While most probably struggled to lose a few pounds last year, for actress Kristen Johnson, 2008 will be the year she shed a lot of weight -- 60 pounds, to be precise. But it wasn't necessarily a good thing -- a burst ulcer caused her drastic weight loss, so she didn't exactly lose it the healthy way.

Actually, her struggle for 2009 will be to gain weight (lucky cow!), and it's not going to be easy, because she recently told reporters that she has no desire to eat. "[After the burst ulcer] the problem is that my stomach no longer indicates to me whether it's hungry. When food is in front of me, I eat it, but I'm never hungry. Ever."

Jealous yet? Me too. But for Johnson, it might not last: "I went to the doctor about it. He says my stomach will eventually get back to normal," she says.

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Canker sores can be incredibly uncomfortable, especially when trying to eat certain foods. And though there really isn't any known cure for them, there are several ways of reducing their staying time.

The tried and true method of swishing salt water around in your mouth is always an option. However, if you really want to get rid of that annoying sore quickly, there may be a better option available.

According to an Israeli study, adhesive patches containing magnesium salts and citrus oils can heal canker sores up to four times faster than most over-the-counter products. Apparently, this combination helps form a protective coating over the sore, while at the same time having an antibacterial affect that helps get rid of the mouth ulcer in no time.

Frequent stomachaches affect many people, but how do you know when a stomachache is just a stomachache? Could it be something worse? It might just be heartburn, but one of the most common sources of a stomachache is an ulcer. Everyday Health reminds us to look out for these symptoms when a stomachache hits:

• Sharp, sudden or persistent pain
• Bloody, black or unusual vomiting
• Bloody, black or unusual stools.
  
• Weight loss
• Poor appetite
• Bloating
  
• Belching
• Nausea

If you have any of these symptoms, see your doctor immediately. These could be signs of an ulcer -- or something worse. Don't take your chances.

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Thousands of people underwent weight loss surgery last year, opting for either gastric bypass or other procedures that limit the amount of food their body can take. Many, however, are afraid to go under the knife due to fears about pain, recovery, or side effects. A small study, however, may attract those patients to a new kind of surgery -- cutting the vagus nerve.

The vagus nerve runs from the brain into the abdomen and it plays a role in how hungry a person feels. Cutting it where it meets the stomach used to be a common procedure for ulcer patients before the era of acid-reducing drugs. Now surgeons are running a small study to find out if it could aid in weight loss, with interesting results. A year into the 18-month study, 11 patients have lost about 18% of their weight. It's not the dramatic weight loss seen with gastric bypass, but it's weight loss nonetheless. All but one reported reduced hunger.

No one thinks that this is going to be the next big thing in weight loss, but if the studies prove that cutting the vagus nerve does work, it may be an option for those who need a little extra help, but are afraid to undergo major surgery.

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Olive oil isn't just good for your heart (and your stir-fry veggies), it's also good for your stomach. According to a new study coming out of Spain, virgin olive oil is effective in fighting the bacteria H. pylori, which infects the lining of the stomach and causes millions of cases of gastritis and ulcers each year. The H. pylori bacteria has several strains, but olive oil has been shown to be effective against eight of them, including 3 which are resistant to traditional antibiotics.

The study was done with oil and bacteria in a lab setting, so the next step is to see if the results hold true in the human body.

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