days: Japanese drink hot tea with their meals and use a treatment method that has no side effects and it consists on drinking water at certain times with certain amounts along the day starting first thing in the morning, at the start of the treatment frequent urination is normal, it had been found successful by a Japanese medical society as a 100% cure for many diseases and illnesses such as:

Headache, body ache, heart system, arthritis, fast heart beat, epilepsy, excess fatness, bronchitis asthma, TB, meningitis, kidney and urine diseases, vomiting, gastritis, diarrhea, piles, diabetes, constipation, all eye diseases, womb, cancer and menstrual disorders, ear nose and throat diseases.
Drinking cold water:

-Side effects of drinking cold water with a meal: all the oils in the food you are consuming will solidify meaning it will not only slow the digestion process but then it will react with the acid breaking down and the intestine will absorb the food faster, turning into fat, opt for drinking hot soup or warm water after a meal instead.

METHOD OF TREATMENT:
1. In the morning before brushing teeth, drink 4 x 160ml glasses of water
2. Brush and clean the mouth but do not eat or drink anything for 45 minutes
3. After 45 minutes you may eat and drink as normal.
4. After 15 minutes of breakfast, lunch and dinner, do not eat or drink anything for 2 hours
5. For older and sick people taking the treatment: drink little water and gradually increase it to 4 glasses per day
6. The above method of treatment will cure diseases of the sick too

The following list gives the number of days of you should follow the process to treat this diseases:
1. High Blood Pressure (30 days)
2. Gastric (10 days)
3. Diabetes (30 days)
4. Constipation (10 days)
5. TB (90 days)

Autism risk in very young babies may be detected in brain fluid

It may be possible to predict autism in infants as young as 6 months who have older siblings with the disorder, according to a new study.

Parents of children with autism take note. It may be possible to predict autism in infants as young as 6 months who have older siblings with the disorder, according to a new study by a national network of researchers.

Infants in such families are at increased risk of developing autism, which is typically diagnosed when a child is 2- to 3-years-old and develops symptoms such as challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, delayed speech or nonverbal communication.

Researchers used magnetic resonance imaging — or MRI — to scan the brains of 343 infants when they were 6 months, 12 months and 24 months old. The scans showed that 70 percent of toddlers diagnosed with autism at age 2 had an elevated amount of cerebrospinal fluid around their brains at 6 and 12 months, compared to toddlers who were not diagnosed with autism. Cerebrospinal fluid is a clear, colorless liquid that bathes the brain and spine.

This excess fluid "could possibly be an early biological marker for autism," said Mark Shen, the lead author of the article, published in Biological Psychiatry, and a post-doctoral fellow at the University of North Carolina's Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities. Additional studies are needed to confirm the finding, he said.

Such a marker would allow doctors to identify infants at high risk of developing autism before symptoms are present.

"The earlier we can get biological markers for autism, the earlier intervention can be initiated, and the greater the chance of better outcomes, " said David Kennedy, Ph.D., co-director of the Child and Adolescent NeuroDevelopment Initiative at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. Typically, therapists work with children and parents to improve eye contact, social interactions and communication skills.

The study results are "very exciting," said Dr. Adriania Di Martino, a professor of child and adolescent psychiatry at NYU Medical School. Excess brain fluid may be more than an early marker for autism, Di Martino said. It may also be a mechanism in the development of autism, and it opens up new possibilities for research, she said. "You can start thinking about conditions that might lead to increased cerebrospinal fluid."

Shen and his colleagues are already looking for genes associated with excess brain fluid. Normally, the liquid, refreshed four times a day, washes away byproducts that build up in the brain. But if the fluid is not flowing properly, these byproducts hang around and cause inflammation, which could "hamper brain development" and lead to autism, said Shen.

Completely different mechanisms may be at work for kids without an older sibling with autism, said Shen and Dimartino. More studies are needed, they said.

Parents with children with autism should not rush to their pediatrician demanding brain MRIs for younger siblings, Shen said.

"We wouldn't recommend that every high-risk infant get an MRI until we know that the accuracy can be improved closer to the 90 percent range" from the current 70 percent, Shen told TODAY.

He and his colleagues are working on improving accuracy by combining their brain fluid findings with other recent research. In addition to flushing out the brain's garbage, brain fluid also delivers signals to the brain that tell it how and when to grow. In a study published last month in Nature, 80 percent of infants diagnosed with autism as toddlers had an increased rate of growth in the surface area of their brains in their first year, compared to toddlers who were not diagnosed with autism.

"We're going to combine those two markers to see if we can improve the prediction closer to the 90 percent range, where it could be really clinically useful," said Shen.

About 1 in 68 children develop autism in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, But as many as 20 out of 100 infants with an older sibling with autism will develop the disorder, said Di Martino.

Why Men Are Much Worse At Being Sick Than Women

Sex hormones have a big affect on immunity

In the debate over which is the stronger sex, the so-called “man flu” inevitably comes up. It’s a popular theory that men get sicker—or at least act sicker—when they contract the virus, while women soldier on with work, childcare and life.

The scientific evidence for this is far from conclusive, but some research has shown that male and female immune cells do react differently to invading viruses. Now, a recent study in mice adds more fuel to the fire, suggesting that the male sex really does get hit harder by certain illnesses—and that physiology, not psychology, may be at least partially to blame.

In the recent study, published in the journal Brain, Behavior and Immunity, adult male mice displayed more symptoms of sickness than females when they were exposed to bacteria that cause an illness with symptoms similar to the flu. The males also had more fluctuations in body temperature, fever and signs of inflammation, and took longer to recover.

Studies done in lab animals do not necessarily apply to humans, so this research should be taken with a large grain of salt. But experts who research gender and immunity say that it raises an intriguing scientific question for people, as well. Studies with human cells—as well as in mice—show that male immune cells have more active receptors for certain pathogens, says Sabra Klein, associate professor of molecular microbiology and immunology at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

“It isn’t always the presence of the microbe or the presence of the virus that makes us sick,” says Klein. “It’s our immune response, and the research shows that males have a heightened response that summons cells to the site of infection, which contributes to the overall feeling of sickness.”

The reason why isn’t completely understood, but one hypothesis holds that testosterone and estrogen affect these immune receptors in different ways. The new mouse findings did not support a link between sex hormones and sickness (they removed mice’s reproductive organs and still saw different responses), but several other studies have. Klein’s 2015 study on human cells, for example, found that estrogen-based compounds made it harder for a flu virus to infect the samples.

Another theory, put forth by a 2010 study from researchers at the University of Cambridge, is that men have evolved to have weaker immune systems and lower immunity because of their tendency for risk-taking behaviors. Still other research suggests that because women more easily pass pathogens onto their children, they’ve built up more natural defenses against them.

These protections don’t extend to all types of sickness, however. In a 2016 article published in Nature Reviews Immunology, Klein noted that while males show increased susceptibility to certain illnesses (like non-reproductive cancers), women are more susceptible to others, like autoimmune diseases.

As for “man flu,” other things may play a role, as well. Studies show that men are less likely to wash their hands regularly, for example, and at least in the United States, they are less likely to see their doctors regularly. “Cultural norms absolutely affect our behaviors,” says Klein, “so it’s likely a combination of many different factors.”

6 things the color of your period blood says about your health More pink than red period blood could be bad news.

Your period can tell you a lot about your health.

In fact, last year the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists published a report recommending that it be viewed as a vital sign the same way your blood pressure, pulse, and temperature are. Why? Because in addition to telling you whether you're pregnant or not, your period can provide key insights into your hormone health—and your hormones keep everything from your brain to your reproductive system running smoothly. (Speed up your progress towards your weight-loss goals with Women's Health's Look Better Naked DVD.)

While what's normal for one woman may not be normal for another, there are a few changes you should watch out for, particularly when it comes to the color of your flow. Below, find six things your period blood is trying to tell you about your health.

IF IT’S PINKISH…

You may have low estrogen levels. Especially if it's accompanied by a lighter-than-usual flow, or if you're an avid runner, says New York-based functional medicine nurse practitioner Margaret Romero. Studies have found that excessive exercise can lower estrogen levels, which can subsequently mess with your period, sometimes causing it to disappear altogether. (It's not uncommon for female professional athletes to stop ovulating.)

While this may not seem like a big deal (who hasn't fantasized about never having to deal with a period at least once or twice?), low estrogen levels can increase your risk of osteoporosis if left untreated. So if you've recently started training for a marathon, have started working out for the first time in your life, or have upped the intensity of your workouts and you notice that your periods are suddenly lighter in color and flow or less frequent, talk to your doctor.

Romero says other potential culprits of a pinkish flow can include poor nutrition, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), or perimenopause, which is when your ovaries start producing less estrogen in preparation for menopause (generally, it occurs around four to five years before menopause).

IF IT'S WATERY-LOOKING…

You may have a nutritional deficiency. Ob-gyn Alyssa Dweck, M.D., assistant clinical professor at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, says that a white-ish, diluted flow can be a symptom of severe anemia, especially if you notice your period getting lighter and lighter when it would ordinarily get a bit heavier. If, after monitoring your period for two or three cycles, you're worried that this could be the case, talk to your doctor about getting tested for nutritional deficiencies.

To make matters a little more confusing, an iron deficiency might instead be caused by heavy periods. (A 2014 Finnish study that examined 236 women with heavy periods found that 27 percent were iron deficient and 60 percent were severely anemic.) If you bleed through pads or tampons in less than an hour, wake up at night to change your pads or tampons several times, or regularly feel tired and foggy, it can't hurt to get your iron level checked.

IF IT’S DARK BROWN…

You may have older bits of uterine lining and blood that are just now making their way out of your body. But don't panic: This is normal. "We’re not sure why this happens in all cases, but sometimes the blood is sitting around for a while and comes out particularly slowly," Dweck says. "It has a lot of time to oxidize, which is why it can look brown or almost black." (Just make sure you see your ob-gyn if you experience any of these period symptoms.)

Everyone will shed her uterine lining at a different rate (like snowflakes, each period is unique), but for the most part, seeing some dark brown blood at the beginning of your period or toward the end of it is nothing to worry about.

IF IT’S A THICK JAM-COLORED RED WITH LARGE CLOTS…

You may have low progesterone levels and high estrogen levels. While some clotting is normal, says Dweck, clots the size of a quarter or larger can indicate a serious hormonal imbalance. (Here are 7 hormones every woman needs to understand.) Romero recommends reducing your consumption of dairy, soy, and sugar and seeing if that makes a difference.

Uterine fibroids are another possibility. They're most often benign, but they can be painful, so if you suspect they're behind your heavy, clot-filled periods, ask your doctor for an ultrasound.

IF IT'S A MIX OF GRAY AND RED…

You may have: an infection, such as an STD/STI. You'll probably also experience a really "foul, necrotic stench," Dweck says. Get tested so you can get the right treatment.

Women who miscarry sometimes notice gray chunks of tissue that look like "liver," Dweck says, so if you think there's a possibility that you're pregnant or having a miscarriage, call your doctor ASAP.

IF IT’S A BRIGHT, CRANBERRY RED…

You may have a healthy, regular period. Again, everybody's "normal" will look different, but generally speaking, a consistently bright red flow that looks a little like cherry Kool-Aid is a signal that everything is working as it should. 

5 symptoms of bladder Cancer every woman should know Knowing the symptoms can help you get diagnosed sooner and can improve your prognosis.

Even if you're vigilant about getting regular breast exams, Pap smears, and skin checks, bladder cancer may not really be on your radar.

After all, it's far more common among men than women, and the majority of cases affect patients over age 65. But don't let those stats keep you from learning to spot the symptoms. "Many people mistakenly think bladder cancer is only a disease of older men," says Arjun Balar, M.D., an oncologist at NYU Langone Medical Center. "But there are more than 18,000 women who are diagnosed with this cancer every year in the United States."

And because women may not be on the lookout for early bladder cancer symptoms, the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network reports that women are more likely to be diagnosed with bladder cancer at an advanced stage. Knowing the symptoms can help you get diagnosed sooner, which can improve your prognosis. Here are a few warning signs to watch for.

BLOOD IN YOUR URINE

This is the most common early symptom of bladder cancer, and it's an easy one for women to overlook—especially because it's typically painless and you can go weeks or even months between occurrences. "Many women ignore this symptom because they connect it with menstruation or menopause," Balar says (in fact, take a look at these 6 symptoms that seem like menopause but may be something scarier). "Blood in the urine doesn't always mean you have bladder cancer, but it's important to discuss with your doctor."

UTI-LIKE SYMPTOMS

Bladder cancer can often be mistaken for a urinary tract infection, because many of the symptoms overlap. "Patients may experience increased frequency of urination, urgency to urinate, pain with urination, or urinary incontinence," says Susan Constantino, M.D., an oncologist with UF Health Cancer Center at Orlando Health. If you've noticed any pee-related problems—you have to go all the time, or you feel like you have to go but can't, or you have a hard time emptying your bladder—or if antibiotics don't seem to be helping your UTI symptoms, talk to your doctor.

UNEXPLAINED PAIN

"Pain is often associated with more advanced bladder cancers," Constantino says. "The pain can be in the flank area, abdomen, or pelvis. Patients can also develop pain in their bones if the cancer has spread to their bones." If you're having aches and pains in those areas, tell your doctor—especially if you've also had the aforementioned spotting or UTI symptoms.

DECREASED APPETITE

Appetite loss is a common cancer symptom, and bladder cancer is no exception. If the cancer has grown or spread, Balar says, "You might have weight loss or feel tired and weak." Of course, there are plenty of other things that can mess with your appetite, so don't automatically assume the worst—but do talk to your doctor about it if it persists.

"SMOKING"

Okay, so this isn't technically a symptom—but according to the National Institutes of Health, about 50 percent of women diagnosed with bladder cancer are smokers. "Smoking is the biggest risk factor for bladder cancer," Constantino says. If you notice any of the above symptoms and you smoke, let your doctor know ASAP.

Because it's easy to chalk up the symptoms to a stubborn UTI or normal spotting, Balar says, "Bladder cancer may be overlooked in women, and they are not diagnosed until their cancer has spread and it's harder to treat." So if you're worried, don't just write off your symptoms. Your doctor can determine if it's a minor infection or something more serious—and if it is bladder cancer, it's easier to treat if you catch it early.

You can make these 12 easy weight-loss changes in 60 seconds or less Some of them just require a glance at a nutrition label.

There are certain foods that—as soon as they hit your lips—can have a damaging effect on your waistline. Luckily, spotting them and taking them off your menu for good takes less than 60 seconds. Easy peasy.

Here are the 12 foods you need to avoid, how minimizing their consumption minimizes your waistline, and how to make simple substitutions so you don't feel deprived.

And go!

1. DITCH HIGH-FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP

Corn syrup is the sugar extracted from corn. It is not and never has been healthy, but as corn is now almost entirely genetically modified, it is even worse for us. The fructose in high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) converts to fat stores quickly in your body, which is why it is frequently used in animal experiments to make animals obese. This food additive is found in most packaged, prepared, and fast foods and interferes with your body's appetite and metabolism hormones, causing your body to store fat. It can be found just about anywhere; food manufacturers have been profiting by sneaking this cheap food additive into our food supply in greater quantities over the last few decades, and it shows in our waistlines.

But there's good news. By eliminating the so-called natural sweetener for good, you can drop the weight and reduce high blood pressure linked to HFCS.

What to do: Read labels on any products you purchase and be sure that the ingredient list doesn't include high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, or fructose. 

Health bonus: By eliminating HFCS, you'll reduce the likelihood of experiencing any potential ill effects of eating genetically modified (GM) foods. Eliminating high fructose corn syrup will also help you to regulate blood pressure and triglycerides, two important factors for a healthy heart and arteries. By removing HFCS from your diet, you'll dramatically reduce your chances of suffering a heart attack or stroke.

2. SAYONARA, SPLENDA

This artificial sweetener contributes to weight gain yet is hidden in most "sugar-free" products—and may even be hidden in your water supply. 

A study conducted at Duke University and published in the Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health found that sucralose (also known as Splenda) is absorbed by fat cells (contrary to the manufacturer's claims about the artificial sweetener), causes increases in body weight, and reduces the amount of beneficial bacteria in your intestines by 50 percent (you'll discover later that this factor also contributes to weight gain, among other health issues).

All of these effects of sucralose consumption can cause an increase in weight and fat and can sabotage your weight-loss efforts. Worse than that, sucralose is one of the main sweeteners used in "sugar-free" and "diet" foods and beverages. Many well-meaning dieters choose these options over foods with sugar to keep their weight down, but their efforts are negated by this harmful artificial sweetener.

What to do: It is important to start reading labels on everything you purchase. (Of course, choosing fruits and vegetables in their unadulterated state means fewer labels to read, since produce usually doesn't require them.) Avoid any food that contains sucralose. Stop choosing diet beverages and adding packaged flavorings to your water. Avoid flavored water, "diet" or "sugar-free" baked goods, coffee syrups, and other items. 

Health bonus: By eliminating sucralose from your diet, you'll likely experience other health benefits, including improved hormonal balance and fewer headaches or allergies.

3. AVOID ASPARTAME

Shakespeare said, "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet." While that may be true of roses, it isn't true of artificial sweeteners. Aspartame recently had a name change in an effort to shake all the bad press linking it to a lengthy list of serious health conditions and is now known as Neotame and AminoSweet.

These new names may sound sweet, but the chemical components of aspartic acid, phenylalanine, and methanol are just as harmful as ever. Humans have no enzymes in their bodies to break down methanol, so it gets converted into formaldehyde, a known carcinogen that most people have heard of but don't expect to ingest from their soda. This ultimately becomes formic acid, or formate, which significantly increases acidity levels in the body. You don't need to remember the biochemical chain of events that aspartame goes through once you've to metabolize this toxin are harmful enough to cause cancer.

What to do: Stop using any products labeled "sugar-free" or "diet." In most cases these terms are used wherever aspartame is found. That includes diet soda, sugar-free coffee syrups, sugar-free cookies, diabetic treats, sugar-free pastries, and more. And when the product doesn’t contain aspartame it usually contains sucralose, so either way, you benefit from removing these harmful artificial sweeteners from your diet.

Health bonus: By eliminating aspartame from your diet, you'll likely reduce your risk of cancer and neurological disorders too. At the very least, you'll probably suffer fewer headaches.

4. TAKE OUT THE TRANS FAT

By now you've probably heard of trans fats. Trans fats are fats that have been chemically altered during the manufacturing and processing of oils and are found in most processed, packaged, and prepared foods. These "plastic fats," as I call them, are almost impossible for your body to digest and for your liver to process, making them highly likely to be stored in your body.

Fast-food meals aren't the only places trans fats hide. They are in many bakery goods, such as cookies, cakes, pies, and even so-called healthy breads. They are even found in some health food store goods, so be sure to start reading labels. Even when a product claims "zero trans fats" the government allows a small amount of these toxic fats to be hidden in your food.

What to do: Read the nutrition facts on the packages of any food products you purchase. Choose only products that state "0 g trans fat." While you still may be exposed to small amounts, it's better than the higher quantities found in many products. Also, stop buying bakery goods that do not include this information. While they may not contain trans fats, more than likely they do. Also, read the ingredient list and look for "partially hydrogenated" or "hydrogenated" on the label. If a product contains either of these terms or "vegetable shortening," skip it. It contains fattening and health-harming trans fats.

Health bonus: By eliminating trans fats, you're also reducing the likelihood of experiencing diabetes, since these harmful fats are linked to this serious condition.

5. SAY GOODBYE TO SODA—EVEN DIET SODA

Soda is one of the worst culprits for weight gain. It also interferes with weight-loss efforts. If you're drinking soda, it's time to switch to a healthier option. First, let's explore why soda is such a problem. There is no health value in soda. It has nothing positive to contribute to your body: It is full of synthetic colors, preservatives, sugar, artificial sweeteners, and other unhealthy ingredients.

You may be thinking, "But this doesn't apply to me since I drink diet soda." Diet soda is worse than regular soda. Not only is it extremely acidic, but it also contains aspartame, which is detrimental to your health. 

What to do: Stop drinking soft drinks. It takes time for your tastebuds to adjust, but they will adapt. If you absolutely must have something fizzy, mix a small amount of pure juice like pomegranate with some carbonated water. But you should try to eliminate all carbonated beverages from your diet over time.

Health bonus: By forgoing soda, you're taking a huge step toward balancing your pH. Soda's extremely acid-forming nature contributes to headaches, pain disorders, and other symptoms of an acid-forming diet. If you're prone to headaches or pain, you'll notice pain levels will drop (after you're finished with any caffeine-withdrawal headaches, if you've been addicted to caffeine). If you don't have any pain disorders, you'll likely find that you're less prone to them later in life if you stop drinking soda now.

6. LEARN TO LIMIT SUGAR

Naturally-occurring sugar is still one of the worst foods you can consume, particularly if you're trying to lose weight. Linked to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, weight gain, diabetes, and premature aging—to name only a few—sugar in the amounts we consume is one of the worst substances we put into our bodies. 

Here's the good news: Sugar consumption is easy to reduce because we are starting from such a high quantity.

What to do: If you haven't already thrown out anything in your cupboards or fridge that contains sweetener, now is the time to do so. Look for any ingredient that contains -ose, such as glucose, high-fructose corn syrup, dextrose, maltose, etc. Instead, use small amounts (a maximum of 1 teaspoon three times a day) of pure, unpasteurized honey, pure maple syrup, barley malt, agave nectar, or the herb stevia. 

Health bonus: Even a few teaspoons of sugar at a time will suppress your immune system for four to six hours. Most cookies, pastries, pies, cakes, and other sweets contain far more sugar than that. By greatly reducing the amount of sugar you consume, you'll not only lose weight, but you'll also restore your immune system, becoming far less likely to succumb to whatever virus is "going around."

7. ELIMINATE SUSPECTED FOOD SENSITIVITES

When most people hear the term "food sensitivities," they imagine a stuffed or runny nose, itchy eyes, or other common symptoms from environmental allergens. While food sensitivities can cause these symptoms, they can also masquerade as other health issues, including weight gain and bloating.

Tissue swelling or bloating is a common symptom linked to eating foods to which you are sensitive. Some people lose weight just from cutting out those trigger foods. Some foods that commonly cause sensitivities are wheat, dairy products, corn and corn derivatives, soy, refined sugar, eggs, coffee or caffeine, beef, fish, or shellfish. Of course, there are others, but these are the most common offenders.

What to do: While many people recommend rotation diets of specific foods and food families, that is simply not plausible for most people. If you suspect you are sensitive to a particular food, eliminate it from your diet for a month and see how you feel. It may take a while to notice an improvement because the food can still be in your system or causing inflammation in your body long after you last ingested it. If you suspect sensitivities, but are not sure what foods are the culprits, try eliminating the most common ones above. 

Health bonus: If you eliminate foods to which you are sensitive (and here's how to do it), you'll experience much higher energy levels.

8. DON'T BOTHER WITH MOST DIET PILLS

Most commercial diet products—particularly diet pills—do not work. Over-the-counter diet pills usually contain the ingredient phenylethylamine, which should be avoided. These pills trick your brain into thinking that you're not hungry, which may be fine while you're taking them. But as soon as you stop taking the pills and return to the generally unhealthy eating patterns most people have, you'll find the weight quickly returns. Or worse, you may gain more weight than you started with.

What to do: This is fairly straightforward. Just avoid or stop taking diet pills. Of course, if they are prescribed by your physician, you should consult her first.

Health bonus: Not only will you avoid the rebound weight gain linked with diet pills, you'll also avoid the heartburn, nausea, constipation, headaches, and insomnia to which they are linked.

9. DON'T DRINK DIET SHAKES

Diet drinks are usually high-protein shakes made with isolated amino, or many different amino acids to build new tissue, heal existing tissue, and perform many other functions. But a deficiency in just one can cause a host of health issues. Most diet drinks encourage amino acid deficiencies by using amino acids in a way not intended by nature. 

Diet shakes are not substitutes for a healthy diet. Having said that, replacing a meal with a highly nutritious shake can help with weight-loss efforts, provided you include the right ingredients and avoid the harmful ones. 

What to do: Start by purchasing a whole foods protein powder. Avoid any protein powders that contain isolated protein, isolated vegetable protein, or isolated soy protein, since these unnatural ingredients have been linked to many health issues. Additionally, avoid any protein powders that contain autolyzed or hydrolyzed ingredients since they usually reflect isolated proteins that are damaging to the body. 

Health bonus: Not only will you notice that it's easier to lose weight when you eliminate diet shakes containing glutamate, you'll find that by avoiding the protein powders containing isolated amino acids, you'll have fewer headaches and other nagging health concerns.

10. UNCOVER HIDDEN MSG

Protein powders and shakes are not the only hiding places for isolated amino acids. Anything that contains monosodium glutamate (MSG) is also an issue. And unfortunately, MSG has not only been shown in countless studies to be linked to weight gain and hunger, but it's also a proven neurotoxin—a toxin that does serious damage to the brain and nervous system.

Avoid these hidden sources of MSG and little-known names for MSG to make sure you're not including these health dangers in your diet. 

What to do: It's inexcusable, considering the volumes of research proving the damaging effects of MSG, that government agencies still allow the food-processing and fast-food industries to continue using this toxin. Until they stop, you need to take charge of the food ingredients that you're consuming. Next time you're buying packaged foods, be sure to take the above list with you to avoid harmful chemicals that are most likely sabotaging your weight-loss efforts and negatively impacting your health.

Health bonus: Eliminating MSG from your diet can have innumerable effects in addition to weight loss. Because MSG is linked to mood disorders, headaches and migraines, anxiety disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, autism, and many others, you may notice that your moods become more balanced, your anxiety and depression diminish, you have fewer headaches and migraines, and your mental alertness improves.

11. REDUCE PESTICIDES AND HEAVY METALS

Common toxins found in the environment, food, personal-care products, and surprising other sources can interfere with your body's natural fat-burning processes by impairing important enzymes involved in metabolism. These harmful toxins include heavy metals and pesticides.

What to do: Don't spray your lawn with pesticides. Avoid using pesticides or insecticides in your home. Choose organic produce as much as possible, particularly for the "dirty dozen." The dirty dozen are foods that research shows consistently contain high levels of pesticides. They are peaches, apples, bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, lettuce, grapes, pears, spinach, and potatoes. If you aren't able to purchase only organic products, be sure to try to find organic variations of the dirty dozen especially.

Health bonus: By eliminating pesticides from your home and lawn you may decrease your risk of brain diseases like Parkinson's. Parkinson's disease has been linked to pesticide exposures by large amounts of research.

12. WIPE OUT WHITE FLOUR

According to research by Katherine L. Tucker, Ph.D., of the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, people who eat three or four servings daily of foods made with white flour (including white bread, wheat bread, bagels, muffins, pancakes, cookies, pies, and cakes) have significantly larger waistlines than people whose carbs come primarily from whole grains.

That's not surprising when you understand that refined flour and the baked goods and cereals made from them are treated almost the same as white sugar in your body. They cause rapid blood sugar spikes, which cause your pancreas (the organ just below your ribs on the left side of your abdomen that regulates digestion and blood sugar) to secrete insulin.

What to do: Avoid eating foods made with refined sugar or white and wheat flour. Over time your desire for these types of foods will diminish. If you're still craving sweets, eat a meal or a snack more often—about every two to three hours. Be sure your meal contains some protein foods, like fish, chicken, nuts, seeds, tofu, or beans. Eating more healthy fats such as coconut oil, flaxseeds and flaxseed oil, avocado, and nuts can also help you feel full longer. You can also supplement with chromium. 

Health bonus: Eat moderate amounts of healthy carbs. They include most vegetables (sorry, potatoes don't work on a slimming program), whole grains, legumes, and fruit (eat fruit occasionally, and avoid pineapples and bananas until you've reached your target weight—and then eat them only in minimal amounts, because of the high amount of sugars they contain).

What’s worse for your bod: sugar or salt? These days, the saying "everything in moderation" has become a battle cry for healthy eaters everywhere.

Let’s settle this once and for all.

These days, the saying "everything in moderation" has become a battle cry for healthy eaters everywhere—but when it comes to sugar and salt, many of us just can't help ourselves.

Even though both play several essential roles in our health (the brain needs sugar for energy, and muscles need salt to contract, for example), they can also cause a wide variety of health problems when consumed in excess, says Niket Sonpal, D.O., assistant professor at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine in New York.

So which of these vices have a greater impact on our health, and why? Let's investigate.

Sugar

It's not so much naturally-occurring sugars (like those found in fruit) that experts have a problem with as it is refined and added sugars.

"Milk and 100 percent fruit juice, for example, contain natural sugars and calories, but they also provide nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, protein (in milk), and polyphenols (in juice)," says Texas-based registered dietitian Kaleigh McMordie.

Sugary beverages like soda and sweet tea, on the other hand, provide sugar and calories with little nutrition.

The same goes for the majority of grab-and-go snack foods that surround us on the regular—they don't provide any nutritional benefits (like fiber, protein, or vitamins and minerals) unless they're stripped and then added back in later. Not surprisingly, overconsumption of these products can lead to obesity and nutrient deficiencies in one fell swoop, says McMordie.

"All sugars, regardless of how they're labeled—white sugar, high fructose corn syrup, cane sugar, evaporated cane sugar, brown sugar—have a similar effect on the body in raising blood sugar levels, causing the production of insulin," says Murdoc Khaleghi, M.D., medical director of WellnessFX.

The body releases insulin in order to move sugar out of the blood and into the cells to use it as energy.

Generally, this process is pretty seamless, but when you're consuming excess amounts of sugar, your body's fat storage skills go into overdrive.

The uptick in insulin production can lead to insulin resistance, forcing the body to create more insulin, which then stores more fat, according to Khaleghi.

Over time, insulin resistance and the subsequent weight gain from excessive sugar consumption can lead to the development of type 2 diabetes, which can increase your risk for glaucoma, is a leading cause of kidney failure, and a is major risk factor for heart attack and stroke.

Worse, consumption of excess sugar, particularly refined sugars, can lead to changes in the body's metabolism and excessive inflammation, which can eventually segue into a variety of chronic diseases.

"Certain kinds of sugar molecules, called fructose, are only processed by the liver," says Rachel Head, R.D., certified diabetes educator for One Drop.

"When the liver is overwhelmed by processing too much fructose, a metabolic chain reaction can occur, with several studies linking this reaction to increased risks of abnormal cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, fatty liver disease, metabolic syndrome, and heart disease."

Salt

The human body needs salt to regulate fluids and carry electrical charges between cells. However, "while the effects of sugar are becoming increasingly understood, how salt affects our health is more debated," says Khaleghi.

"For most healthy people, a moderate amount of salt is easily processed, and actually required by the body, while excess amounts may contribute to long-term health issues."

Current dietary guidelines recommend that Americans consume less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium daily (one teaspoon).

However, most people take in an average of 3,400 milligrams of sodium (the difference of one-third of a teaspoon, to put it into context), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

For many years, experts believed sodium caused fluid retention in the body, and a buildup of pressure in blood vessels, leading to high blood pressure.

Uncontrolled blood pressure can lead to major health problems, such as heart attack and stroke, as well as kidney and vision problems. However, the link between salt and high blood pressure has been under increased scrutiny.

A 2014 study of over 8,000 French adults found that salt consumption wasn’t associated with systolic blood pressure in men or women.

The study writers said that the link we assume exists between salt and blood pressure is “overstated” and “more complex than once thought.”

A 2016 Women’s Health story on salt reported that there is no reliable proof that sodium actually contributes to blood pressure or the cardiac issues associated with it—rather, studies over the years have shown conflicting results about the mineral’s connection with cardiac problems.

“For a regular healthy person, salt isn't necessarily detrimental when consumed in moderation,” McMordie says. S

he however adds that some populations are more sensitive to salt—such as people over 50 and people who already have high blood pressure—making a change in sodium affects them more than others.

A big problem with excess salt, McMordie says, is that the majority of it comes from processed and restaurant foods rather than the salt shaker.

"These foods are typically also higher in fat and calories, and provide fewer nutrients than fresh foods prepared at home," says McMordie.

This can lead to weight gain, among other health issues besides high blood pressure.

Ok So...Which Is Worse?

Neither are particularly dangerous so long as they're consumed in moderation, but head-to-head, excess sugar has more of a negative impact on your overall health, says Head.

McMordie agrees: “Salt is essential for the body to function properly. Sugar is not.” A 2014 review in the journal Diabetology & Metabolic Syndrome also found that sugar can increase the negative affects of salt, too.

Insulin orders your kidneys to retain sodium—and the more insulin the body produces, the more water and sodium the kidneys retain. The result? High blood pressure.

To keep your sugar and salt intakes in check, focus on nutritious sources of carbs, such as whole grains, milk products, and fruit, says McMordie, and steer clear of foods that contain refined sugars and processed ingredients. Case closed.

Why you have heinous bad breath after eating Dairy and how to fix it As those microbes work to digest milk solids (lactose, proteins, and lipids), they sometimes create excess hydrogen sulfide.

Not even mouthwash can fight this sour stench

Milk breath. Cheese mouth. The sour stench of worst-date nightmares. What the heck is this foul demon odor and how does one exorcise it?

First, you have to understand your enemy.

You probably don’t think about your mouth this way, but it’s technically part of your digestive tract. Chewing is only the first step of digestion.

“Imagine millions of bacteria feasting on particles of food and tissue in our mouth, some giving off smelly waste,” says David Krol, M.D., former chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Oral Health.

As those microbes work to digest milk solids (lactose, proteins, and lipids), they sometimes create excess hydrogen sulfide.

This is why, post-cheese, your mouth smells like a mound of rotten eggs.

So what can you do about it?

While you can’t eliminate the smell completely, you can control the aroma by targeting what Dr. Krol refers to as the biggest culprits: gram-negative bacteria.

This family of bacteria (which also includes E. coli and chlamydia, by the way) takes shelter below your gum line, between your gums and teeth, and between the grooves of your tongue.

Unfortunately for those who like to swish and spit, mouthwash doesn’t help the gram-negative bacteria situation—and can actually make it worse.

Mouthwash kills all bacteria (not just the stinky kind), which may lead to even worse breath.

To get rid of the gram-negative bacteria, Dr. Krol says to brush with a fluoridated toothpaste at least twice a day and, if you have particularly nasty exhalations, after every meal.

Make sure you’re brushing in the places the bacteria live and pick up an inexpensive tongue scraper too. Flossing also helps.

Basically, good oral hygiene can help fight milk breath.

The best news? You don’t have to give up eating cheese.