14 Reasons You Should Start Eating Cucumber

 Cucumbers are number four most cultivated vegetable in the world and known to be one of the best foods for your overall health, often referred to as a super food. Pick a handful of firm, dark green cucumbers and drop them into your shopping cart. Congratulations! You have just bought yourself stuff full of good health.

Cucumber rehydrates body

If you are too busy to drink enough water, eat the cool cucumber, which is 90 percent water. It will cheerfully compensate your water lost.

Cucumber fights heat inside and out

Eating cucumber will get your body relief from heartburn. Apply cucumber on your skin and you will get relief from sunburn.

Cucumber eliminates toxins

All that water in cucumber acts as a virtual broom, sweeping waste products out of your body. With regular eating, cucumber is known to dissolve kidney stones.

Cucumber replenishes daily vitamins

Cucumbers have most of the vitamins the body needs in a single day. A B and C, which boost your immune system keep you radiant and give you energy. Make it more powerful by juicing cucumber with spinach and carrot. Don’t forget to leave the skin on because it contains a good amount of vitamin C, about 12 percent of the daily recommended allowance.
Cucumber supplies skin friendly minerals

Cucumber is high in potassium, magnesium and silicon. That is why spas abound cucumber based treatments.

Cucumber aids in digestion and weight loss

Due to its high water and low calorie content, cucumber is an ideal source for people who are looking for weight loss. Use cucumbers in your soups and salads. If it is not your favorite snack you can crunchy cucumber sticks with creamy low fat yogurt dip. Chewing cucumber gives your jaws a good workout and the fiber in it is great for digestion. Daily consumption of cucumbers can be regarded as an aid for chronic constipation.

Cucumber revives the eyes

Placing a chilled slice of cucumber over puffy eyes is a clichéd beauty visual but it really can help reduce under-eye bags and puffiness due to its anti inflammatory properties.

Cucumber fights cancers

Cucumber is known to contain secoisolariciresinol, lariciresinol and pinoresinol. The three lignans have a strong connection with reduced risk of several cancer types, including ovarian, breast, prostate and uterine cancer.

Cucumber cures diabetes, reduces cholesterol and controls blood pressure

Cucumber juice contains a hormone which is needed by the cells of the pancreas for producing insulin which is widely spread to be beneficial to diabetic patients.Researchers have found that a compound called sterols in cucumbers can help decrease levels of cholesterol. Cucumbers contain a lot of fiber, potassium and magnesium. These nutrients work effectively for regulating blood pressure. That is why cucumber is good for treating both high blood pressure and low blood pressure.

Cucumber refreshes the mouth

Cucumber juice heals and refreshes diseased gums. Get a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for a half minute, the phytochemcials will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing unpleasant breath.

Cucumber smoothes hair and nails

The wonder mineral Silica in cucumber makes your hair and nails shinier and stronger. The sulfur and silica in cucumbers help to stimulate your hair growth.

Cucumber promotes joint health, relieves arthritis and gout pain

As cucumber is an excellent source of silica it promotes joint health by strengthening the connective tissues. When mixed with carrot juice, cucumber can relieve gout and arthritis pain by lowering levels of the uric acid.

Cucumber cures hangover

To avoid a morning headache or hangover you can eat a few cucumber slices before going to sleep. Cucumbers contain enough B vitamins, sugar and electrolytes to replenish many essential nutrients and reducing the severity of both hangover and headache.

Cucumber keeps kidneys in shape

Cucumber lowers uric acid levels in your body and though keeping the kidneys healthy.

Waging War On Wrinkles

It’s an inescapable fact of life: wrinkles happen.Aging does not discriminate; it inevitably strikes us all, and our faces show it. Although there's no miracle cure for the effects of time on our skin, medical advances continue to bring new, effective ways to hold on to our youthful appearance.

Stop at any cosmetics counter and you will see an array of beauty products claiming to reverse the signs of aging. The challenge is to separate the fact from fiction to find what really works.

As in any battle, the key is understanding the opponent. Contrary to popular belief, a “one-size-fits-all” approach doesn’t work when it comes to wrinkles. There are three different types of wrinkles: those caused by sun, by facial contractions, and by genetics and aging. Each requires a different type of treatment.

Wrinkles caused by sun damage, or photoaging, are the easiest to combat because they are the easiest to prevent. Experts agree that the best line of defense is to use a good sunblock every day. “Look for a product with SPF 30,” says Debra Jaliman, MD, a spokesperson for the American Academy of Dermatology. “Products with zinc and titanium are especially effective, as they block both UVA and UVB rays.”

Sun exposure causes collagen in the skin to break down, which causes fine lines and wrinkling. Products with antioxidants such as vitamin A, also known as retinoids, and vitamin C prompt skin to produce more collagen and diminish the effects of sun damage. Exfoliants such as alpha-hydroxy acids, which are derived mostly from milk and fruit products, also stimulate collagen production and smooth wrinkles by removing dead skin. Christine Poblete-Lopez, MD, assistant program director of the Cleveland Clinic dermatology department, recommends a skin care regimen involving the use of alpha-hydroxy acids and retinoids. “They improve a variety of skin problems, including fine wrinkles, and delay the aging process. Cosmeceutical products with these active ingredients can be dispensed at a physician's office and contain higher concentrations than you would get over the counter,” she says.

The way we move our faces every day causes wrinkles that are more difficult to prevent and treat. These include “crow’s feet” and lines around the mouth. You may have heard that there are facial exercises you can do to prevent such wrinkles from forming, but don't believe it. Repetitive movement causes the wrinkling, so these exercises will actually do more harm than good. “Facial contractions cause the skin to bend, wearing away its own natural collagen and hyaluronic acid,” says Karyn Grossman, MD, of Grossman Dermatology in Santa Monica, California. “Traditionally these types of wrinkles have best been treated with Botox.”

Botox is a nerve-paralyzing agent injected into the skin that prevents the muscle contractions that cause wrinkles. A treatment lasts between four and six months and then slowly wears off. Although popular, Botox injections are a very detailed procedure that should only be done in a doctor’s office by a trained professional. Beware of creams that profess to contain similar ingredients; even if the claims are true, such substances must be carefully inserted into just the right muscles, and rubbing a toxin on your face could have disastrous results.

Wrinkles that no one can escape are those caused by genetics and aging. These include smile lines, which extend from the nose to the mouth. New skin-tightening procedures such as Thermage, which uses radio-frequency technology to heat and tighten the skin from within, are now used to diminish wrinkles caused by aging.

“The use of soft tissue fillers, such as Restylane, Perlane, or Radiesse, is also very effective in treating these types of wrinkles,” says Poblete-Lopez. This process, known as soft tissue augmentation, involves the injection of a fatlike substance into the skin to elevate deep wrinkles. These procedures are very effective, but like Botox, should be performed only by a skilled professional.

All these advances in technology have made the war on wrinkles increasingly winnable. What cosmetics companies don’t want you to know, however, is that your most powerful weapon in this battle doesn’t come in a jar. “The best thing anyone can do to prevent wrinkles is to adopt a healthy lifestyle,” Grossman says. In addition to a good skin care routine, she recommends the following:

• Use a broad spectrum SPF daily on all exposed areas of skin. Make sure to reapply midday if you are working and hourly if you are outside playing sports, relaxing, or shopping. 

• Don't smoke, drink, or take recreational drugs.
• Maintain a healthy and stable weight, avoiding large multiple weight swings.
• Get plenty of rest each night to allow your body to repair the damage done during the day.

How to Be a Highly Productive Night Owl

Being an early riser has its benefits, but it isn’t for everyone. Some of humanity’s greatest minds (Voltaire for example) were renowned for sleeping in. Depending on personality, environment, and work schedule, being an early riser may not be practical. A few months ago I gave early rising a try. I was able to wake up 1-1.5 hours earlier, but I couldn’t adjust to the early bed time. Each night around 10:00, no matter how tired I’d felt that day, my mind became active and I was unable to shut down until after 12:00. After a few weeks, sleep deprivation set in and I went back to my normal sleep pattern. 

Late rising isn’t automatically beneficial. It has a negative connotation because, if poorly managed, sleeping late leads to perpetual grogginess and wasted days. Here are few strategies I’ve developed for effective late rising.P

Don’t Over SleepP

The biggest temptation with late rising is to over sleep. Too much sleep is a bad thing. Rather than feeling more rested, it makes you lethargic. Having a regular wake up time is just as important for night owls as it is for early risers. If you don’t set a schedule, you’ll have a hard time being productive.P

Don’t Sleep Too LateP

Along the same lines, I’ve found that late rising is best in moderation. Sleeping until mid-afternoon can ruin an entire day. It throws off your biological clock, leaving you mentally dull, and makes it harder to get to sleep at a reasonable hour the following night. For me, the ideal wake up time is between 8:00 and 10:00 a.m. This gives me a chance to get the 6-8 hours of sleep that I need without oversleeping or losing too much of the day. The challenge with being productive at night is that it’s hard to wind down. This can lead to late nights that throw off your schedule. The way to manage this is setting a cut off time. I set my cut off time for an hour before bed time, usually around 11:00-11:30. After the cut off time I stop working and wind down. I switch to mentally relaxing activities like minor household chores and light reading. I’d also recommend avoiding television and the computer completely. The brightness of the screen can trick your brain into thinking it’s day. Although there will always be those nights when I ride a rush of creativity until 3:00 or 4:00 a.m., it’s better to make that the exception. 

To maximize productivity it’s important to leverage the natural peaks of your energy cycle. Late rising works best for people who peak in the evening. If this is the case, you should create a schedule that lets you work at night. I’ve found mid-mornings to be productive, so I’ve built my schedule around a morning and evening shift.P

After getting up around 8:00 or 9:00, I eat breakfast and work for 3-4 hours. By early afternoon my energy fades and I switch from creative work to less demanding tasks like responding to email, reading feeds, and running errands. Around 8:00 p.m. I have another energy peak and work the night shift until my cut off time at 11:00. Although it can be tough to schedule around a 9-5 job, you can probably figure out a way to take advantage of your evening energy peak by working from home or on side projects. 

Take Advantage of Distraction Free EveningsP

Early risers rave about the productivity of the wee morning hours before the rest of us wake up. Late risers have a similar advantage on the other end. By working in the evening we can avoid the distractions of meetings, email, and other demands. For me, the evening is when I’m able to break free from the outside world and immerse myself in mentally challenging work. Some people can’t concentrate at night, but I’ve found it’s the easiest time get into creative work flow without interruption.P

It’s all about finding what works best for you. As a night person in their early 20′s with roommates who tend to keep late hours, I found early rising problematic. As I get older and my living situation evolves, it’s entirely possible I’ll join the 5 a.m. club. Until then I’ll continue to take pride in being a highly productive night owl.

3 Tips To Heavenly Skin

When it comes to great-looking skin, there are quite literally hundreds of products, treatments, suggestions, and even old wives tales. You can buy Le Mer for a lot of dough, you can shoot your face up with Botox, you can peel, exfoliate, brush, mud, or massage your skin into beauty, but what we found was that when it comes to your skin, simple is the best and it may matter more what you eat than what you put onto your skin.
So, after weeding through Dermatologists, cosmetologists, and a plethora of lines, we’ve come up with a few ideas that won’t break the bank, but still give your skin its best shot to looking fresh, dewy, and flawless–and isn’t that what everyone is looking for?

1. Forget expensive lotions and potions to moisturize and replenish your skin. It turns out that honey (a natural humectant with antimicrobial properties) belongs in your bathroom vanity as well as in your tea. According to the National Honey Board, honey is pure, natural, and attracts and retains moisture. As an anti-irritant, honey is a preferred ingredient for those with sensitive skin and acne, and can be used to help manage breakouts while keeping your skin moisturized. Manufacturers have used honey in everything from hand lotions and moisturizers to bar soaps and bubble baths. Look for honey in store-bought beauty products or simply add a squeeze of honey to your moisturizer, shampoo or soap at home.
For some extra pampering, try whipping up a simple beauty recipe yourself.
Cucumber Honey Eye Nourisher (Makes 4 treatments)

• 1 Tbsp. aloe vera gel
• 2 tsp. cucumber, peeled with seeds removed
• 1/2 tsp. chamomile tea
• 1/2 tsp. honey

Directions: Steep chamomile tea in boiling water. Set aside to cool. In food processor or blender, combine cucumber, aloe vera and honey. Blend on low setting. Add chamomile tea. Blend until smooth. Apply gently under eyes using ring finger. Store in glass dish covered with plastic wrap in refrigerator for up to one week. Best applied chilled.
2.Turns out great skin is directly related to what you eat.  According to ZICO Coconut Water, and the registered dietician they work with, Erin Palinski, beautiful skin is all about good nutrition.
Palinski recommends these great nutritional tips to helping keep your skin youthful.

• Snacking on tart cherries because they’re rich in melatonin which may help to boost UV protection and promote cell growth.
• Stay hydrated with water or ZICO Coconut water. With the increase in heat and humidity, your body sweats more and if you are not replacing the fluids and electrolytes lost in sweat, your skin can look dull and dry.
• Reach for watermelon. It contains a high water content to help promote hydration and is rich in the nutrient lycopene, which helps to preserve and protect connective skin tissue helping skin to look smoother, tighter, and more youthful.
• Toss pomegranate seeds into your summer salad. They’re rich in antioxidants, decrease inflammation of the skin, and may reduce the ability of UVB rays to damage skin cells, helping to protect against skin cancer and premature aging.

3) “Cleansing is, in my opinion, the most important and transformative part of a skincare routine. It is literally the first step to heavenly skin, without it, heavenly skin may allude those seeking it. Those who cleanse thoroughly, in general, have brighter, smoother, healthier-looking skin,” says Suzanne LeRoux, president of the One Love Organics skincare line.
LeRoux recommends what she calls “double cleansing” because it thoroughly removes the daily dirt, dust, oxidized sebum, dead skin cells and residue from makeup, sunscreens and skincare. Sold in solid or firm in the tub/tube, they liquefy when rubbed between palms and massaged on to a dry face. You can find one of these amazing double cleansing skincare sets through One Love Organics.com
Bonus: Board-certified dermatologist at Mount Sinai school of medicine and author of Skin Rules: Trade Secrets From a Top New York Dermatologist, Dr. Debra Jaliman, says, “Exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate! That would give you the prettiest most glowing skin. I like sonic cleansing systems. My favorite is the Clarisonic because they have different brush heads for different skin types.
Jaliman goes on to say, to get your beauty rest. It’s important to sleep 7 to 9 hours per night because that’s when the skin repairs itself. Make certain not to sleep right on your face so you don’t wrinkle your face. If you do you may get sleep lines. If you must sleep on your side you can always get a beauty pillow or sleep on A satin pillowcase.

7 Most Unhealthy Processed Foods You Need To Avoid

Processed foods have the advantage of saving time and this makes them tempting to people who have a busy lifestyle and for those who don’t particularly like to cook. Most processed foods also come with a low price tag that is hard for many consumers to resist. However, at some point we really need to look at the hidden costs that processed foods have on our health.

It is no secret by now that the vast majority of processed foods are not healthy. In general, they are very low in nutrients, especially micronutrients like antioxidants and vitamins, while simultaneously being high on calories. They also contain industrially engineered ingredients that can be very harmful to the human body.

Eliminating all processed foods from your diet may be quite difficult. However, you can significantly improve your healthy by eliminating the worst of the processed foods. Below, you will find a list of the 7 most unhealthy processed foods.

Chicken Nuggets – Like hot dogs, chicken nuggets are at the pinnacle of industrialized foods. While you may think that chicken nuggets are mostly protein, the typical chicken nugget, including the famous chicken McNuggets, are more than 50 percent fat and they contain more carbs than protein. Keep in mind too, that the carb portion is made of very unhealthy carbs found in the fillers and breading.

Most chicken nuggets are deep fried, often in an oil containing trans fat. Trans fat causes cell membrane deformities that contribute to the development of metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes. Most chicken nuggets also contain many unhealthy additives such as MSG and tertiary butylhydroquinone
Soda Pop – There is nothing nutritional about sodas; they are empty calories. Moreover, they contain substances that can hurt you. As if sugar wasn’t bad enough, almost all sodas today use high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) as a sweetener and this is even worse than sugar. HFCS has been shown to be damaging to the liver as well as causing blood glucose spikes even worse than normal table sugar would. Soda pop is a primary contributor to the obesity problem in the United States.
Soda pop is also one of the most powerful acid producing substances we can put into our bodies. As such, they cause our naturally alkaline body pH to become acidic. Cancer cells thrive in an acidic environment and can’t survive in an alkaline environment. An acidic body is also much more susceptible to viral and bacterial attacks since it weakens the natural defenses of the body’s immune system.
Hotdogs & Other Processed Meats – Hot dogs have been a staple of the American diet for decades. The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council reports that Americans eat about twenty billion hot dogs a year. They also report that ninety-five percent of all American homes serve hot dogs. Of course, lunch meats like bologna also have similar ingredients.
The vast majority of hot dogs and other highly processed meats on the market contain loads of salt, MSG, sodium nitrate and other preservatives, artificial flavors, cheap unhealthy fillers, and mechanically separated meat and poultry. Most people don’t realize that mechanically separated meat has been so highly processed under extreme heat and pressure that whatever nutritional value it had to begin with is lost in the processing. For example, proteins become denatured under these extreme industrial conditions. If you have an absolute craving for a hot dog, look for nitrate free organic hot dogs with no preservations, artificial flavors, or meat byproducts.
Store Bought Cookies, Cake, Muffins, and Crackers – For the purpose of this article, cookies, cake, muffins, and crackers have all been lumped into a single category because the health issues associated with them are similar. Beyond the obvious high levels of sugar and salt, most of these products also contain trans fat. Trans fat is added in part because it is much cheaper than healthy fats and this makes them more profitable. However, trans fat is also added to prolong shelf life and to improve the texture. In fact, there are whole “food science” labs devoted to figuring out how to use trans fats and other industrial foods to achieve the perfect texture in these types of products.

To determine if a product contains trans fat, you should not go by what it states on the front of the label. The USFDA actually allows manufacturers to label their products with “zero trans fat” if each individual serving contains less than 0.05 grams of trans fat. Many manufacturers simply reduced the size of a serving to reach this magic number. So, instead of a serving size being three cookies, they might say it is one cookie so they could put a “zero trans fat” on the label. To know for sure if a product actually contains trans fat, you need to look at the ingredient list and look for the words “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated.” If these words appear, then the product contains trans fat.

Many Popular Breakfast Cereals – Do you want to know why so many breakfast cereals are “fortified” with vitamins and minerals? The reason is because otherwise they would be so devoid of nutrition, no one would want to buy them. Fortified means that the vitamins are artificially added during the processing of the food. It’s no better than taking a crunchy vitamin, and in fact, usually a low quality vitamin. For example, these fortified cereals often add a form of vitamin D that is not easily used by the human body.

Most breakfast cereals are also loaded with sugar, or worse, high fructose corn syrup. If they contain corn, as many do, then you can bet it it is genetically modified (GMO) corn because this type of corn is much cheaper and this increases their profit. GMO corn has been shown to cause tumors in rodents in a recent study conducted in Europe. Research studies have been limited in the United States and other countries because Monsanto and other biotech companies threaten scientists with lawsuits if they conduct research with their patented seed. However, there have been many anecdotal cases showing cattle and other farm animals getting sick and/or dying from eating GMO corn.

Granola Bars – While you may be surprised to see granola bars on a list of the 7 most unhealthy processed foods, this is actually one of the reasons they are listed here. The marketing of granola bars are exceptionally deceptive. They are usually marketed as an exceptionally healthy food when in fact they are just the opposite. This means people tend to eat more of them thinking they are actually eating a super convenient, tasty, healthy food when they really are not. Parents also tend to feel good about giving granola bars to their kids but they really aren’t any healthier than a candy bar.

Regardless of what you see on the front of the packaging or hear in the commercials, almost every brand of granola bar contains high fructose corn syrup. If you don’t believe this fact, try going into any supermarket and finding a box of granola bars that don’t contain this harmful ingredient. You’ll be hard pressed to find one! Even if they say they are made with honey or maple syrup, read the ingredient label. Some will put a tiny bit of honey or maple syrup for flavor but most of the sweetness is still derived from high fructose corn syrup. They are also sometimes loaded with fat, including trans fat, and lots of sodium too!

Pre-Made Condiments and Salad Dressings – Most condiments and salad dressings contain high fructose corn syrup as this is a really cheap way food manufacturers can add bulk to their product and improve the flavor with very little cost. Many also contain trans fats and food additives like MSG. Another factor that makes them so unhealthy is that we tend to not think about what’s in condiments when we apply them to our food. Even a healthy fresh vegetable salad can quickly become an unhealthy meal if an unhealthy dressing is added.

One way to eat healthier is simply to make your own condiments and salad dressiongs where you can control the ingredients. You can usually store salad dressings and homemade ketchup for at least a week in the refrigerator.

In conclusion, one of the healthiest steps you can take to improving your health is eliminating, or at least significantly reducing, the processed foods you eat. It is also important for you to carefully read the ingredient label when shopping and not just depend on what it says on the front of the package.

Acetaminophen Warning Issued by the FDA: What You Need to Know

A warning was issued this week by the FDA for the very popular pain reliever Acetaminophen. This does not mean you should panic or throw awayevery bottle in the house. Actually, very little should change in how you medicate you and your little ones ... because they've made exceptionally clear that the benefits of the drug outweigh the possibility of this side effect affecting you. Still, they are alerting the public because although rare, it can be fatal.

So what should you be looking for? Skin rashes and blisters. And again ... this is rare. But it has happened -- and so you should be in the know!

The FDA states that:

... possible reactions to acetaminophen include three serious skin diseases whose symptoms can include rash, blisters and, in the worst case, widespread damage to the surface of skin. If you are taking acetaminophen and develop a rash or other skin reaction, stop taking the product immediately and seek medical attention right away.

So basically -- you shouldn't really change the way you do things. But it is important you know about this ... because we need to be educated about what we put in our bodies and the possible side effects these things can have on us. If you or your kids break out in any kind of rash while taking this medicine, stop taking it and contact your doctor immediately. 

So still take acetaminophen for that fever, those aches and pains, or your hangover (at least it's always helped my hangovers!) -- just be aware of how your body reacts.

Acetaminophen is such a staple in our medicine cabinets ... do you have it in yours?

Swallowed Objects and Infant Choking: Mayo Expert Offers Tips for Parents and Caregivers

Babies and young children learn a great deal about the world through their mouths. Unfortunately, this can lead to choking or swallowing dangerous objects. Choking is a leading cause of injury and death among children, especially children 3 years of age or younger. Food, toys and coins account for most of the choking-related events in young children, who put objects in their mouths as they explore new environments, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
MULTIMEDIA ALERT: For English-language and Spanish-language video of Dr. Grace Arteaga talking about swallowed objects and infant choking along with a PSA video: "Saving Lives with Gus — Heimlich Maneuver," please visit the Mayo Clinic News Network.
"Should a child choke or swallow something dangerous, parents and caregivers may want to offer liquids and/or solids, but this is not recommended. Also, parents should not force the child to vomit. Have the child see the doctor as soon as possible or take the child to the emergency room," says Grace Arteaga, M.D., a pediatrician at the Mayo Clinic Children's Center.
If a child is coughing forcefully after swallowing an object, parents and caregivers should encourage him or her to continue coughing and not interfere. But, if the swallowed object blocks the airway, and the child's condition worsens (the cough becomes silent or breathing becomes more difficult), Mayo Clinic experts recommend the "five-and-five" approach to first aid:

• Give 5 back blows. First, deliver five back blows between the victim's shoulder blades with the heel of your hand.
• Give 5 abdominal thrusts. Perform five abdominal thrusts (also known as the Heimlich maneuver). For infants, use chest compressions because abdominal thrusts may cause injury.
• Alternate between 5 back blows and 5 abdominal thrusts until the blockage is dislodged, while someone calls for emergency assistance.

The advice for choking infants is different. Dr. Arteaga warns that objects can also cause infant choking, however food is the most common cause. She advises against the use of a finger sweep, which could lodge the object farther down in the airway.
Instead, if an infant is choking, Dr. Arteaga advises: Hold the infant or young child facedown on a forearm. The baby's head should be lower than his or her body. Then thump the baby firmly on the middle of the back using the heel of your other hand. The combination of gravity and the force from the hand helps to dislodge the object that's blocking a baby's airway. If there are any concerns about the baby's breathing, call 911 or a local emergency services provider.
Not everything that is swallowed requires medical attention. Many objects may pass through the gastrointestinal tract without causing harm. Other objects may injure or endanger the life of the child. An object that gets stuck in the esophagus — the muscular tube that connects your throat and stomach — may need to be removed, particularly if it is a pointed object or a battery that can rapidly cause nearby tissue injury. Usually the signs that an object is stuck include chest or abdominal pain, vomiting or fever.