It's a curse. Something I have dealt with as far back as I can remember. And, now I even see it in my 19-month-old daughter. In fact, I was the first to diagnose the reason she absolutely hates riding in her car seat for long rides. Like me, she has what doctors will call a mismatch of her sensory system. Others know it as motion sickness.

You may know the feeling. Your heart starts to race, you feel queasy and you feel sweat beads popping out. It is one of the worst things, and it is often hard to get any relief.

So as many of us head out this Labor Day weekend, here are a few tips to curb the side effects of motion sickness:

Look Ahead: Always look outside and preferably into the distance. Lying down in the back seat or closing your eyes will only increase the symptoms. Opening a window can help.

Oral Remedies: Use antihistamines to prevent and treat nausea, vomiting and dizziness. Ginger and soda can both help settle things down.

Get in the driver's seat: When all else fails, the best place to be is behind the wheel. It is your best shot at eliminating a mismatch altogether.

Have a safe..and healthy holiday weekend!

Be sure to tune in to Dr. Sanjay Gupta every weekend on HOUSE CALL. You'll find the answers to your medical questions Saturday and Sunday at 8:30 a.m. ET on CNN.

One issue sure to be mentioned in Barack Obama’s acceptance speech is health care and the millions of Americans who are fighting to get out of medical debt.

A report out last month from the Commonwealth Fund found that 28 percent of the population said they were paying off medical debt in 2007, up from 21 percent in 2005.
"Two-thirds of the people who go into medical debt have insurance," said Mark Rukavina, executive director of the Access Project. "When medical debt hits, it hits very quickly. It's a jolt, and it's generally not very predictable."
"These are all honest, hardworking people," added Jessie Maurer, a medical billing advocate in West Des Moines, Iowa "This could happen to just about anybody."
By avoiding the mistakes below, you can get your medical debt under control.
Mistake No. 1: You ignore your bills
"The most dangerous thing people do when they get into debt is ignore the statements and notices," said Mary Jean Geroulo, a former hospital administrator and now a partner at Stewart and Stimmel, a health care law firm in Dallas, Texas.
"They think doctors and hospitals won't send them to collection agencies, but they absolutely will," she added.
To find an advocate, visit the Medical Billing Advocates of America, The Fairness Foundation and the National Foundation for Credit Counseling also offer help to those in debt.
Mistake No. 2: You don't look for errors in your bills
"I had a client once who was charged for a surgery she never had," said Nora Johnson, vice president of Medical Billing Advocates of America in Caldwell, West Virginia. "Another one was charged more than $5,000 for disposable gloves."
To catch errors, you have to get an itemized bill. Often, say experts, you have to ask for one.
Mistake No. 3: You don't negotiate the price down
"People think they have to pay the amount on the bill. But doctors and hospitals are very willing to negotiate," Rukavina said. "Remember, the squeaky wheel gets the grease."
Maurer, for example, says one of her clients owed $14,000 for a five-hour stay in a hospital emergency room. "She could afford to pay $4,000, so I told her, 'Show them a certified check for $4,000.' She did and told them, 'This is all I have in the world,' and they took it."
For more tips, check out my column at CNN.com/health

Last spring - as Americans suffered the ongoing housing crisis and credit crunch - a new and unexpected worry popped up: the threat to corn. In April, cool weather swept the Midwest corn fields. That gave way to downpours in May and June, causing widespread flooding on farms. Suddenly, talk of food shortages and doomed farmers permeated the news. The price of corn shot up, hitting a record high of $7.99 a bushel on June 27. Small ethanol-producers talked about closing up shop and grocers predicted a spike in the price of meat and other goods that depend on the corn crop.

 
But, the tables turned in August: after the floods receded and farmers re-seeded, Mother Nature played nice. The weather was so perfect, that the 2008 corn crop is now predicted to be the second biggest ever! The United States Department of Agriculture forecasts production of 12.3 billion bushels of corn this year - an increase of 600 million bushels from what the USDA was predicting earlier this summer. The bumper crop should go a long way to meeting America’s food and fuel needs this year.

Right now, corn futures are settling just under the $6 mark per bushel at commodity exchange markets. That’s still relatively high, but down $2 from the record just two months back. Still, those higher corn prices are having ripple effects across the board. Here are a couple of kernels to chomp on:

1) Record corn prices are pushing farmers to ditch other crops. This may manifest itself in higher food prices for other goods. For example, USA Today reports Mexican farmers are switching from cultivating blue agave plants - the raw ingredient in tequila - to growing corn for its high profits.

2) Interest in corn crop “left-overs” is growing. Deere & Co., Archer Daniels Midland and Monsanto - three giants of U.S. agribusiness - are funding research for the uses of corn byproducts, like all those stalks, leaves and cobs that we typically discarded. They’re researching ways to use so-called “corn stover” to generate steam and electricity, and of course, animal feedstock. This could leave us with more corn grain to eat, and make the crop even more valuable for farmers.

Any threat to corn crops can send prices soaring at the supermarket - ncluding the price of everything from bread to milk, cheese and meat - as well as prices at the pump, as more gas stations mix corn-based ethanol into gasoline. So, now that prices seem to be settling down a bit, it may be a good time to relax, put your feet up, and nab one last corn-on-the-cob before summer’s over. But, if you intend to wash that down with a shot of tequila, it’ll cost you!

More banks are in trouble according to the FDIC. Is your bank next on the list? Here's what to look out for.

1) Get the numbers
The FDIC reported that the number of banks on the “problem bank” list grew to 117 during the second quarter. That’s the highest level since the middle of 2003. There were 90 banks on the problem list in the first quarter of this year. The FDIC chairman also said that list is going to grow. In fact, analysts say that there could be up to 150 bank failures on the horizon. But keep in mind that banks included on the problem list are considered the most likely institutions to fail, although few institutions actually reach that point – just 13 percent of banks on the FDIC's problem list have failed on average.

2) Gauge the risk
Generally small and mid-size banks are more at risk...that's because it may not be able to raise enough money if it's in trouble. If you're looking to park your money somewhere safe, go with larger, more familiar banks. The FDIC doesn't release the names of banks that are in trouble, but you can check the health of your own bank. Check out bankrate.com. This site has a Safe & Sound rating system that can help you get a picture of your bank's health.

3) Know the signs
Pay attention to massive job layoffs or cutback in services at your bank. If your bank doesn't accept new loans submissions that's a red flag. And if you start to see generous CD yields advertised, that could be a sign that the bank is in trouble. That's because banks are trying to entice people to keep their money at the bank. As we've been reporting, if you are within the limits of FDIC-insurance coverage with an FDIC-insured bank, you shouldn't panic. The worst move you could make is pulling your money out of a regulated institution and holding the cash yourself.

For more of Gerri's Top Tips, watch CNN weekdays at 10:15 am Eastern Time.

This week, all the talk around the newsroom is politics, politics, politics. What with the Democrats convening in Denver to nominate Barack Obama to be their presidential candidate, and the Republicans meeting next week in Minneapolis-Saint Paul to select John McCain, it’s no wonder. But, politics and the economy are closely linked. After all, almost every poll out there shows that Issue #1 among American voters continues to be the economy. The link is so close, in fact, that the presidential hopefuls are talking about the economy almost as much as I do. So, as they rally their party conventions for support over the next two weeks, I decided this is a good time to take a look at how party control in Washington can affect your money.

One way to measure that is to look at stock market performance, but I have to emphasize that what’s good for the markets doesn’t necessarily correlate with what’s good for the economy. Still, if you have investments in mutual funds, 401(k) plans, or individual retirement accounts - and a great deal of Americans do - then pay attention. The truth is we can find a correlation between party control in Washington and stock performance over a given time horizon that does affect your investments.

The folks at Standard & Poor’s Capital IQ, a financial analysis firm that crunches numbers for clients on Wall Street, decided to make that comparison. They calculated the average annual return of the S&P 500 stock index over the last 50 years, correlating stock performance with the party in power in Washington - coming up with some very interesting results:

1) Counter to what many suspect, the markets prefer a Democrat in the White House. Over the last quarter century, the S&P averaged an annual increase of 18 percent for the years a Democrat sat in the White House, compared to just 11percent for those years we had a sitting president who was a Republican.

2) However, the markets prefer Republicans when they are in control of both the White House and Congress. In fact, over the last half century the S&P saw an average annual increase of 15 percent when Republicans were in control in both the executive and legislative branches, compared to only 11 percent when the Democrats dominated both branches.

3) But, what the markets like best is for the parties to split power between a Democrat in the White House and Republicans in Congress. Over the last half century, the S&P returned a whopping 22 percent on average with a Democratic president and a Republican-dominated Congress, compared to a mere 11 percent when the tables were turned.

So, what do we learn from all this? Most people think of Republicans as the party of free markets and “trickle-down economics,” policies that should be endearing to investors putting their money in publicly traded companies. But, what the markets seems to prefer is gridlock in Washington – in other words – good old checks and balances. Go figure! Perhaps stock investors prefer a Republican Congress to pass market-friendly laws, but a Democratic president to check some of their excesses. That’s speculation. Just as important in my view, is the fact that no matter who is in office, the market continues to perform well enough to beat the rate of inflation. That’s good news for your investments and your money in the long run, no matter who wins the elections in November.

A new school year is under way for millions of kids around the United States. On almost every playground there seems to be a bully waiting to pick on other kids. Bullying can involve hitting and punching or teasing and name calling. The latest trouble may occur in cyberspace when bullies threaten a child online.

A child who is bullied may be more likely to have low self -steem, be depressed, lonely or anxious, be absent from school, feel sick or think about suicide. Children don't always tell their parents what is going on. The government's Stop Bullying Now campaign offers some suggestions for moms and dads who suspect their child is being bullied.

1) Be supportive. Listen carefully to your chld and learn as much as you can about the bullying tactics. Don't criticize a child who is being bullied or blame him for the situation. Trying to ignore bullying may allow it to become more serious.

2) Don't hit back. Do not encourage physical retaliation. It is not likely to end the problem and your child could end up suspended or expelled from school or the problems could escalate.

3) Call the school. It's tempting to call the parents of the bully, but experts say don't do it. Sometimes it makes the situation worse. It's better to contact your child's teacher or principal and let him or her know that you want to work together to find a solution.

4) Bully-proof your child. Teach your child to seek help from a teacher or other adult when feeling threatened by a bully. Encourage your child to get to know friendly students in the grade and make friends outside of school. Help your child develop talents in music, art or athletics that will foster more confidence and self-esteem.

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Judy Fortin's Health Minute segment runs daily on Headline News form 10am to 6pm ET weekdays.

If your kid is heading off to college this fall, make sure they have enough insurance coverage. Here's what you need to know.

1) Check into health coverage
Full-time students between the ages of 18-23 are usually covered under their parents’ health plan. If your health plan has a network, you’ll want to scout out a doctor near where your child is going to be living. Then you’ll need a referral from your local physician. And if your child is no longer on your plan, most colleges offer limited health insurance plans for students.

2) Revisit car insurance
Basically insurance companies reward you if you don’t drive. Case in point: your children – if they have a car in their name – can get a discount on their insurance if they leave their car at home while attending school. But the school must be at least 100 miles away. You’ll also want to notify your insurance company if the car will be garaged in a different location because your premium could go down depending on where your child's college is located.

3) Know the limits
If you have a kid that’ll be living on campus, chances are, your homeowners’ policy will cover most of their possessions. In most cases, your homeowners insurance will cover about 10 percent of property that’s outside the home. And if your kid is going to be living off-campus in an apartment, your homeowners policy won’t be helpful. In this case, you’ll want to look into renters insurance. Rates run about $250 a year for contents of about $15,000.

For more of Gerri's Top Tips, watch CNN weekdays at 10:15 am Eastern Time.

Recently a viewer e-emailed me and asked if her job could be making her sick. She said she gets migraines every time work gets stressful. The truth is, stress–at work or at home-can very often mimic symptoms of being sick. Headaches, stomach pains, sleep problems, depression, even high blood pressure can be caused by stress.

To reduce the level of stress in your life, you need to first figure out what triggers it. Perhaps it's your boss, your kids, money or a combination of several things. Here are a few ways to manage stressful situations:

1) Set realistic goals: One in four Americans say their workplace is their main source of stress. If you have piles of work stacking up, try to prioritize and organize a day-of task list. Setting nonessential duties aside can relieve some of the pressure. Also, learn to say "no." It won't benefit you or your co-workers if you are stressed with too many assignments.

2) Find your safe zone: Think about when you feel the most relaxed–maybe in the shower, reading a book, cooking or driving around listening to your radio. Having an outlet to relax, even if it is for 10 minutes, can help keep your stress level down.

3) Think positive: Keeping a positive outlook will not only relieve your stress level, but also keep you healthier! Studies show people who are upbeat have a stronger immune system. Also, research shows optimists live about seven years longer, on average.

If you notice that the stress in your life is prohibiting you from daily tasks and severely affecting personal and professional relationships, reach out to you a health care professional for advice.

Be sure to tune in to Dr. Sanjay Gupta every weekend on HOUSE CALL. You'll find the answers to your medical questions Saturday and Sunday at 8:30 a.m. ET on CNN.

I'm in Ohio right now, on my way to interviewing the CEO of GM, Rick Wagoner, about the new Chevy Volt. The Volt will be GM's first plug-in hybrid car, and the company says it will get the eqivalent of 150 miles to the gallon. Its batteries will last ten years, but come at $10,000 a pop; and the car itself is expected to cost somewhere between $30,000 and $40,000.

Although my producer and I get to see it today, the Volt's not due to hit the lot until 2010 (and even then, experts are worried it may not be ready on schedule.). So in the meantime, if you're looking for a car that doesn't recharge itself in your wall, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety can offer some suggestions. Their 2009 model Small SUV safety rankings were released this week and the top picks were the Volkswagen Tiguan, the Mitsubishi Outlander, the Ford Escape and the Nissan Rogue.

Considering the skyrocketing gas prices in the first half of 2008, the last thing many people would want to think about is buying a car. In fact, Americans have cut back on their driving big time - the country drove 12.2 billion fewer miles in June than the same month the year before. But, if you do still drive, and need to buy yourself a new set of wheels, the IIHS has some safety recommendations:

1) Standard Electronic Stability Control:According to the IIHS, electronic stability control protects drivers by sensing instability and helping bring the vehicle back into the intended line of travel. It keeps drivers safe when they lose control at high speeds.

2) Side Airbags: In the Small SUV crash tests, the two-door 2008 Jeep Wrangler went without its optional side airbags - and the driver door opened on impact. The older version of the Wrangler, which didn't offer side airbags, earned a rating of 'marginal' while the newer version of the car earned a rating of 'poor.'

3) Skip the Small Cars:Bigger is generally safer, the IIHS says. The heavier the car, the lower the driver death rate per million registered vehicles until about 4,500 pounds.

As gas prices hit day 35 of their ongoing decline, some of the people contributing to that 12.2 billion might be getting back on the road. A single car safety feature like electronic stability control will lower their risk of a fatal single-vehicle crash by about half, and the risk of a fatal single-vehicle rollover crash by as much as 70 percent, says the IIHS.

Don't be a dummy, and safe travels!

Foreclosures are at an all time high; consumer debt is over $2.5 billion dollars and the rise in consumer bankruptcies is a disturbing new trend.  If you’re thinking about filing for bankruptcy, here is what you need to know.

1) Know the consequences
A black mark on your credit report is one consequence. This negative mark could stay on your credit score for seven to ten years. And that will lower your credit score, making it harder to secure a loan, apply for a job or get insurance. If you have a government job or a job that requires a high level of security clearance, your position may be in jeopardy. If you have a mortgage or a car loan you will still be responsible for making payments to your creditors even in a bankruptcy, otherwise those assets can be taken away. Most states exempt a certain amount of property that you can hold onto. If you have a bank account, stocks or bonds, CDs or mutual funds, all that can be taken away. However, IRAs, most 401ks, pensions or 529 plans are generally safe from creditors.

2) Gauge your eligibility
If these following scenarios are very familiar to you, it could be a sign that you should consider filing: if most of your debt is from credit cards or medical bills; if your total debt is more than you could pay over 5 years—excluding your mortgage and car loan; you have lawsuits against you or debt collectors are calling you all the time.

3) Know the rules
If you are facing foreclosure, declaring bankruptcy could delay the process. If you file for a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, where your debts are discharged off the bat, you won’t be able to save your home. Chapter 13 allows you to catch up on overdue payments you made before you filed, while keeping up with current payments.

For more of Gerri's Top Tips, watch CNN weekdays at 10:15 am Eastern Time