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By Teresa Rochester
Editor's note: This
article originally ran in The Lookout on December
22, 1999. It has become a holiday tradition. Have
a Happy Thanksgiving.
November 23 -- Beware the danger lurking
behind the cork -- and fork -- during the holiday
season.
Bottles of bubbly and one too many forkfuls of holiday
food could lead to a trip to the hospital or at least
serious discomfort.
With a simple pop a cork can become a dangerous flying
projectile, according to doctors at Saint John's Health
Center. Doctors also caution that excess munching
on goodies like cookies, chocolates and golden brown
ham can lead to unpleasant cases of holiday heartburn.
Several hundred people are sent to the emergency
room with flying-champagne-cork related eye injuries
each year, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
Unlike a basketball hurtling toward your face, a
cork is just small enough to fly past facial bones
that usually protect eyes from larger objects, Kino
said in a statement.
The force of a popped cork can cause severe eye damage,
such as bleeding or even a rupture, as well as painful
surface damage like a black eye.
Stuffing yourself with goodies also may not bode
well for your body. Certain foods like chocolates,
tomato sauces and fatty foods may trigger heartburn,
an unpleasant feeling that occurs when stomach acid
bubbles back up the esophagus. This happens when the
ring-like valve separating the stomach and esophagus
becomes slack or is under excess pressure.
"Over-the-counter medications may alleviate
heartburn during the holidays," said Dr. Danice
Hertz, a gastroenterologist at Saint John's Health
Center. "While that may be fine as a short-term
remedy, simple changes in lifestyle may prove more
effective in the long run, particularly if you suffer
from heartburn more than once a week."
To avoid cork and fork related incidents check out
the helpful tips below, provided by Kino and Hertz.
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Popping the Cork:
* Keep the bottle cold since a warm bottle is more
likely to pop unexpectedly. Besides, the champagne
tastes better cold.
* Remove the foil over the cork and carefully remove
the wire hood while holding down the cork with the
palm of your hand.
* Cover the entire top of the bottle with a towel
or cloth napkin and tilt it away from yourself and
others at a 45 degree angle. Grasp the cork firmly
and slowly twist to break the seal. If the cork won't
twist, place the bottle under cool tap water for about
20 seconds, then repeat the twisting method described.
* With one hand, hold the cork and gently turn the
bottle in one direction. Turn the bottle and not the
cork. Pull slightly upward until the cork is nearly
out of the bottleneck. Then, using slight downward
pressure of a controlled "roll," pull the
cork completely out with a hissing noise and a soft
"pop."
Avoiding heartburn long after the holidays:
* Lose Weight -- Excess weight increases pressure
on the diaphragm and forces the esophageal valve open
when it should be closed. Losing weight is a simple
and effective first step in treating chronic heartburn.
* Pregnancy -- Pregnant women suffer from heartburn
for much the same reason as the obese. While they
don't have the option of losing weight during pregnancy,
they can find comfort in knowing that the problem
will subside with the birth of the baby.
* Smoking and Alcohol -- The nicotine in cigarettes
causes the esophageal valve to relax. Quitting smoking
may take care of the problem. Alcohol can also cause
the valve to become lazy and ineffective.
* Food -- Spearmint, peppermint and fatty foods,
along with foods high in acid and spices, coffee and
carbonated drinks, are all known to irritate damaged
esophageal linings. Avoiding foods that are known
irritants to you may help prevent heartburn.
* Hiatal Hernia -- To reach the stomach the esophagus
must pass through an opening (hiatus) in the diaphragm,
a large sheet of muscle separating the chest and stomach.
A hiatal hernia occurs when a part of the stomach
pushes through the this opening into the chest cavity.
While hiatal hernias often cause no symptoms, for
those who do have symptoms, heartburn is a common
complaint.
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