Common food triggers include chocolate, orange juice, coffee, tomato-based sauces, wine and high-fat foods. Therefore, eliminating reflux-causing foods and cutting back on portion sizes can help reduce the occurrence of heartburn. Eating slowly can help, too.

Sufferers should avoid eating late at night. Eating at least two or three hours before lying down is recommended to give the stomach time to digest and empty some of the acids that can cause pain.

Kevin Trudeau, author of Natural Cures They Don’t Want You To Know About tells NaturalNews.com that eating raw, organic foods and adding living enzymes to the diet can help eliminate heartburn. He also says drinking a tablespoon of raw apple cider vinegar before meals can reduce the pain.

The National Heartburn Alliance recommends reducing stress to help put out the fire of heartburn. Relaxation techniques like yoga, meditation and tai chi are all-natural health resources that cut down on stress and anxiety.

The study published in the journal Circulation, finds that applying capsaicin, which is the main component in chili peppers and the active ingredient in some common pain creams, to specific skin areas on mice caused sensory nerves in the skin to trigger signals in the nervous system.

These signals activate cellular "pro-survival" pathways in the heart which protect the muscle, the article further explains.

"If proven effective in humans, this therapy has the potential to reduce injury or death in the event of a coronary blockage, thereby reducing the extent and consequences of heart attack," says Keith Jones, a researcher at the University of Cincinnati where the study was performed.

Capsaicin, which is used topically to treat pain, produces a hot feeling on the skin. It is approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The research further supports the value of chili peppers as a natural health resource.

Chili peppers, which are high in vitamin C, have already been shown to help fight migraine headaches, relieve sinus congestion and aid digestion.

A team of researchers from the Faculty of Life Sciences at the University of Copenhagen showed that guinea pigs with moderate vitamin C deficiency develop 30 percent fewer hippocampal neurons and have significantly worse spatial memory than animals fed a normal diet.

The choice of animals was dictated by the fact that guinea pigs, like human beings, are dependent on getting vitamin C through their diet.

"[Our research suggests] children [may develop] learning disabilities because they have not gotten enough vitamin C in their early life," says Professor Jens Lykkesfeldt, who led the research group.

"This is unbearable when it would be so easy to prevent this deficiency by giving a vitamin supplement to high-risk pregnant women and new mothers," he adds.

Vitamin C is also a known antioxidant and is believed to boost immunity and lower the risk of infections such as seasonal flu, so those concerned about their intake may turn to nutritional supplements.

The study, published in the British Journal of Cancer, suggests that the presence of a protein, called Hsp-27, in cancer cells was an indicator that the disease will progress and require treatment.

However, when the protein was not present, the cancer can be monitored, instead of requiring immediate interventions such as drug treatment or surgery. That was the case in more than 60 percent of the participants.

"Cancer has the ability to impact every aspect of a person’s life. Chemotherapy and surgery can also have a significant effect on health and well-being and that is why it is important that we first understand the biological nature of the disease and how it will behave in each individual patient, before determining if and when a person needs a particular type of treatment," says study author Chris Foster.

A PSA, or prostate-specific antigen, blood test can be used to screen for the disease. While individuals are encouraged to discuss their risk factors with their health practitioners, some doctors recommend men over the age of 50 get a yearly PSA level test, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Recent research has suggested a vegetable-rich diet and pomegranate juice may lower the risk of prostate cancer due to their antioxidant power.

Other studies have linked omega-3 fatty acids to better prostate health.

The research, released by the group Alzheimer’s Disease International, which is a nonprofit federation of more than 70 national groups, says more than 35 million people across the globe are currently suffering from these diseases. That number is 10 percent more than was predicted a few years ago.

The report aims to raise awareness of the threat in poorer countries, where people are now living long enough to face the disease that mainly affects those 65 years of age or older.

Without a medical breakthrough, researchers project dementia will nearly double every 20 years.

While age is the biggest driver of Alzheimer’s, some of the same factors that trigger heart disease—such as obesity, high cholesterol and diabetes—seem to increase the risk of dementia as well.

Meanwhile, a recent George Mason University study found that certain types of meditation, known as Deity Yoga and the Open Presence technique can aid in memory retention.

Some health practitioners have also recommended using nutritional supplements, such as those containing ginkgo biloba, to help boost memory.

One such study, conducted by a team from Purdue University and Mount Sinai School of Medicine, showed that on the 10th consecutive day of feeding, the amount of polyphenols from grape seed extract that reaches a rat’s brain can be 200 percent higher than on the first day.

"This shows that reasonable and chronic consumption of these products may be the way to go, rather than single, high doses, similar to drugs," says Mario Ferruzzi, a Purdue associate professor of food science.

"It’s like eating an apple a day, not a case of apples over two days every month," he explains.

Polyphenols—which come from the skins and seeds of grapes—have been shown to prevent the formation of beta-amyloid protein in the brain, which creates the plaques that are the hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease, a progressive neurological disorder that destroys memory and cognitive skills.

For those who do not drink alcohol, nutritional supplements may be an alternative.

The study published in the journal Biological Psychiatry pooled data from both depressed and non-depressed individuals compiled over the past 14 years.

It finds that those who suffer from depression had less dense bones and increased levels of bone resorption markers than those who did not suffer from the condition.

"We propose that all individuals psychiatrically diagnosed with major depression are at risk for developing osteoporosis, with depressed women—particularly those who are premenopausa—showing a higher risk than men," the study’s authors Drs. Raz Yirmiya and Itai Bab say.

Previous studies have found higher cortisol levels, often found in depressed patients, can contribute to bone loss because the hormone destroys bone-building cells.

Exercise is a natural health resource proven to aid in both warding off depression and bone loss.

In addition, studies have found that green tea, calcium, magnesium, vitamin D and boron can all aid in maintaining bone density. For those worried their diet may be lacking in these, nutritional health supplements are a viable option.

Meanwhile, omega-3 fatty acids, folic acid and herbal supplements containing St. John’s Wort and Sam-e have been linked to reducing depression.

According to Phoenix-based Kronos Longevity Research Institute (KLRI), a review of available research suggests testosterone replacement therapies have minimal or no benefits in terms of health or aging.

It was previously believed to provide modest increases in lean body mass, muscle mass and a decrease of fat mass, but KLRI has concluded it is unnecessary for those with testosterone levels in the normal or low-normal range.

Instead, the institute recommends a simpler and more natural approach, namely regular physical activity and a healthy diet. It says men who exercise, consume five or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day, maintain a healthy weight and do not smoke can reduce their mortality rate and lower the risk for cardiovascular disease by up to 35 percent after four years.

Those searching for the right diet may consider the alkaline diet. It is rich in citrus fruits, vegetables, tubers, nuts and legumes, and has the added benefit of boosting bone health into old age.