Depression has a long-term impact on a person’s life. While therapies and medications are immensely helpful in managing the conditions and its symptoms, proper lifestyle choices also play a vital role. This includes a healthy and balanced diet. There are some foods that alleviate depression symptoms and help in medications being effective. On the other hand, certain other foods can have a detrimental effect. Junk foods and sugary foods are some of the foods to avoid for depression. Here are other similar foods that must be cut back on. Caffeinated beverages: Cutting back on caffeinated beverages is essential for managing depression. Coffee, soda, and energy drinks contain high percentages of caffeine. Drinking more than 400mg or four cups of caffeine-based drinks can be detrimental since it increases anxiety. Moreover, it disrupts a person’s sleep cycle. Both these factors can aggravate depression symptoms. This is why it is recommended to cut back on coffee and other beverages and have these in moderation or not at all. Fries: Junk food, including fries, contains a lot of salt, carbs, and calories. These increase the body’s energy levels quite quickly, but it doesn’t carry for long, and the levels come crashing down almost instantly.

An overactive bladder (OAB) is a condition wherein a person has an abnormal urge to urinate frequently. Contrary to popular belief, an overactive bladder is a group of urinary symptoms and not a single disease. In severe cases, one may even experience urine incontinence that can lead to urine leaks. There are several ways that a doctor may suggest to treat an overactive bladder or relieve its symptoms. These may range from behavioral changes and medications to nerve stimulation or neuromodulation. Here are some techniques that you can use to manage symptoms of an overactive bladder so as to lead a normal lifestyle: Keeping a track It is suggested that you observe and keep a note of your fluid intake, the frequency with which you need to urinate, and leaking accidents if they do occur. It also helps to keep a track of the reasons behind incidents of urine incontinence, such as coughing, sneezing, and more. Maintaining a bladder diary can help the doctor know your symptoms better. Avoiding foods and drinks that irritate the bladder There may be several ingredients in your diet that can worsen your bladder situation by altering the amount of water your body retains. Foods such as alcohol, chocolate, spicy condiments, aerated beverages, snacks containing artificial sweeteners, and caffeine are known to worsen the symptoms of an overactive bladder and hence, should be actively avoided.

Osteoporosis is a bone disease that causes old bones to break down at a faster rate than the rate of building new bones. For many patients, the skeleton becomes more fragile and bones may become porous in nature. Some of the most common signs and symptoms of osteoporosis are receding gums, brittle and weak fingernails, weaker strength of gripping, losing height and experiencing easy fractures, for example, from a simple slip and fall. In addition to seeking medical treatment, there are foods that can be consumed to help support strong bones and prevent osteoporosis, such as: 1. Yogurt and milk Yogurt and milk are known to manage and prevent osteoporosis because they are rich in calcium. Plain yogurt, in particular, has higher calcium nutrients, which helps strengthen the bones. Yogurt can be taken as a snack with fresh fruits, or added to smoothies to boost the protein and calcium nutrients. Milk also helps in reducing osteoporosis due to high calcium content. The best type of milk to manage osteoporosis is calcium-fortified soy milk or cow’s milk. A cup of cow milk has 300 mg of calcium. Besides having calcium nutrients, milk also has phosphorus, vitamin D and magnesium, which help to absorb more calcium in the body.

Various factors trigger asthma. An environment rife with smog, pollen, and pollution is among the major factors that can trigger asthma. The Allergy and Asthma Foundation has carried out research that indicates several U.S. cities that are considered poor living conditions for patients with asthma. Most of these cities are highly populated, with pollution and climate issues that aggravate asthma symptoms: 1. Greensboro, NC Greensboro is a city found near the Research Triangle in North Carolina and is well known for medical technology and research. Besides being informed in healthcare, Greensboro has inferior access to asthma specialists in the country. Also, many people living in the country do not have health insurance. Since very few are health insured, very few visit doctors, and a large percentage opts for ER visits. Treating asthma is expensive, and people without health insurance might be unable to pay for healthcare and medicines leading to uncontrolled and dangerous asthma problems 2. Philadelphia, PA Philadelphia is said to be among the poorest cities in the U.S. Poverty is related to asthma in those places with poor people rarely have healthcare facilities. Besides being exposed to health risks and earning low income, Philadelphia also has air particle pollution and high ozone levels.

Heartburn is a burning sensation in the chest, right behind the breast bone. It’s caused by acid reflux back up into the esophagus from the stomach. When food reaches the stomach, it combines with acids and enzymes for digestion. The abdomen is lined with protective cells from the acids. However, the esophagus doesn’t have these cells, and when stomach acids backup, heartburn results. Foods that trigger heartburn often include: 1. Alcohol Alcoholic drinks and especially red wine can be a cause of heartburn and acid reflux disease. People who drink alcohol more frequently might be exposed to heartburn chronically and suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). It leads to heartburn when relaxed abdominal muscles, cause the spillage of acids into the gullet while also irritating the food pipe and stomach since it is made up of chemicals. Alcoholic drinks are sugary and carbonated; they are triggered by heartburn. Carbonated drinks contain gas, which alters the concentration of the acid in the stomach. 2. Spicy foods Spiced foods,  like Doritos or hot wings, irritate the stomach and are the beginning of heartburn. Peppers, for example, contain components that delay the emptying of the gastric juices. This delay may provoke the acid levels in the stomach leading to reflux.