If you’ve been looking for ways to improve your heart health — and especially if you have blood pressure problems — you may have heard of the DASH diet. Dr. Sudha Jaganathan, a Cardiologist at the Florence Wormald Heart & Vascular Institute at St. Elizabeth, explains the health benefits behind this diet. What is the DASH Diet? DASH stands for “Dietary …

Heartburn, acid reflux, regurgitation — do these symptoms bother you? If so, you’re not alone. Millions of people experience the discomfort of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). It happens when stomach acids take an unwelcome trip back up the esophagus, the tube that connects your mouth to your stomach. GERD occurs because the valve at the bottom of the esophagus is …

Cool down during hot days by indulging in this easy, one-ingredient dessert. Yes, you read that right. There is only one ingredient in this heart-health “ice cream.” Watch the video below for an easy-to-follow recipe:

For years, Gatorade was the only sports drink out there. Developed in the 1960s by University of Florida trainers “” hence that “Gator” in “Gatorade” “” the popular drink held a near monopoly for decades as its popularity soared with professional athlete endorsements, sideline dousings of winning coaches and the “Is it in you?” commercials. In recent years, other brands …

Rachel Wagner, MS, LD, a licensed dietitian at St. Elizabeth Physicians Weight Management Center tells us the pros and cons of the hottest diets and how to achieve your long-term weight goals. “Trendy diets tend to have more negatives than positives. Although some of this year’s trends are backed by good research. The positive effect is trendy diets can get …

Don’t Let the Busy Holiday Season Impact your Heart Heart health should always be a priority, but it’s especially important during the busy holiday season. It’s no secret that during the holidays, some of us tend to eat too much, eat unhealthily and drink more alcohol than we normally would. At the same time, with all the hustle and bustle, …

Thanksgiving has gotten a bad rap. Too often it’s associated with too much food, too much alcohol and too little activity. It doesn’t have to be that way. “I love cornbread stuffing, sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie as much as the next person,” says Dr. Aleah Gibson, a family physician with St. Elizabeth Physicians. “Working hard all year just to …

Water enhancers have been around for decades. You probably had them in your cupboard as a child—Kool-Aid and Tang. But water enhancers got a facelift in 2012 when the beverage aisle started filling up with squeeze bottles of concentrated liquid flavor, all to get Americans to drink more water. Rachel Wagner, a dietitian with St. Elizabeth Physicians Weight Management Center, …

It’s that time of year. The beginning of a new year rolls around and everyone is standing around the water cooler at the office talking about which diet they are starting. Rachel Wagner, MS, LD, a licensed dietitian at St. Elizabeth Physicians Weight Management Center tells us, “The latest diet trend always promises rapid weight loss, but the truth is, …

According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, “No single food or food component can protect you against cancer by itself. Strong evidence does show that a diet filled with a variety of plant foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans helps lower risk for many cancers.” Important definitions (from the American Cancer Society) Free radicals (the bad …