at 216-983-1500. At University Hospitals, our mission is you. Maintaining Your Digestive Health over the Holiday Season ou can count on holiday celebrations to bring plenty of chances to overindulge in food or drink. However, if you start associating parties and dinners with heartburn – known as gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD – there could be a deeper reason for your discomfort than how much you ate 3999 Richmond Road or drank. chwood, Ohio 44122 And it’s something that popping antacids will not address. Leena 2 2 73 UHAhuja.org Khaitan, MD, a gastrointestinal surgeon at University Hospitals, says that overeating is often followed by acid reflux and weight gain. But eating and drinking certain foods or certain ingredients is likely to trigger GERD: namely, chocolate, coffee and peppermint. Not coincidentally, those are elements of many holiday foods. The time of day you eat and drink plays a role too. The closer to bed time, the more likely you are to find yourself with significant discomfort. It’s better to avoid pain than to have to medicate it, Dr. Khaitan points out. “My advice is to eat some healthy foods before you get to the party or dinner,” she says. That may be raw vegetables with a couple of Y small bites of cheese. It will keep you from approaching the buffet with ravenous hunger. As Dr. Khaitan points out, when we say, “The holidays come but once a year,” we are kidding ourselves. The holidays, which start with Thanksgiving and go until the New Year, last more than six weeks. If you indulge throughout the long season, you can pretty much count on weight gain every year. Putting on pounds isn’t the only problem. Not exercising and eating too much fatty, unhealthy food contributes to many chronic diseases, including diabetes, and can raise our risk for certain kinds of cancer. “For example, people who exercise regularly reduce their chance of getting colon cancer, among other cancers,” Dr. Khaitan notes. The consequences of overindulging don’t have to be that far down the road. “About 44% of Americans experience acid reflux once a month,” says Dr. Khaitan. “And that can cause damage by irritating the esophagus, leading to inflammation and even such conditions as Barrett’s esophagus.” Barrett’s is a condition that can increase the risk of developing a cancer of the esophagus. If you find yourself feeling the symptoms of GERD frequently, even after you adjust some of your habits, it’s best to see a doctor. For one thing, there are side effects from the acid. For example, about 20 percent of asthma is caused by acid reflux and the acid can play a role in voice disorders, chest pain and bloating. “You should get evaluated,” she advises. “You might have a hiatal hernia, for example. And, if you let these symptoms go on, it can have quite an effect on the quality of your life, including how you sleep.” Most people can avoid GERD and pain just by changing their eating habits – making healthier choices, and eating just to the point of satiety. In the end, it comes down to making the holidays a season through which you avoid being sidelined by unpleasant symptoms by maintaining your healthy habits as much as possible, says Dr. Khaitan. You’ll be happy you did – especially come January. For more information, call 1.866. UH4.CARE. Putting on pounds isn’t the only problem. Not exercising and eating too much fatty, unhealthy food contributes to many chronic diseases, including diabetes, and can raise our risk for certain kinds of cancer. Caring Hands Volunteer Program Connor Integrative Medicine Network The Connor Integrative Medicine Network recently welcomed ten new volunteers after completing a training session. Additional sessions will be held as the Caring Hands Volunteer Program continues to expand. If you are caring and enthusiastic and wish to make a difference in the lives of others, please attend one of our upcoming volunteer orientations. Trainees are encouraged to contribute at least two hours of their time per week to qualify as a Caring Hands volunteer. To learn more this program or to register for the next training orientation, contact Barbara Nalette at Barbara.Nalett@uhhospitals.org or 216.844.1504, or visit UHhospitals.org/Volunteer. For more information about the services offered at the Connor Integrative Medicine Network, call 216.285.4070 or visit UHhopsitals.com/IntegrativeMedicine. T he Caring Hands Volunteer Program, funded by the John B. Hexter Family Healing Touch Fund, trains volunteers to provide complimentary hand massage to patients’ receiving treatment at University Hospitals. Massage is recognized as one of the oldest methods of healing, as it can reduce pain, anxiety, lower blood pressure, and improve the immune system. It allows patients to refocus their minds on a relaxing place, which has a positive reaction on the body. “Being a Caring Hands volunteer has been the most rewarding experience I have encountered as a volunteer. Patients are genuinely appreciative of hand massages. This 10-minute interaction is very personal and the patient immediately feels the benefits of our service,” is how a Caring Hands volunteer explained her experience. December 2014 n Beachwood Buzz 43