Does jumping on a plane for a business trip or going on an end of summer road trip mean zonking out on motion sickness meds for you? If so, there are other solutions that may ease your queasy stomach, minus the side effects. Roshini Rajapaksa, MD, medical editor for Health.com and assistant professor of medicine at the NYU School of Medicine, offered up these remedies:

• Acupressure. While the scientific evidence is mixed, acupressure proponents believe that massaging the underside of your wrist could help alleviate nausea. To give it a try, measure three fingers’ width from your wrist crease and apply pressure between the two tendons, for five seconds or so. There are also bracelets you can buy that apply pressure to this spot.
• Ginger. Some studies have found that ginger may be as effective as Dramamine at preventing motion sickness. You can eat the root raw, but if that’s too spicy for you, try ginger lozenges, teas, or supplements.
• Deep breaths. When all else fails, try taking very slow, deep breaths. Sit closer to the front of the vehicle and keep your eyes on the horizon. Still sick? Close your eyes and ride it out.

Source: Health.com

According to one study, even small amounts of fish oil may benefit people with high blood pressure. Published in the Journal of Nutrition, the study included 312 healthy participants in a randomized controlled trial. The research set out to determine the health benefits from the relatively low amounts of EPA and DHA (two omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil) that might reasonably be consumed through diet. Specifically, the researchers measured the effects of EPA and DHA on systolic and diastolic blood pressure and other measures of vascular function. The study divided the participants into two groups. The first group received fish oil for 16 weeks—each participant was randomly assigned to take fish oil providing either 0.7 or 1.8 grams of EPA plus DHA daily for eight weeks, and then switched to the other dosage for another eight weeks. The second group received a placebo without fish oil for 16 weeks. Here is what researchers found by the end of the study:

• Participants with high systolic blood pressure and normal diastolic blood pressure had a 5 mm HG reduction in systolic blood pressure, which might be enough to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.
• Taking the amount of fish oil that provided 0.7 grams of EPA plus DHA daily was as effective as taking the amount that provided 1.8 grams.
• There were no other changes in blood pressure or measures of vascular function among the participants.

These findings are important since most previous studies looking at the effects of fish oil on blood pressure have used dosages providing three grams or more of EPA plus DHA. Although more research is needed to confirm these results, this research suggests that the amount needed to see health benefits may be lower than previously thought, and can be obtained by taking a supplement or possibly by including a 3-ounce serving of salmon, herring, bluefin tuna, or Pacific oysters in your diet 3 to 5 times per week.

Source: Journal of Nutrition

It’s a fact: Over 80% of Americans don't get the recommended 150 minutes of physical activity per week. That's a bummer because regular exercise can prevent risk factors for diseases like high blood pressure and obesity and reduce the risk of chronic diseases, including heart disease, some cancers, type 2 diabetes, and depression. However, the US surgeon general suggests one simple way to fit exercise into your day is to get walking. Walking doesn’t require special skills or equipment and can be done almost anywhere. The Washington Post checked in with several health and fitness experts who offered some useful tips if you’re ready to get stepping:

• Get the right amount. While the government recommends 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week, many experts recommend 30 minutes per day to see benefits like increased muscle-to-fat ratio and decreased risk for metabolic syndrome (high blood sugar, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and excess body fat around the waist, which all increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke).
• Count all of it. You don’t have to do your 30 minutes all at once—you can walk throughout the day. A pedometer can help keep you on track. Ten thousand steps per day is a good goal to start with; it’s roughly over 5 miles and is more than 30 minutes of exercise.
• Give yourself a boost. When you’re ready to step up your workout, add intensity to increase the calories you burn or improve speed and strength. Some people do this with hand weights or interval training. For interval training, alternate your usual pace with periods of speed walking or change the terrain by climbing stairs or hills.

Source: Washington Post

Breathing may be one of the only things you do every day that doesn’t seem to require any effort. But, even though you can do it without thinking, its power shouldn’t be overlooked. With a little know-how, breathing can give you a means to relax your mind and your muscles, and it can also give you extra energy for high-intensity exercise. The Washington Post interviewed several experts in sports medicine, psychotherapy, and yoga to discuss how different types of breathing can help us perform at our best:

• Calm breathing. Many yoga styles emphasize nose-breathing for its calming effects. Breathing this way can help reduce anxiety—which can cause you to partially hold your breath, tense your diaphragm, and breathe shallowly. Taking deep chest and belly breaths through your nose can help release this tension, paving the way for relaxation.
• High-energy breathing. For high-energy exercises like Bikram yoga and running, a combination of breathing through the mouth and nose can give you a boost. For example, when practicing Bikram yoga, you may breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth, or breathe solely through your mouth. Quick breaths combined with slow breathes can also be effective for this type of exercise. As for running, one expert recommends that runners breathe in for two strides and out for one stride.
• No-pressure breathing. Power exercises such as weightlifting require deep, flowing breathes. If you hold your breath during a rep, there’s a risk that too much pressure will build up in your chest cavity, which can cause hernias. Breathe deeply throughout the entire rep and exhale as you reach your maximum exertion.

Source: Washington Post

The American College of Gastroenterology released a scientific review of the research on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and chronic constipation that is not due to a known cause. As reported on the website, WebMD, the review reassesses some current treatments and emphasizes finding novel approaches to these conditions, including diet choices. One of the co-authors of the review stated, for example, that there is now good evidence that low-sugar consumption can help some people. Fiber supplements also appear to be helpful for constipation, and to a lesser extent for IBS symptoms. In addition, the review also takes a look at probiotics (good bacteria), which it says can help improve symptoms such as bloating and flatulence in IBS. It gives a weaker recommendation to prebiotics, which support probiotic growth, and to symbiotic products, which contain both prebiotics and probiotics.

Source: WebMD