Kill Acid Reflux

Don't Let Acid Reflux Ruin Your Vacation

2009-05-08T01:46:00.000-07:00

Acid reflux, also called GERD, is an annoying and painful condition that occurs when stomach acid backs up into your esophagus. This results in a burning sensation after you eat, or for some, while sleeping at night.

The majority of symptoms can be controlled with lifestyle changes, and occasional medication. Vacations can induce a bout of acid reflux due to irregular meal times, unusual foods, and the basic urge to over indulge in both food and alcohol while at play.

For most of us, it really isn't a vacation unless we loosen up a bit, so here are a few tips to help you keep your acid reflux symptoms under control and still enjoy your vacation.

1. When you indulge, limit the high fat foods, and high spice foods. You can enjoy a taste of the local foods, but in moderation. Use your common sense, if you know a particular food is one of your heartburn triggers, avoid it.

2. Drinks mixed with citrus juices can bring on the symptoms of GERD, as can alcohol. Drink both in moderation.

3. Try to eat small meals or snacks through out the day. Starving all day and making up for it at suppertime is a sure way to start a severe episode of acid reflux at night.

4. Wear comfortable clothing. The pressure of a tight waistband can promote heartburn symptoms. Don't force yourself into your favorite pants just to look good- dress comfortably, and you will look and feel great.

5. Remember to bring your medication. Even if your symptoms are under control at home, don't let heartburn ruin your vacation. Pack some extra medication, just in case you end up eating and drinking more than you anticipated.

6. Don't spend all your time lying down. Sleeping too much and relaxing in the sun can encourage acid reflux symptoms. When you recline, it is easier for stomach acid to back up into your esophagus. To prevent this, be sure to elevate your head on two or more pillows at all times

While this list sounds like you will be missing all the fun of vacation time, taking precautions against heartburn will make your time off much more enjoyable.

Find the information you need to conquer acid reflux and heartburn Stomach Solutions

What Foods To Avoid To Relieve Acid Reflux Disease

2009-04-30T03:02:00.000-07:00

Acid reflux disease or GERD can cause a great deal of discomfort for anyone diagnosed with it. Some people will only suffer occasional episodes of it, while for others it turns into a chronic state.

Acid reflux disease starts when the muscle at the bottom of the esophagus becomes weak, and does not properly work. Generally, it functions as a one-way valve- allowing food to pass through into the stomach, then closing to prevent stomach acid from splashing back up. When this valve malfunctions, stomach acid can back up into the esophagus, irritating the lining, and causing a persistent burning sensation. Left untreated, the damage can develop into complications such as hoarseness, coughing, asthma-like symptoms, and even pre- cancerous conditions due to cell damage.

The first step in solving the puzzle of what foods to avoid is to keep a food diary. Track which foods trigger symptoms in your own digestive system. Often, identifying your personal food triggers and avoiding them is all that is needed to relieve the problem.

Common food triggers include acidic fruits and juices, such as orange and grapefruit, strong spices, tomato sauces, dairy products, coffee, alcohol and tobacco. This list may appear to include all of your favorite foods, but not all foods are triggers for all people. You might find that eliminating only one or two foods from this list will bring you relief.

For some people, changing from eating three full meals a day to having six smaller meals is successful for controlling the symptoms. Others find that not eating for three hours before bed solves the problem.

Most physicians will recommend these types of dietary and lifestyle changes before prescribing medications. There are many different types of acid reflux medications available, and you may have to try several of them before you discover one that works well for you.

You might be one of the lucky ones that easily discover what food to avoid to make the symptoms disappear. If not, it is important to see your health care provider and work out a plan to get your acid reflux under control before severe damage is done.
Find the information you need to conquer acid reflux and heartburn Stomach Solutions

Diagnosing Acid Reflux In Children

2009-04-21T04:03:00.000-07:00

Acid reflux is difficult to diagnose in children, and as with my first child, it can take weeks or months to find out the reason for their constant crying and vomiting. I was certainly put out when I found out she had been suffering for weeks and we couldn?t help! No parent ever wants their children to experience illness or pain, and it?s even more difficult when you are a first time parent. The doctor advised us that babies and infants commonly suffer with acid reflux, but thankfully there are medications that relieve all their symptoms almost immediately.

If food, milk or stomach acid manages to make its way up the esophagus instead of being contained in the stomach for digesting, it is painful and very uncomfortable. This is acid reflux, and often it is accompanied by acidic burps and acidic vomiting. Since all babies are known to spit up a lot it?s hard to tell if they have reflux. If the vomiting occurs regularly, accompanied by crying and sleeping difficulties, or arching their back and throwing their head side to side, the doctor or pediatrician will usually advise you that acid reflux is the problem. The reason babies tend to suffer with the problem more than any other age groups is because their sphincter muscles at the base of the esophagus haven?t strengthened or grown enough to hold the food in. Visit http://www.treatacidreflux.org to learn more about acid reflux treatment, prevention and symptoms.

When acid reflux is the diagnosis, medication will be prescribed. For less serious cases, Mylanta or the like can be purchased without a prescription. For a baby you would use only a few drops to help relieve their pain, and you should do so only on the advice of your doctor. If Mylanta doesn?t help, a stronger preventative medicine will be needed. Prevacid, Losec or Zantac are examples of what the doctor could prescribe, and they prevent the stomach from producing any acid, which in turn stops the burning. I do know some families who have taken their child to a good naturopath to resolve their child?s acid reflux problem with great success as well. One child was actually dairy intolerant and when the parents changed him to goat?s milk instead of dairy the reflux ceased all together.

In most cases such as mine, babies outgrow acid reflux and make full recoveries. When we had another child, we knew exactly what to watch out for and picked up on the signs straight away. As with my daughter, my son also needed a combination of Mylanta and Prevacid to control the problem. As soon as they started taking their medicine, all the symptoms stopped; they slept better, vomited rarely and were much happier. My daughter is now seven and my son is five, and neither has had acid reflux or any other illness since they were about twelve months old.
Learn more about signs of acid reflux and Gastroesophageal reflux disease at http://www.treatacidreflux.org

Top Herbal Remedies For Acid Reflux

2009-04-13T22:44:00.000-07:00

Suffers of acid reflux experience pain just behind the breastbone, this pain is nothing to laugh about it can be extremely painful. This is why most acid reflux sufferers want to find a way to prevent the pain. There are hundreds of different drugs available, all of which are capable of relieving the symptoms of heartburn, however you don't have to stick to modern medicine.

Alternative are herbal remedies for acid reflux, many people are against taking drugs and so are looking for an alternative.

There are a number of herbal remedies for acid reflux, the most common are chamomile, peppermint, and ginger. All of these herbs are known to relieve indigestion, and also soothe any irritation in the intestines.

Chamomile is thought to have relaxing, calming properties and even has the ability to reduce the amount of stomach acid. Chamomile not only helps indigestion, it also sooths the esophagus.

Ginger has long been used for many different stomach complaints, ginger also has anti-inflammatory and anti-nausia properties. These properties greatly benefit acid reflux sufferers, ginger also helps intestinal movement, which speeds up digestion.

Peppermint is good for indigestion, and it also calms the stomach, and is thought to be very good for people suffering from indigestion. Taking peppermint in combination with the caraway fruit give it the same healing properties as ginger and chamomile.

Certain herbs are able to promote the production of natural digestive enzymes, herbs like this are thistle. These herbs are not known to work, to their use is not recommended.

Chamomile, ginger and peppermint are all known for their healing properties in regard to heartburn, they are all recognized as herbal remedies for acid reflux. Herbal remedies are not always safe, they can be just as potent as any drug, so it's important to go to consult your doctor before taking them. It's also important to make sure that the herbal medicine won't react with any prescription drugs that you're taking.

So there you have it, if you've had enough of conventional drugs then we've proven that there is another way. Herbal remedies for acid reflux are a great way to prevent the symptoms of acid reflux.

Discover the 100% all natural cure for your acid reflux and stop heartburn today. Luke Cameron is the owner of www.BanishAcidReflux.com that reveals how you can cure acid reflux in your own home.

Discover How To Stop Acid Reflux

2009-04-09T05:40:00.000-07:00

Acid reflux affects the digestive system, it has affected many of us and it normally takes place behind the breastbone. There are many different names for the burning sensation that this acid reflux causes, the most common being heartburn.

The acids that digest foods come back up due to acid reflex. This symptom is caused by a weak oesophageal sphincter muscle (LES), or it is just unable to function properly.

It is possible to cure the symptoms and stop acid reflux in many different ways, there are numerous medicines, and there are also several surgical solutions. All of these different methods are designed to relieve the symptoms of acid reflux completely from our lives.

Antacids is a popular medicine that is used to treat acid reflux, these have to be taken on a regular basis for them to be effective.

There are two types of antacids available, those in tablet form, and also in a liquid form. Many people do not like taking the tablets, so the liquid medicine is normally favoured. You should take antacids between half an hour and an hour after eating.

There are also tablets known as Alginic Acid and antacids, these are a combination drug which you must chew before swallowing. These cover the inside of the stomach in a layer of foam to prevent and stop acid reflux.

There are some medicines that work by strengthening the LES muscle, however these medications have some pretty nasty side effects to them and so you should discuss them with your doctor, even though you don't actually need a prescription to obtain them.

There are two popular drugs which work in this way, Reglan, and bethanecol, both of these directly strengthen the LES muscle. There was one previous medicine known as Propulsid which has been removed from the market due to it increasing the risks of heart attacks.

There are some prescription medicines which are also capable of relieving the symptoms of acid reflux, you will need to discuss these with your doctor before considering taking them (if not just for the prescription!).

Some drugs known as anti-spasmotic's actually make the LES muscle weaker. Some drugs such as Isoptin inhibit the calcium intake.

A surgical option to cure acid reflux is known as Endoscopic surgery, this uses a laparoscopic technique. The surgery is conducted through tiny holes which reduces scaring and also reduces the recovery time required.

There are so many ways to stop acid reflux, therefore there's no need to continue living with the symptoms.

Discover the 100% all natural cure for your acid reflux and stop heartburn today. Luke Cameron is the owner of www.BanishAcidReflux.com that reveals how you can cure acid reflux in your own home.

What To Do: Acid Reflux In Infant

2009-04-01T23:24:00.000-07:00

As a parent, you may not think about the problem of acid reflux in infant. The truth, however, is that this is a common part of childhood.

You are likely familiar with the expression "spitting up" food? This usually applies to mild acid reflux. In most cases, children grow out of it. This is less a medical problem and more of the body reacting to food. As children age, the need to vomit lessens and, eventually, disappears.

There are times, though, that infant acid reflux remains. That is why you must know how to recognize it and what to do about it.

Infant Acid Reflux: Why Does It Occur
Many seem to believe that acid reflux only effects adults. This is not true; the symptoms of it can occur in children as young as two months. Acid reflux is not limited to age. It does, however, usually disappear with time.

Most children can grow out of acid reflux. This is because it is not so much a problem as a natural impulse. Children do not have full control over their bodies and spitting up food can become a by-product of that. Until your child is eighteen months, he or she can easily display symptoms of acid reflux.

Infant Acid Reflux: Symptoms
Keep in mind that the symptoms found here are typical for most children. If your son or daughter is exhibiting these, then you should not be alarmed. It is only when they persist after eighteen months (or occur too often to be deemed "spitting up") that you should talk with your doctor. Things to look for include:

?Irritability during feeding
?Refusing to eat
?Vomiting after feeding
?Hiccuping after/during feeding
?Coughing after/during feeding
?Bad breath

These are things that can occur in any child; it is when they continue to happen that you should contact your doctor.

Infant Acid Reflux: What You Can Do About It
There is no cure for acid reflux in infants. If your child is diagnosed with it, medication and basic lifestyle changes will be needed to keep the symptoms from flaring. While your doctor may prescribe certain medicines, in most cases, he/she will offer these suggestions:

?Hold your baby upright for half an hour after feeding
?Feed your baby in smaller meals to avoid acid build-up
?Do not use tight fitting diapers or clothes
?Burp your baby periodically during feeding
?Try to let your baby sleep on his or her back

These are simple steps, but they will do much in keeping the symptoms from returning. As was mentioned before, your doctor may prescribe medications. Many of these can be taken by children aged two and up.

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Recognizing the difference between a mild reaction to food and vomiting after every meal is essential.

You need to understand what acid reflux in infant actually means (not panicking, for example, when your child throws up after being fed too much). Knowing if your child is just going through a natural period of development or experiencing a larger problem is necessary. Learn the difference and spot the symptoms.

By Kathryn Whittaker. Sign up for a free newsletter that has proven methods for tackling Acid Reflux, Heartburn and GERD head-on and discover more about acid reflux in infant.

Vitamin C And Acid Reflux Syndrome Reason For Moderation

2009-03-25T00:56:00.000-07:00

Vitamin C affects acid reflux in two different manners. One way is direct, and the other is in a very roundabout way. Many things that are well known for having vitamin C in them are trigger foods for acid flare-ups and the subsequent heartburn. These include many citrus fruits like oranges, grapefruits, pineapple, and lemons. They are highly acidic, and they also trigger the stomach to produce more acid. Vitamin C is vital for good health, but when the acid production is stimulated by these foods, you have to find alternatives, or you have to take a supplement.

Vitamin C is essential for many reasons. The most well known benefit of vitamin C is that it helps the body fight off colds. It is also a key part of collagen production. Collagen is an essential part of healthy skin, blood vessels, and joint tissues. It is also needed for repair. When you suffer a wound of any type, vitamin C races to the site to help heal. It is also important for the strength and growth of bones and teeth. However, many who find that citrus and vitamin C aggravates or stimulates stomach acid production will avoid the foods, and thus, problems start to appear.

When you notice that you are not getting enough vitamin C, you might be tempted to take a supplement. This is something you should discuss with your doctor before you begin. Though you can get some from supplements, they can cause problems. If you are taking too much, your body must work overtime to get rid of the excess. This can lead to liver damage over time. It might also contribute to joint pain in some people. If it is used excessively, it can produce softening of the bones. Also, these supplements can trigger excess acid production and irritation in the stomach in the very same ways that citrus fruits will. It is far safer to find your vitamin C in food sources that will not trigger your acid reflux.

There is some food sources for vitamin C that you can include in your diet to make up for what you are not getting from the more obvious sources. If you find that citrus does not bother you very much in regards to your acid reflux syndrome, then you can eat those and be done with it.

However, if it does bother you, as it does many others, you should try to have some of the following each day and even each meal. You can try papaya, strawberries, bell peppers, brussel sprouts, broccoli, kale, cantaloupe, and kiwi. Some may exacerbate symptoms but you may find you can get what you need from some of them. Tomatoes are a great source, but they tend to aggravate acid reflux.

If you are concerned about your vitamin C intake, you can talk to your doctor. Remember that a supplement might actually do more harm than good if you have acid reflux syndrome, and many doctors will not suggest taking vitamin C as a supplement. If your doctor recommends the supplement, taking them in small doses in the middle of meals might help reduce excess acid production. Keep track of what foods you are eating and how many supplements you might be taking. Remember that the body does not store vitamin C, so you should find out what your body needs each day, and make sure you are getting it from the foods that are easily tolerated by your system.

Grab your free copy of Kathryn Whittaker's brand new Acid Reflux & GERD Newsletter - Overflowing with easy to implement methods to help you discover more about acid reflux disease diet

Tips To Get Acid Reflux Babies To Eat

2009-03-18T23:46:00.000-07:00

Tips to get acid reflux babies to eat are not numerous. It is one thing for an adult to experience acid reflux, and quite another for an acid reflux infant. Adults can learn what causes the problem, and deal with its symptoms. Acid reflux symptoms in infants are just another form of pain, with no understanding of what is causing them.

Brief Consideration of Acid Reflux In Babies

Acid reflux is when the band of muscle, called a sphincter, at the bottom of the esophagus fails to close, or reopens too quickly, allowing stomach juices to reflux (back-flow) into the esophagus. This lower esophageal sphincter is often called the LES, and when weak, will be forced open when it should be closed.

Every infant has a little bit of LES weakness. Their muscles, including the LES, need time to mature. That's why we use burp cloths when burping a baby that has just finished nursing.

Acid reflux infants, however, do this a lot. Eventually, the stomach juices that flow back into the esophagus are not those that have just been diluted with a bottle of milk. The milk has been gone for a while, sometimes for hours, and the LES is allowing strong acid to flow into the esophagus.

Acid reflux is painful to the baby, and can cause extended crying and/or vomiting. This can rapidly become a vicious cycle: the baby feels pain, cries, vomits, and does not want to eat. Parents, siblings, and daycare providers are all pressed to the limits of their knowledge and patience.

Tips to Get Acid Reflux Babies to Eat

The tips given here are not from a medical professional. They are intended for educational purposes only, but they may help your get your acid reflux baby to eat and get necessary nourishment.

1. Schedule frequent, small meals for your baby. Keeping the stomach less full gives it opportunity to digest food without pressuring the LES and risking acid reflux. If acid reflux does occur, there will be little food to come up. If you have been nursing or giving a bottle every 4 hours, offer food every 2 hours for a while. Do not let the baby continue nursing to the point of being full. Small meals are better.

2. Always be sure your baby is in an upright position for nursing or drinking from a bottle. Avoid pressure against the baby's stomach while feeding. This will give the LES maximum ability to function as it should, to keep milk in the stomach.

3. After feeding your baby, continue to hold him or her upright. This will help keep the food in the stomach where it can be digested. Hold the baby up to your shoulder, and pat to be sure the baby is burped very well. Every little air bubble is potential pressure on the weak LES, and potential acid reflux. Avoid bouncing the baby while burping. It is better to sway back and forth, comforting with the motion while patting the back.

4. Check your infant's clothing frequently to be sure diapers and other clothing around the waist is comfortably loose. Pressure at the waist is often a contributing factor in acid reflux.

5. Never shake your baby for any reason. You are only encouraging acid reflux, and may cause your infant to connect your action with the pain.

6. NEVER allow anyone to smoke around your infant. Tobacco smoke only further weakens LES muscles, and causes acid reflux symptoms in infants to worsen.

7. Be sure that anyone responsible for your infant's care knows that extra care and attention are needed, as are extra patience and understanding.

Words of Encouragement for You!

It is important for all concerned to remember that an acid reflux infant will usually stop having symptoms by age 1. The LES strengthens, and the baby is able to enjoy eating normally.

© 2007, Anna Hart. Anna went through months of endless crying with her infant son, and she empathizes with your problem. She invites you to read more of her articles about acid reflux and heartburn at http://www.heartburnreliefblog.com. Anna continues to research and post additional weekly information on that site. If you are eager to get more information about acid reflux, please visit now.

Could You Be Suffering Heartburn Acid Reflux Symptoms?

2009-03-18T06:07:00.000-07:00

More and more people are having problems with heartburn acid reflux symptoms. The burning and pain associated with it are costing people both money and time.

This increase has a lot to do with our modern lifestyle, so this means that there are steps people can take to control symptoms. Being overweight is one of the causes behind this problem, and with the numbers of obese people climbing each year, it is understandable that the cases of chronic heartburn are piling up. Stress is a big problem too, as it leads to behaviors that make reflux worse.

It is a good idea for someone with heartburn acid reflux to understand the difference between an occasional nuisance and a problem that needs medical attention.

Almost everyone will have a bout of heartburn or two at one point or another in their lifetime. This happens when eating spicy foods or perhaps when someone has been drinking a lot of coffee and has forgotten to eat. Many of the foods that promote excess acid production can cause problems for anyone on occasion. Normally this is harmless and goes away with a simple over-the-counter medication and is forgotten about. Occasional sufferers never wake up at night with pain, and they never have any of the secondary symptoms.

Those who are diagnosed with GERD have a different story to tell. The main thing they feel most of the time is the burning that is associated with the acid production, and when that acid leaks up into the esophagus and throat, it hurts.

When this is happening, there may be damage to these tissues as they are not capable of handling that acid. There are many times when someone with GERD feels like they have a lump in their throat, or they may experience a sore throat on a regular basis. They will probably find that they are also waking up many times during the night. Sinus problems are sometimes a secondary symptom that points to problems with acid reflux.

There are other secondary symptoms that indicate a case of acid reflux might need medical intervention. They may seem unrelated, but when you add them to the more common and obvious hearturn symptoms, they are an indication that medications might be needed.

These might include a sore throat in the morning and even a feeling like there is a lump in throat or it is closing up. A person with GERD might feel tired each day from waking up many times in the night with pain and other symptoms. Once all of these fall into place, it will be obvious that something is wrong and damage from acid escaping into the esophagus may have occurred.

These symptoms are hard to deal with, but there is a lot of hope for anyone who has heartburn acid reflux. There are medications that can help reduce the amount of acid produced in the stomach. These are called proton pump inhibitors. They stop the production of acid so that the tissues that have been damaged have a chance to heal. These are only needed for about two months and healing should be complete.

Add a change in diet and stress management to that and these together can greatly help with many of the heartburn acid reflux symptoms.

By Kathryn Whittaker. Sign up for a free newsletter that has proven methods for tackling Acid Reflux, Heartburn and GERD head-on and discover more about heartburn acid reflux.

How To Create A Food Diet For Acid Reflux

2009-03-16T04:45:00.000-07:00

Many know that acid reflux is caused when stomach acid rises up into the esophagus, and this is usually because the muscular ring connecting it to the stomach has weakened and doesn?t close fully. This happens for a few different reasons, and some of them are unavoidable. However, there are certain drinks and foods that will trigger excess acid production making matters much worse. Those who have occasional problems with heartburn pain know that it is usually food that triggers the event. Those with GERD also know that many foods give them problems every single day. So, as a form of treatment it can be really beneficial to come up with a personalized food diet for acid reflux to minimize symptoms.

There are some things that should never be eaten by those with acid reflux, and there are others that some suffering from this condition can tolerate once in a while, but the following are a guide to those foods not tolerated by most, but each person will be different.

Some of the biggest problem foods are citrus fruits like oranges and other related fruits such as tangerines and pineapple. Potatoes can also be problematic, and some experience reflux when eating grains that are commonly in pasta.

Meats can be a good option for those with GERD, but they should be in as natural form as possible. That means no preservatives.

Milk products can be a bit controversial and cause issues for some and not others. If you find they can bring on reflux symptoms then try switching to the low-fat versions. Salty treats like potato chips can be more trouble than they are worth, and fats are always an issue. Many sufferers also find that sweet desserts cause problems due to the high sugar and fat content.

There are some foods that are okay for some, but bother others. It will be a matter of trial and error to see if these will exacerbate your symptoms. These would include fruits like strawberries and blueberries.

Tuna is another option that some people tolerate well and hotdogs might be on the okay to have list as long as they are not packed full of preservatives and you go easy on the onions and mustard. When it comes to cheese, mozzarella can be okay along with some types of cheddar. Low fat dairy is generally all right for many, although you may find adopting a moderate approach to these foods the best way to go. Desserts that are low in sugar and fat can be okay as occasional treats when craving something sweet.

There are some great foods that almost everyone with acid reflux can handle rather well. These should be the largest part of someone?s diet. As a general rule bananas and apples don?t cause issues for most people, and beans and broccoli are always a great idea.

Fresh cuts of meats that have not been soaked with preservatives are a good idea, but go for the leaner cuts when possible. For other sources of protein, eggs and fish are tasty options. Sour cream and cream cheese are generally well tolerated, and most sufferers find they can have breads and cereals without any nasty side effects. Some of the best sweet items are jelly beans and anything that is low fat and lower in sugar.

It is important to remember that every case of acid reflux is different. What makes a great food diet for acid reflux for one person might not work as well for another - it?s a case of elimination and experimentation. These guidelines offer a great place to start and you can start to build your diet from these foundations.

By Kathryn Whittaker. Sign up for a free newsletter that has proven methods for tackling Acid Reflux, Heartburn and GERD head-on and discover more about food diet for acid reflux.

Dealing With Acid Reflux Syndrome

2009-03-08T23:12:00.000-07:00

You are in a very important meeting and just about to close the biggest business deal of your career. You should be feeling great but you can barely manage a smile. The burning pain in your esophagus and throat is almost too much to bear. The stress of the deal and food from lunch have combined to give you heartburn, at least that is what you think it is but in reality you have acid reflux syndrome.

Acid reflux syndrome sounds like a serious disease and lets face it, it can be if left untreated. It is serious if it interferes with your lifestyle and well-being. Acid reflux syndrome will affect your job performance and your relationship with others. Many people think they just have a more severe form of heartburn or indigestion. The symptoms of acid reflux syndrome are similar to both heartburn and indigestion and include pressure in the stomach and chest, intense heartburn pain, indigestion, bad breath with a foul or bad taste in your mouth, hoarseness, persistent sore throat and cough. More advanced symptoms include difficulty or pain during swallowing. A good number of people will be in denial as to the extent of their symptoms and disease.

Ignoring acid reflux syndrome will most likely add to further problems and complications. The easiest way to ascertain your condition is make an appointment with your physician for a correct diagnosis. An exam and tests will determine the amount of scarring of the esophagus and damage to the LES (lower esophageal sphincter). Prolonged and persistent acid reflux can lead more serous problems like GERD (gastro esophageal reflux disease) or cancer. Just like any other health problem the earlier you address the problems of acid reflux syndrome the more likely you will have a positive outcome from treatment.

Acid reflux syndrome like heartburn and indigestion symptoms can be reduced by simple but sometimes tough lifestyle changes. The hardest but the most effective change you can make is to quit smoking. Smoking causes the LES to become relaxed letting acid from the stomach to reflux or flow back up into the esophagus and in severe case into the larynx. Remember frequent acid reflux causes scaring and thus the body?s repair of scare tissue increases the risk of GERD and cancer. If you needed another reason to quit smoking than preventing acid reflux syndrome is it. Additional lifestyle changes that will reduce your acid reflux syndrome and its symptoms include eating more and smaller meals each day, not eating for at least 3 hours before retiring for bed, a daily routine of exercise to reduce stress and increase digestive function and of course avoiding all the foods and drinks that have caused your acid reflux symptoms to flare up. I am sure you know everyone by heart.

Ignoring acid reflux syndrome symptoms can lead to further complications and make your life miserable. It is up to you to take charge of your life and address the root causes of your affliction. You cannot do this on your own. You should employ the assistance of medical professionals that treat Acid reflux syndrome to assure that you are taking the proper corrective measures to cure your acid reflux syndrome. The sooner you address your problem with acid reflux syndrome the sooner your symptoms will be controlled.

James Kesel, MS. is the publisher of Acid Reflux Heartburn Cure. Find additional information on GERD, Acid Reflux Disease, Heartburn, Heartburn Medication, Gastric Reflux or Acid Reflux Disorder visit http://www.heartburnscures.com

Creating Your Personal Acid Reflux Recipe Book

2009-03-04T21:57:00.000-08:00

Acid reflux is a reality for many, and there are many reasons why it might happen. Though stress can be a problem, often the foods and drinks that people choose are the biggest triggers. Things like alcohol, soda, spicy foods, fatty foods, and come citrus can bring on a world of pain for some. Some who have GERD like to put together an acid reflux recipe book to keep track of the foods that don?t bother them. Having such a book will make it easier for anyone with this condition to eat the right foods more often.

Before you begin compiling recipes, you should think about how you are going to store them. You print can them out or write them down, but you may not be able to keep track of them that way. That means you probably aren?t going to use them because you can?t find them. A simple three ring binder is always a great idea, or you can use a box with index cards. These will keep all of your acid reflux recipes in one place.

When it comes to recipes, you might want to consider laminating the pages. This is extra work and an extra expense, but regular paper gets ruined very easily when in the kitchen. Laminating will help keep your recipes safe from grease, and they can be wiped off easily if something were to spill.

Finding recipes might be a matter of trial and error, but the there are tons to be found online. A simple search can dig up hundreds. You have to decide what you think sounds good. You can print them out and put them in your binder, or you can write them out on your index cards.

You should start with things that you know you would like, and then slowly add new things you would like to try. GERD sufferers should make sure their recipes are well balanced with proteins and carbs, and should be low fat most of the time. Keep that in mind as your browse online. Don?t forget that you can also find great recipes by asking your doctor for recommendations.

You can also find recipes by tweaking some of your favorite recipes that give you problems. You can also write them from scratch if you pay attention to what you can eat, and what is known to give you problems.

Things you should avoid would be citrus fruits, milk products (if you suffer from lactose intolerance), spicy foods, many sweets, fatty meats (buy lean cuts), and many forms of white potato. Though taking the hot spices out of foods might sound like it makes for a bland diet, there are plenty of great herbs and seasonings that won?t aggravate acid reflux.

It might take you a while to come up with your own collection, but if you add a few new ones a week, your acid reflux recipe book will grow rather quickly. Though some of the foods that should be avoided bother many, they may not bother you. That is what will make your recipe book unique. If you don?t have problems with spicy foods, then by all means include them.

There are no hard and fast rules for all people who have GERD. Even more important than what you eat is how you eat. Remember to eat smaller and more frequent meals, and keep servings small so your meals are not sitting in your stomach. That might be one of the biggest things to avoid.

Grab your free copy of Kathryn Whittaker's brand new Acid Reflux & GERD Newsletter - Overflowing with easy to implement methods to help you discover more about acid reflux disease diet

Acid Reflux Home Treatment Options

2009-02-27T23:17:00.000-08:00

When you suffer the symptoms of acid reflux, you want to find relief right away. These symptoms can include chest pain after eating a big meal, when bending over, or a burning feeling behind the breastbone. You may also experience a sour or acid taste in the back of your throat. Whatever symptoms you suffer from, your first thought is to find relief as fast as possible.

Simple lifestyle changes are one of the easiest home treatments for acid reflux. If you suffer at night, try to stop eating three hours before you go to bed. You can also place small wooden blocks under the head of the bed, to elevate it. This helps to keep your stomach contents in your stomach, rather than slipping up into your esophagus and causing problems.

Eating fewer fried foods and high carbohydrate foods will also reduce acid reflux attacks. Smaller meals that are more frequent will help as well. Both of these solutions work because your stomach will produce less acid, so there is less chance of irritation.

Daily stress relief is another great acid reflux home treatment. Schedule a few minutes of quiet time into your day. Relieving the stress of day-to-day life gives your natural stress response a break. This will help your stomach to produce less acid, and digest your food more easily.

If you find yourself suffering from an acid reflux episode, loosen your waistband. Tight fitting clothes increase the pressure on your stomach, and can cause the stomach acid to push up to the esophagus. By relieving the pressure, your stomach contents will settle back where it belongs, and you will feel instant relief. A tall glass of cold water can also provide temporary relief, as it will dilute the stomach acid.

Fennel tea is another good home treatment for acid reflux. Pour boiling water over two teaspoonfuls of fennel seeds, and let it steep for several minutes. Your symptoms will be gone by the time you are finished your tea.

If these home treatments for acid reflux don't seem to work for you, you might need a prescription from your doctor. There are many medications that are effective for the symptoms of acid reflux. If you frequently suffer from acid reflux, or your symptoms are severe, you need to see your health care professional to rule out a more serious condition.

Discover a free simple test to determine how acidic you really are, and the safe, all natural, guaranteed cure for permanent freedom from your heartburn and digestive problems at AcidsRefluxSolution.com

Five Common Acid Reflux Prescription Medications

2009-02-20T04:18:00.000-08:00

Most medications for heartburn only need to be taken for a short amount of time to help with the damage to the esophagus. Discovering the right acid reflux prescription medications can often be easy, and your body can begin healing the damage at once.

Other times, you might have to try a few if you suffer from drug interactions or unwanted side effects. It shouldn?t be too hard to find a medication that works however, and here are five very common medications that you might be given for relief.

Prilosec (generic name- omeprazole): This drug is something that helps to stop acid production in the stomach. It is called a PPI drug, which stands for proton pump inhibitor. When the acid is suppressed for a period of time, the damage associated with acid reflux can heal while lessening the pain and flare ups. This drug claims to heal damage within two months and is given in pill form.

Nexium (generic name- esomeprazole): This is another PPI drug, and can also encourage healing of damaged tissues caused by GERD (or acid reflux). This most commonly comes in the form of a pill, but there are intravenous doses for those who might need them for one reason or another. The pill is ingested whole at least an hour before meals.

Prevacid (generic name- lansoprazole): Prevacid is another proton pump inhibitor drug that can be taken to control acid and promote healing. These come as tablets that are swallowed. It can also come as a dissolvable tab that can be put under the tongue.

Protonix (generic name- pantoprazole): Protonix is one of the lesser known PPI drugs, but it can be just as effective as the others. Not only can it help with reflux, it can also be prescribed to help clear up ulcers. This one can be taken in whole pill form about thirty minutes before a meal is eaten, and can be taken for up to sixty days.

Tagamet (generic name- cimetidine): You may think that is strictly an over-the-counter medication, but there is a stronger form available by prescription only. The stronger pill is normally used when damage has occurred to the tissues of the esophagus that needs time to heal. This type lessens acid production, but does so differently. This is known as a histamine blocker. Histamines can stimulate the acid production in the stomach leading to reflux.

It is important to note that none of the above medications are safe for pregnant or lactating mothers.

You should let your doctor know if you are on any other types of medicines before you start any of these acid reflux prescription medications. There is always a chance that two different drugs might interact with harmful results.

You normally should only have to take these acid reflux prescription medications for up to two months at a time, though your doctor should determine the time and dosages. What they want you to take will depend on how badly damaged your tissues are, and how frequently you have problems with heartburn symptoms.

By Kathryn Whittaker. Sign up for a free newsletter that has proven methods for tackling Acid Reflux, Heartburn and GERD head-on and discover more about heartburn.

Do Acid Reflux And Sinus Problems Go Together?

2009-02-13T22:30:00.000-08:00

Those suffering from acid reflux might experience a host of other problems that don?t seem to be related to each other, but in reality, they might just be. One common questions a lot of sufferers ask is whether acid reflux and sinus problems are related, and there are times when they are.

Though there is no hard evidence that gives them a definitive link, it does make a lot of sense to say that they can be connected. There are other conditions that are also related to acid reflux that seem to be unrelated, but in fact they often occur due to acid reflux. Most people want to treat each one individually, when in fact, you might only have to treat the reflux to clear up all the ailments.

Heartburn is not that uncommon, and most people will experience it once in a while. This is something that is occasional for some people, and they can usually trace the acid reflux back to a food or an event. You can get flare ups from eating the wrong foods or drinking the wrong beverages. That?s not uncommon, and it can usually be cleared up with something straight from the store shelf. For those who have to deal with acid reflux on a daily basis, however, a prescription medication that is taken daily might be needed. These folks don?t need to eat anything for a flare up, as it just happens.

The most common problem for those who suffer from the chronic form of acid reflux is the burning sensation that occurs when the acid moves from the stomach up into the esophagus. There is a ring of muscles at the top of the stomach that is supposed to stop the acid from leaving the stomach, but this can fail for many reasons. When this happens, the acid can move up as far as the mouth and throat. Not only is this uncomfortable and painful, it can lead to damage. This also leads to a host of other problems, and sinus issues are just one of the problems you might have.

A person with chronic acid leakage can suffer from respiratory problems and also from tooth problems. The acid produced by your stomach will not harm your stomach, as it is made to handle it. Other tissues do not cope with it as well. When this acid hits these other tissues, problems begin right away. The acid can reach the mouth and the sinus cavities. Many who have reflux like this have dental problems, and can see an increase in sinus infections and sore throats.

Though you may not link acid reflux and sinus problems, it might be something that you should consider. You should look back to before you were aware of any problems with acid reflux to see if you remember having a lot of sinus issues.

If you did, your acid reflux and sinus problems might not be related, or the reflux might be making things worse. However, if you don?t remember having too many problems, the reflux might be the root of your problems. You might need a stronger medication, or to start taking one if you haven?t thus far. You might find that treating the reflux more effectively will reduce or eliminate all of your other problems.

By Kathryn Whittaker. Sign up for a free newsletter that has proven methods for tackling Acid Reflux, Heartburn and GERD head-on and discover more about acid reflux.

Suffering With Acid Reflux And Back Pain?

2009-02-04T23:10:00.000-08:00

Though there are a lot of impacts on the body when you have problems with acid from your stomach invading parts of your digestive system, you may not have thought to connect acid reflux and back pain to one another. Though there really is no direct connection to damage to your back from acid reflux, there are a few things that can occur to leave you with back pain. The pains you feel are usually indirectly related, but having acid reflux can be behind the root of your back problems.

When you experience acid reflux, you know that stomach acid is getting up into your esophagus when it shouldn?t be there. This happens because the valve between the stomach and the esophagus is not closing properly. This happens for a variety of reasons, and those reasons weaken the muscles so that acid is not contained.

Though the stomach is designed to handle the acid, the rest of the tissues in your body can not. This leads to pain and burning, and also to some tissue damage that might be permanent when the acid escapes. Though this is an occasional problem for some, it can be a daily problem for others. The latter group usually forced to medication every single day in order to feel better.

How does back pain relate? It does so in a round-about way. Those who suffer acid reflux on a daily basis often have to make lifestyle modifications. One of these is to raise the head and upper body while sleeping. In order to do this a special pillow is needed, and in some cases, a bed must be raised at the head end. This stops gravity from sending the acid from your stomach up into your mouth and esophagus.

Problems occur when people attempt to elevate their bodies improperly, and this leads to chronic back pain. When you attempt to sleep in any other position rather than lying flat, you run the risk of this pain. It might not be evident right away, but night after night of improper posture while sleeping will take a toll on your back.

Though it is not common, there are times when the pain associated with acid reflux can spread to the back. This is not something you can expect each time you are having pain elsewhere, but it can happen on occasion. You will notice this pain always coincides with the pain you are having elsewhere, and it will be obvious that this is the cause. This will not be a continuous and chronic back pain however, but will be stabbing pains that are obviously not muscle related.

If you are having acid reflux and back pain at the same time, you should consider that they might be related, but if they are it usually won?t be too serious of a problem. However, if you talk to your doctor and decide that they are not related, it would be in your best interest to find out what is going on. Though most pain in the back that is related to reflux can be alleviated, there might be something more serious going on with your body that you should know about so steps can be taken to rectify it.

By Kathryn Whittaker. Sign up for a free newsletter that has proven methods for tackling Acid Reflux, Heartburn and GERD head-on and discover more about acid reflux.

Herbal Tea Home Remedy For Acid Reflux

2009-02-01T22:30:00.000-08:00

There are many things that cause problems for those who have GERD (otherwise known as acid reflux). There are some things you can?t eat, and some that you should. There are times when this can be very confusing, and many don?t want to rely on medications to make all foods tolerable. If you want a home remedy for acid reflux, there are things you can try. One of these things is drinking herbal teas. Some of them will help, and some might make matters worse, so you should know which to have and which to avoid.

When choosing herbal teas, there is one important thing to think about when you are choosing what you want to try. Caffeine is a known trigger for acid reflux, and it should be avoided. That means that any herbal teas that you try must be caffeine-free. Though you can get decaffeinated coffee to drink, even that is known to aggravate GERD and should be avoided. This makes decaffeinated herbal teas the best choice when you seek a hot and soothing drink. Some of them might even help with some of your symptoms of acid reflux.

Many suggest that ginger can help sooth acid reflux symptoms, and if you can find it in a tea, a cup after a meal might help your stomach settle down for the night. You can mix peppermint with aniseed and lavender for a great tasting and soothing blend. You should boil a few cups of water and a teaspoon of your herbal mix, then drain the herbs after sitting for about ten minutes. If you boil this tea and want to have it sweetened, you might try honey instead of sugar or artificial sweetener.

Chicory Root can also be used to make a great herbal tea. You boil a few cups of this and then let sit for a while. You can then drink the tea with honey if you wish. Marshmallow tea might also help. This is not tea made from the marshmallows in your cupboard as the name might suggest, but from a root by the same name. This is known to soothe the digestive system. Another popular type of tea is Chamomile. This is also known to help soothe the symptoms of acid reflux.

You can make many of these on your own, but you can also find them in natural food stores or special sections of your grocery store. Any of these teas might help you feel better, but you won?t know until you try them. However, it is important that you talk with your doctor before you try them, as some can have side effects that you need to know about, and they might also mix badly with any prescription drugs that you might be taking for your acid reflux or for any other reason. You usually will not have any problems with this type of home remedy for acid reflux, but you don?t want to take a chance with your health.

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Symptoms And Treatment For Acid Reflux

2009-01-29T22:22:00.000-08:00

There are various acid reflux symptoms which demands different treatment plans. Primarily the symptoms of acid reflux syndrome are heartburn and nausea. A stomach acid reflux and heart burn are two terms that describe the same thing.

It obviously has nothing to do with the heart and studies have shown that between 25 and 65 percent of patients who had chest pain that was not related to heart disease. They suffered from acid reflux syndromes. A great majority of all people who suffer from acid reflux find that it occurs most often at night or while lying down.

The acid reflux can affect almost anyone but there are instances where people are more likely to suffer from this problem. Some foods are considered to be appropriate for people who suffer from acid reflux, for example apples, bananas, cabbage, carrots, beans, peas, potatoes, rice, low-fat meat, bread, pasta and cereals. Also fresh apples, bananas and grapefruit peals are effective natural cures for acid reflux.

It is regarded as most beneficial and an effective way of correct the activity of the stomach and of dealing with the condition, to keep a balanced diet and to use natural cures for acid reflux. The best way to mitigate its affects is to eat a balanced diet that helps restrict the over production of gastric acids. As mentioned before, fruits and vegetables are good when it comes to controlling the affects of acid reflux.

One of the best ways of controlling your acid reflux, heartburn and indigestion is to eat foods that are alkaline. In order to prevent the occurrence of heartburn during the night, you should make a few lifestyle improvements. To control the disease, one should make changes in eating habits, such as reducing the number of fried, fatty and fast foods, as well as eating more slowly and in a stress-free environment.

If you follow an acid reflux diet plan that is low in fatty and fried foods and calls for meals every couple of hours is not only one of the effective natural remedies for acid reflux. It could help you lose weight since it primes the metabolism. To use prescription or natural remedies for acid reflux while you are trying to lose weight make sense, in fact, some of the natural remedies may even help assist with weight loss, such as mangosteen, although the evidence in this regard is not conclusive. Another of the often suggested natural remedies for acid reflux is simply losing some weight.

If you have had acid reflux for a while and rely on drugs prescribed by your doctor, you may want to consider some alternatives to the drugs you are currently taking. It is important to keep in mind that acid reflux is a condition that should be treated by your doctor. Fortunately it is curable and a doctor can prescribe appropriate treatments, some of which can heal areas of the esophagus that have been eroded by acid reflux.

Surgery can be an option and thanks to medical advance and the multitude of modern treatments available these days, surgery can be performed in a quick, safe and effective way. Nowadays it is possible to can gain control of acid reflux and it?s discomforts.

Louise H Wasa always writes about valuable news & reviews. A related resource is Acid Reflux. Further information can be found at Great Lotto Info.

Acid Reflux Disease Diet 7 Ways To Relieve Symptoms

2009-01-12T21:57:00.000-08:00

An acid reflux disease diet can help control the occurrence of acid reflux and decrease the risk of heartburn for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) sufferers. Following a controlled diet is a matter of determining which foods trigger symptoms, and which foods are safe to eat.

Creating a two-week food diary, where you make a record of all the foods you ingest and the symptoms that follow, is the best way to discover the foods to eliminate. After two weeks, you should then present your food diary to your doctor or dietician so he/she can help create a diet plan that is beneficial for you.

Although it is in your best interest to create a food diary, the following are 7 food categories and the related foods you should avoid, or are considered safe to eat in each. The seven categories are:
1. Dairy
2. Meat
3. Grains
4. Vegetables and Fruit
5. Fats and oil
6. Sweets and snacks
7. Beverages

By knowing what you should and shouldn?t eat within each food category is how you create an acid reflux disease diet that effectively relieves symptoms by stopping them before they start.

Foods you should avoid
The following foods should be eliminated or dramatically limited in an acid reflux disease diet, as ingesting them, even in small quantities, can aggravate symptoms and lead to recurring heartburn.

Dairy ? Cottage cheese, sour cream, ice cream and ice cream related products (I.E. milk shakes, floats, etc.)
Meat ? Buffalo wings, chicken nuggets, ground beef, and marbled steak
Grains ? Pasta with marinara sauce, macaroni and cheese
Vegetables & Fruit ? Vegetables: raw onion, French fires, mashed potatoes. Fruits: Citrus fruits and juices which include lemon, lime, lemonade, orange, orange juice, grapefruit and grapefruit juice, cranberry juice, tomato and tomato juice.
Fats and oil ? Oily or creamy salad dressings, and essentially all fried or fatty processed Foods.
Sweets and Snacks ? Chocolate, doughnuts, butter cookies, brownies, corn chips, and potato chips.
Beverages ? Alcohol, regular or decaffeinated coffee and tea, high-sugared drinks such as soda.

Foods considered safe
The following foods are considered safe to eat and shouldn?t aggravate your GERD symptoms; therefore, they can become a regular part of your acid reflux disease diet.

Dairy ? Fat-free cream cheese, feta or goat cheese, low-fat soy cheese.
Meat ? Extra lean ground beef, London broiled steak, skinless chicken breast, egg whites, imitation eggs, and fish without additional fat.
Grains ? Whole grain or white bread, corn bread, oatmeal, bran cereal, white or brown rice
Vegetables & Fruit ? Vegetables: broccoli, carrots, cabbage, peas, green beans, and baked potato. Fruits: banana, fresh or dried apple, apple juice.
Fats and oil ? low fat salad dressing
Sweets and Snacks ? Pretzels, baked potato chips, graham crackers, rice cakes, fat free cookies, red liquorice, and jelly beans
Beverages ? Water

Occasional treats
Last, but not least, the following is a brief list of foods you can occasionally enjoy in your acid reflux disease diet, but should be consumed with discretion and in moderation as they can aggravate symptoms:

Dairy ? Yogurt, cheddar or mozzarella cheese
Meat ?fired eggs, fried fish, hot dog, ham and tuna salad.
Grains ? Granola cereal and muffin.
Vegetables & Fruit ? Vegetables: garlic, leeks, and green onions. Fruits: low-acid orange juice, dried cranberries, strawberries, raspberries and blueberries.
Fats and oil ? ketchup
Sweets and Snacks ? low-fat cookies
Beverages ? non-alcoholic drinks and carbonated drinks

Finally, keep in mind that the above food lists are only general guidelines. Some of the foods considered safe to eat for one heartburn sufferer may not be the same for another. Therefore, make sure you keep a food diary to determine what the best acid reflux disease diet is for you, so you can effectively treat and prevent your symptoms.
Grab your free copy of Kathryn Whittaker's brand new Acid Reflux & GERD Newsletter - Overflowing with easy to implement methods to help you discover more about acid reflux disease diet

Acid Reflux ? What To Drink For It

2008-11-07T21:55:00.000-08:00

Some people think ahead, and plan a drink with meals that will help avoid acid reflux. Others Wait, and look for a drink that will relieve acid reflux. Whichever your style, here are a few tips on what to drink for acid reflux.

Acid Reflux ? What Not to Drink

There are four beverages you may want to avoid if you have trouble with acid reflux: alcohol, coffee, peppermint tea, and milk.

1. Alcohol: There is some debate about whether or not alcohol causes acid reflux. Some warn against all alcohol, while others caution only against a very dry white wine, which tends to have high acidity. If you have acid reflux on a frequent basis, you may want to experiment as to whether it is worse or better after drinking alcohol.

2. Coffee: There is an ongoing debate as to whether coffee is to blame for acid reflux. People have thought so for many years. In fact, people believed this so strongly that coffee companies finally decided there was a market for a ?smoother? coffee that did not cause acid reflux. A relatively recent study by Stanford University researchers, however, found no scientific evidence to support the notion that eliminating coffee gives relief from acid reflux. The study, which appeared in the May 2006 issue of ?The Archives of Internal Medicine,? evaluated published medical reports from 1975 to 2004 on heartburn.

3. Peppermint: Many people suggest avoiding products containing peppermint. Peppermint tea, which sounds so soothing, can increase acid reflux. Peppermint appears to permit the passage of acid from stomach to esophagus.

4. Milk: Many doctors agree that drinking milk with meals may cause acid reflux in adults. Non-professionals believe milk neutralizes stomach acid, making it difficult to digest food. The result can be acid reflux.

Acid Reflux ? What to Drink

There are a number of drinks you may want to try for acid reflux. Most fall under the category of folk remedy, but many people get relief with them. This information is for educational purposes only, of course. Please seek advice from your physician before drinking any of these.

1. Slippery Elm Bark Tea: Health food stores usually have slippery elm bark tea. Drink the bark tea with your meal to avoid acid reflux. Bark tea coats the esophagus lining, reducing its sensitivity to acid. If you want to make the tea at home, try to purchase the shredded bark. Use the inner part of the bark, and steep it in hot water for your acid reflux tea. This makes a thick beverage, with a consistency similar to runny gelatin. If it is too thick for you, simply add more hot water.

2. Ginger Tea: Ginger tea also is available in health food stores, and is helpful for acid reflux when used either with the meal or immediately following the meal. It is easily made at home. Use 1 teaspoon of freshly grated ginger root, or 1,000 mg of ginger powder. If neither is available, use ground ginger from the spice rack. Steep the ginger in 1 cup boiling water for 5 minutes, and then sip. Ginger is helpful for indigestion and acid reflux, especially if caused by spicy foods.

3. Licorice Tea: Licorice tea is also effective in the battle against acid reflux. Purchase your tea, or make it by placing 1 teaspoon of licorice root in 1 1/4 cups of boiling water. Turn the heat low, and simmer the tea for 10 to 15 minutes in a covered pan. Remove from heat, and stir in 2 teaspoons of dried chamomile. Cover and allow your acid reflux tea to steep for 10 minutes. Strain it before drinking.

CAUTION: NEVER use licorice tea for acid reflux if you have high blood pressure (hypertension).

4. Clove-Ade: If you prefer a cold drink rather than tea, you may get relief from acid reflux by drinking a glass of clove-ade. Simply add a few drops of clove oil to a glass of cold water. Stir, and sip the clove-ade slowly to offset acid reflux.

5. Banana Milk-less Smoothies: Bananas seem to be very effective as an acid reflux fighter. Bananas become a natural antacid in the body. Banana milk-less smoothies are a cool way to use the banana?s ability to fight acid reflux. Start smoothies the night before by placing 1 banana, peeled and cut in pieces, into a freezer container. The next day, put the frozen banana chunks in a blender with 3 cups of soy milk, 1 cup of frozen strawberries, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Add sugar or other sweetener to taste, and blend until smooth. Sip slowly to relieve acid reflux.

Heartburn, acid reflux, GERD, or indigestion: people have found relief for all of them by abstaining from drinking certain beverages, making a point of drinking other beverages.

© 2007, Anna Hart. Anna herself lives with a husband who used to suffer heartburn frequently, and she empathizes with your problem. She invites you to read more of her articles about heartburn and acid reflux at http://www.heartburnreliefblog.com. Anna continues to research and post additional weekly information on that site. If you are eager to get more information about heartburn and acid reflux, please visit now.

Acid Reflux Disease

2008-10-30T05:53:00.000-07:00

When talking about acid reflux disease people think that the best solution to the problem is summarized by the clich? "Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man health, wealthy and wise". Unfortunately this is not the case. Many people underestimate the dangers of acid reflux disease if not treated appropriately causing serious consequences to stomach and not only that.

Most people have heartburn every once in a while, but patients with acid reflux disease experience it more than twice a week. Gone untreated, acid reflux can lead to more serious health problems and can become uncontrollable.

As a matter of fact, if left untreated, it could even lead to chest pains and other serious life threatening consequences, such as a heart attack. This of course does not happen to everyone and the experts are still debating on the reason why the pain caused by acid reflux disease and its association with chest pains is so evident in some and totally absent in others.

One thing for sure is that acid reflux disease is caused by the acidity accumulated in the esophagus. No one really knows the cause of acid reflux disease. When an upper part of the stomach is above the diaphragm, the diaphragm is not able to keep the acid from rising up into the esophagus, thus contributing to acid reflux. Acid reflux disease can occur in people of any age and any gender.

The intense acidity could be very damaging if not cured on time and lead to painful bleeding ulcers which are difficult to take care of. The best thing to do is to carefully control the levels of acidity and have appropriate medication to relieve the problem.

Once you have been diagnosed with acid reflux disease, and you have been given a certain medication by your doctor, there is usually fast relief from the pain. The important thing in this phase is to stop smoking if you are a smoker and to quit drinking alcoholics together with tea or coffee for a while. Ask your doctor advice on what diet to use and the frequency you should be eating during the day. Most important of all, do not take any medication without eating first. Certain foods can aggravate your heartburn symptoms, and it's best to limit or avoid completely those foods and drinks that result in acid reflux. There are some foods that should be avoided entirely, as they are usually responsible for a higher occurrence of heartburn.

Treatment for acid reflux disease is very personal; what works for one patient will be ineffective for another. Some patients are told to eat several small meals rather than fewer large meals and to avoid eating at least two hours before falling asleep. And of course you should also avoid foods that are known to trigger heartburn and should take an antacid whenever symptoms begin. Sleeping with the head and shoulders elevated will reduce the chances of acid reflux disease.

If you are having problems with conventional medicine, there are alternative cures for acid reflux disease such as herbal treatment and even yoga has been found to benefit the health of some people, deep breathing in the yoga way is really good... Stress may worsen symptoms. Therefore, relaxation, such as yoga, tai chi, and meditation are worth considering, as part of your whole, comprehensive treatment plan.

The most important herbal treatments are:

1. Chewable DGL (deglycyrrhizinated licorice) is a form of licorice that can be chewed to reduce heartburn.

2. Aloe Vera Jiuce from the aloe vera plant is another natural home remedy that is used to soothe an irritated esophagus.

3. Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis) contains mucilage, which is thought to coat and soothe the lining of the esophagus.

Last but not least, whenever you are taking these medications for acid flux disease don?t forget to consult your doctor first.
A. Fimiani a man who has the passion for writing and likes to express his emotions through the net. Visit http://www.acid-reflux-facts.com/

5 Great Herbs For Acid Reflux

2008-10-24T02:54:00.000-07:00

Taking herbs for acid reflux may be a beneficial way to avoid heartburn so you don?t ever have to worry about confusing heartburn symptoms with a heart attack. Herbs can help you stop heartburn before it starts which will help you limit the number of antacids or other medications you may take for heartburn relief.

There are various herbs used as health remedies, but only some are truly effective at preventing and relieving acid reflux. The following are 5 effective herbs for acid reflux.

1 ? Black Pepper ? This is an aromatic herb that enhances taste, improves gastric circulation, and stimulates digestion. Black pepper can be added to recipes or can be an additional feature to prepared meals. For best results, use a small (approximately a tsp.) amount of fresh black pepper whole and grind it over food.

2 ? Indian long pepper ? Indian long pepper is a powerful stimulant for digestion, and is one of the most recommended for enhancing digestion, assimilation, and metabolism for foods ingested. In addition, Indian long peppers are fantastic herbs for acid reflux disease, as studies have found it can provide considerable protection against the development of gastric ulcers.

Indian long pepper should be taken in small amounts (approximately a tsp.), and can be purchased dry and used in recipes, or added to meals for flavor. Simply crush the pepper to add it to food. Keep in mind that if you use too much, the flavor can become too intense, and you may find it too hot to eat.

3 - Ginger ? Ginger has been used for thousands of years to aid in digestion and treat stomach distress such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Ginger is one of the most highly effective herbs for acid reflux, and it is likely the most pure. The effectiveness of ginger is due to its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and analgesic properties.

Fresh ginger root can be added to recipes or added as an extra garnish to a finished meal. Ginger can also be taken in powder form and in tea.Ginger is considered to be one of the safest herbal remedies to take, and you can ingest moderate amounts of it daily (I.E. tsp. of powder ginger, or an inch of a ginger root). However, be advised that if taken excessively, it may lead to mild heartburn.

4 ? Liquorice ? Liquorice is a powerful herb and anti-inflammatory that studies have found are showing much promise as inhibiting the development of ulcers, wounds on the mucous membran, and gastritis. Liquorice also acts like an antacid.

Liquorice was also found to improve the secretion status of Brunner?s gland, which is located throughout the duodenum system. Brunner?s gland works to protect against the development of duodenal ulcers. Liquorice is available in powder form and can be taken in tea. A cup of tea or 3 tsp. of powder liquorice daily is considered safe to take. High doses of liquorice can lead to symptoms such as headache, water retention and high blood pressure.

5 ? Indian gooseberry ? Indian gooseberry is a fruit that has been used to treat peptic ulcers and ingestion that is non-ulcer related. Studies have found Indian gooseberry to have considerable antioxidant effects, and it significantly reduced gastric mucosal injury and acid secretion. Indian gooseberry is made up of cell-protective properties as well as antiulcer, and antisecretory properties.

You can eat an Indian gooseberry raw with a little salt, or you can take it in powder form and in the form of tea. This herb is not associated with side effects, but should still be ingested in moderation, as it can act as a laxative if eaten in copious amounts.

When considering herbs for acid reflux, keep in mind that you shouldn?t take herbs as a form of medicinal treatment without first consulting your doctor about your plans. This is because some herbs may interact with other herbs, with medications you may currently be taking, or other health conditions you may have.

By Kathryn Whittaker. Sign up for a free newsletter that has proven methods for tackling Acid Reflux, Heartburn and GERD and find out more about herbs for acid reflux and other natural heartburn treatments.

Don't Let Acid Reflux Ruin Your Vacation

2008-10-16T22:50:00.000-07:00

What Foods To Avoid To Relieve Acid Reflux Disease

2008-10-12T23:54:00.000-07:00

Acid reflux disease or GERD can cause a great deal of discomfort for anyone diagnosed with it. Some people will only suffer occasional episodes of it, while for others it turns into a chronic state.

Acid reflux disease starts when the muscle at the bottom of the esophagus becomes weak, and does not properly work. Generally, it functions as a one-way valve- allowing food to pass through into the stomach, then closing to prevent stomach acid from splashing back up. When this valve malfunctions, stomach acid can back up into the esophagus, irritating the lining, and causing a persistent burning sensation. Left untreated, the damage can develop into complications such as hoarseness, coughing, asthma-like symptoms, and even pre- cancerous conditions due to cell damage.

The first step in solving the puzzle of what foods to avoid is to keep a food diary. Track which foods trigger symptoms in your own digestive system. Often, identifying your personal food triggers and avoiding them is all that is needed to relieve the problem.

Common food triggers include acidic fruits and juices, such as orange and grapefruit, strong spices, tomato sauces, dairy products, coffee, alcohol and tobacco. This list may appear to include all of your favorite foods, but not all foods are triggers for all people. You might find that eliminating only one or two foods from this list will bring you relief.

For some people, changing from eating three full meals a day to having six smaller meals is successful for controlling the symptoms. Others find that not eating for three hours before bed solves the problem.

Most physicians will recommend these types of dietary and lifestyle changes before prescribing medications. There are many different types of acid reflux medications available, and you may have to try several of them before you discover one that works well for you.

You might be one of the lucky ones that easily discover what food to avoid to make the symptoms disappear. If not, it is important to see your health care provider and work out a plan to get your acid reflux under control before severe damage is done.

Find the information you need to conquer acid reflux and heartburn Stomach Solutions

Diagnosing Acid Reflux In Children

2008-08-18T22:42:00.000-07:00

Top Herbal Remedies For Acid Reflux

2008-07-21T22:53:00.000-07:00

Discover How To Stop Acid Reflux

2008-07-11T22:41:00.000-07:00

Cure Your Heartburn With Acid Reflux Medicine

2008-07-02T22:41:00.000-07:00

If you are unfortunate enough to suffer from heartburn then you no doubt already know that you are in desperate need of some form of medication to relieve you from the horrible symptoms. It's not as difficult as task as you would imagine, actually all you need to do is take a trip to your local drugstore (legitimate one!) and you will be astounded by how many different medicines there are available to prevent reflux.

There are lots of different forms of acid reflux medicine that can relieve sufferers of acid reflux, each drug works in a different way, and their effectiveness differs for different people. If you suffer from serious effects of acid reflex then these drugs may make little difference.

Antacids can be used to treat mild forms or acid reflux, there are also stronger drugs such as Riopan. Most people prefer to take a liquid antacid medication rather than tablets, either type of antacid need to be taken between 30 and 60 minutes after you eat.

Doctors advise sufferers of heartburn to avoid eating certain foods and drinking certain drinks, these are thought to trigger acid reflux in certain people. Doctors advice you to avoid chocolate, tomatoes, both of which relax the LES muscle, increasing the chances of acid reflux.

There are acid reducers which are known as histamine receptor blockers, these are drugs that work on the stomach acid directly. Proton-Pump inhibitors actually work by limiting the production of stomach acid, therefore preventing any excess acid moving back up the oesophagus.

Some acid reflux medicine can change how the lower esophageal sphincter muscle operates by making sure that it closes much more tightly, druchs such as prokinetic and motility work in this way. Drug therapy can be used to resolve any inflamination of the oesophagus.

There are surgical options for acid reflux sufferes to consider however these are only normally available to sufferers whose disorder has not been solved with the use of medication. Only around a quarter of the people that suffer from acid reflux actually require surgery. The surgical procedure is not very invasive, it is carried out through tiny holes to prevent excessive trauma.

Tiny instruments are also inserted into the holes to correct the problems by creating a new valve. This procedure is known as Laparoscopic nissen Fundoplication.

Not everybody needs this but surgery can provide acid reflux sufferers with another option if acid reflux medicine fails to work.

Discover the 100% all natural acid reflux diet and cure your heartburn today. Luke Cameron is the owner of www.BanishAcidReflux.com that reveals how you can cure acid reflux in your own home.

Soda vs Acid Reflux

2008-06-26T00:16:00.000-07:00

Do you enjoy drinking carbonated beverages but frequently suffer from acid reflux? Did you know that carbonated beverages are not conducive to your condition? Drinking carbonated beverages on a daily basis can lead to more than just a bad case of heartburn. In fact, research is finding that frequent consumption of these beverages over time, can actually dramatically increase your risk of developing esophageal cancer.

Esophageal cancer was a disease that was non-existent two generations ago, now it?s becoming a common concern. Researchers in India discovered a link between the rise in carbonation consumption and esophageal cancer in America over the past two decades. They found that the average consumption of carbonated soft drinks sky rocketed from less than 11 gallons per year in the late 1940?s to nearly 50 gallons per year by 2000. They also found that since the 1980?s, esophageal cancer has increased by more than 565% among white American men.

Studies have concluded that soft drinks have a direct link to gastric distension, a condition that brings on reflux. It was found that the consumption of liquid from a single standard soda can cause acid levels to remain elevated in the stomach for more than 52 minutes. Thus, if a person were to drink one can of soda a day, for a year, that would add up to more than 32,000 minutes of the esophagus being exposed to elevated acid levels.

Furthermore, the lower esophagus has a much higher chance of being damaged by soft drink consumption than by other non-carbonated beverages. For instance, if you were to drink 8 oz. of a carbonated beverage, your stomach might distend to 16 oz., instead of only distending by 8 oz. when drinking the same amount of water.

The distending that carbonation causes to the stomach results in acid reflux. Recurring acid reflux dramatically increases the risk of developing esophageal cancer, and drinking carbonated beverages increases gastric pressure, which may lead to an increase in reflux.

How exactly does acid reflux and esophageal cancer result from drinking carbonated beverages? The following is a basic breakdown of what occurs:

? The carbonated beverage is ingested

? The carbonation induces a burp ? otherwise known as acid reflux

? The burp goes up through the esophagus and carries acid with it

? Over time the carbonation causes mechanical damage to cells causing lesions. Mechanical cell damage increases the risk of cancer.

? Frequent drinking causes a radical increase in the mutation of cells and excessive level of free radicals which can eventually lead to cancer.

Carbonated beverages don?t only include soft drinks like cola, root-beer and ginger ale. Any beverage with carbonation can cause acid reflux. Other beverages that contain carbonation include:

? Soda water ? regular or flavored water with carbonation

? Beer

? Champagne

? Fruit juice

To find out if a beverage is carbonated, ?carbonated water? is usually listed in the ingredients.

If you suffer from frequent acid reflux or GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease), it?s a good idea to eliminate carbonated beverages from your diet altogether. However, if you really enjoy drinking carbonated beverages, and aren?t ready to go cold turkey, here are some tips for you to keep in mind when it comes to limiting your carbon consumption:

? Take one sip at a time - Don?t gulp down your drinks as this encourages burping, making it more likely for the esophagus to become irritated.

? Limit your intake ?Treat yourself to one drink once in a while; don?t make it apart of your daily diet.

? Buy bottles not cans ? If you purchase soft drinks, avoid buying cans and opt for a bottle instead. A bottle will allow you to control the amount you drink without making you feel obligated to finish the whole drink as you would with a can.

For more information about acid reflux syndrome and the natural treatments available take a look at Stop Acid Reflux Now

Does Losing Weight Help Acid Reflux?

2008-06-25T22:52:00.000-07:00

Regular exercise is a must for everyone, regardless if they suffer from chronic acid reflux or not. Exercise is what helps to keep our bodies strong and healthy. Exercise is what also helps us lose those extra pounds; extra pounds that many researchers believe may be encouraging acid reflux.

Research has found that for those who are overweight and obese, losing weight can actually help reduce the risk of heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms. Why? Many studies have been conducted on the link between BMI (Body Mass Index ?a method of measuring body fat) and GERD. Virtually all studies concluded that as the participants? BMI increased, so did their GERD symptoms.

How does obesity increase the risk of developing GERD?
Researchers are not entirely sure of the exact cause, but there are many theories being closely considered. For instance, some believe that excess body fat that occurs around the stomach, increases the pressure against the stomach, and causes fluid to rise up into the esophagus. Thus, the more weight a person accumulates, the more fat and pressure is placed on the stomach.

Another theory is that many of those who are overweight and obese tend to lead a more sedentary lifestyle, indulge in a diet rich in fatty foods and overeating. This type of lifestyle dramatically increases the chance of chronic acid reflux, heartburn and GERD.

One recent study that was conducted on women with normal BMI in Boston, Massachusetts, found that as these women increased their weight (gaining 20 pounds or more) during the study, they increased their risk of developing acid reflux symptoms by three times. Thus, this study actually discovered that a person doesn?t need to be obese in order to increase their risk of heartburn and GERD symptoms. Simply gaining 10 pounds, a slight change from their regular weight could tip the scale.

Therefore, if you are prone to acid reflux or have GERD, be mindful of your weight. If you are maintaining a normal weight (BMI 18.5-24..9) there is no reason for you to consider losing weight, unless you have gained a few pounds and notice a change in your heartburn symptoms, even if you are still in the normal weight range. Other than that, keep in mind that a BMI of 25 and over is considered overweight, and a BMI 30 or higher is a sign of obesity. To help monitor your weight, you can find free BMI calculators online.

If you need to lose weight, your goal is to do so effectively and sensibly. This means avoiding crash diets, and adopting a new lifestyle focused on healthy eating habits that involve smaller portions, and include exercise. Your goals is to gradually lose weight and keep the excess pounds off by making a lifestyle change you can realistically live with, which doesn?t compromise the health and wellbeing of your body.

There are many exercise and diet programs and books that can help you lose weight. However, before you jump headfirst into a weight loss program, you should first visit your doctor and discuss your weight loss plans with them before you take action. Your doctor can provide you recommendations and lead you down the path to healthy weight loss.

Another good idea is to visit a licensed dietitian. This is a health care professional who specializes in advising people about meal planning and controlling their weight. They can help you make nutritional and healthy eating choices.

In addition, talk to others who are watching their weight. Find out what they are doing to help keep off the extra pounds. Exercising with others and introducing your family or friends to healthy meal choices, is an effective way to lose weight successfully, because it?s always easier to change when you?re not going it alone.
For more information on how an acid reflux disease diet works please visit Stop Acid Reflux Now and sign up for the free newsletter.

Natural Remedies For Acid Reflux

2008-06-19T22:29:00.000-07:00

Acid Reflux is a condition that deteriorates primarily due to bad eating habits. In todays fast-paced and workaholic lifestyle, the common man cannot find time to control the haphazard (or non-existent!) lunch timings and eating routine.

Acid Reflux is caused when, due to several reasons, the stomach cannot withstand the pressure of the contents in it, thus forcing it toward the Oesophageal sphincter. This valve kind of structure in the lower end of the food pipe, or oesophagus, as we know it, allows food to go into the stomach, but prevents the contents in the stomach to come back into the oesophagus. Due to the pressure from the stomach, the sphincter becomes weak, and in extreme cases, loses its ability to keep the stomach corrosive stomach juices from entering the sensitive food pipe. Visit http://www.treatacidreflux.org to learn more about acid reflux.

Since eating habits forms a major cause for this condition, it is but obvious that only a healthy eating practice can fix this problem. Natural remedies, thus, are what patients are looking for. Pills are not a wise choice. It is difficult to forget the drug called ?Propulsid?, which was used as a means to lower acid reflux levels in the body, but eventually was taken off the market after its consumption resulted in many deaths.

One of the most common natural suggestions given to people suffering from Acid Reflux is to drink lots of water. About one gallon is required on a daily basis to detoxify the stomach. However, if one is suffering from Acid Reflux, it is usually suggested that one must drink enough water to keep the urine a light yellow color.

Another natural remedy for Acid Reflux is garlic. Garlic may have a pungent odour and taste, but it is extremely effective in keeping bowel flora in optimum levels as well as kill pathogenic germs such as H. pylori, which is the only organism that the hydrochloric acid in the stomach cannot kill. But it is important to remember that the garlic should be chewed or crushed and then swallowed, or added in juices, otherwise the allicin in the garlic will not transform into its active ingredient.

Apart from that, recent studies have showed that orange peel extract, made from fresh extracted oranges, is a very effective means to keep the acid levels in the stomach to its minimum. Anise, peppermint, and lavender are also excellent for the stomach. Other helpful natural remedies include digestive enzymes such as, Betain and Pepsin, which is found in Papaya, as well as, pineapples and chicory root.

Learn more about chinese remedy for Acid Reflux and side effects of acid reflux medication.

Are There Home Remedies For Acid Reflux?

2008-06-15T22:41:00.000-07:00

Acid Reflux or heart burn as it is commonly called is a very unpleasant condition in which the liquid from the stomach gets into the esophagus (throat). This liquid contains acid produced by the stomach (hence the name acid reflux) such as pepsin which is an enzyme that is required for the digestion of protein, which can also contain what is known as bile. This acid is dangerous and can sometimes cause injury to the lining of the throat. Although there are a lot of commercial remedies for acid reflux there are a lot of people now turning to home remedies as an alternative. With the increasing awareness of herbs as a valuable medicine for healing, more people are turning to home remedies to solve their medicinal needs.

The most effective and simple treatment for acid reflux is to change your diet. To avoid acid reflux at night it is suggested that you sleep in an upright position. This can easily be accomplished by propping up yourself with a couple pillows by placing them at the beginning of your upper back, or you can try lying towards your left side because experts swear that in this position acid reflux is less likely to occur. This would force the liquid to quickly go back down to your stomach. Daytime is not so bad because you are almost always in a standing position or sitting upright and this makes it difficult for the acid reflux to get to the throat.

Some home remedies for acid reflux are Apple Cider Vinegar. Two tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar in water three times a day to be taken right after a meal. Apple Cider Vinegar can also be purchased in tablet form. This remedy seems to be the favorite from what the researches have shown and most people seem to think that it really works.

Other alternatives are Ginger. Fresh ginger should be ground and added to foods or it can be taken with tea. Some herbalists recommend drinking a glass of ginger diluted in water after each meal. Digestive enzymes is another alternative, because it helps speed up the digestive process for food. It can sometimes stop acid reflux from occurring. Other alternatives are to increase the amount of fiber in your everyday food, because fiber absorbs excess acid and gas and this enables your body to rid itself of toxins more efficiently. Yet another suggestion would be to try tea, especially herbal tea, because herbal tea contains such ingredients as peppermint, licorice roots, chamomile and ginger and should be taken after a meal. So now you know some of the home remedies you may now be able to sleep easily.
Find more relevant articles on health related matters at http://www.questionsonhealth.net/ a website offering views, opinions and factual resources on topics such as dealing with the sciatic nerve, healthy eating advice and even popular cleansing herbs which are so much in demand today.

10 Ways to Relieve Acid Reflux and Heartburn

2008-06-11T00:12:00.000-07:00

The condition of acid reflux is also commonly known as heartburn. This is a condition that is characterized by the inflammation of the esophagus, caused by the backing up of food from the stomach into the esophagus. This food is partially or mostly digested and usually has a high acidic content, which causes pain and/or discomfort in many people.

Several treatments have been used successfully in the fight against heartburn (acid reflux). Some of these forms of treatment include one or more of the following:

1. Baking Soda and Water: Usually a teaspoon of baking soda mixed in a glass of water will help most people, since it neutralizes excess acidity. This is one of the most natural ways to cure heartburn/acid reflux.

2. Alka-Seltzer: This is a tablet that dissolves in water that is taken orally as a liquid. This product has a similar effect as baking soda and water. It can be purchased at a pharmacy or grocery store without a prescription.

3. Pepto-Bismol: This is a liquid medication that is taken orally to help alleviate the effects of heartburn. This is available without a prescription.

4. Clear Soda (such as Sprite or 7-UP): The carbonation in clear sodas can help to relieve the acid buildup in a person's stomach and can also help a person to release gas.

5. Tums: These are tablets that come in chewable form which contain calcium carbonate, an ingredient that helps relieve symptoms of upset stomach and heartburn. It is termed an antacid.

6. Prescription Medications: Those who need relief from chronic heartburn (acid reflux) can consult a doctor or other qualified health care professional. They may prescribe more potent or different medications than those sold over-the-counter in stores. They will also provide instructions on how to take these.

7. Exercise: Those who engage in regular exercise will also find relief from heartburn in many cases. Usually it is good to do a variety of aerobic and anaerobic movements. Examples of an aerobic exercise involve fast-paced step exercises and dance movements, as well as jogging, stair climbing, and bicycling. Types of anaerobic exercise include weight and resistance training and stretching exercises. More information can be found about specific exercise programs that can help people.

8. Diet Changes: If heartburn sufferers want relief, they may need to alter their diets.

9. Heat or Feet Pillows: Heartburn sufferers can also prevent or relieve acid reflux, particularly at night, if they raise their head or feet with pillows, or other object (such as a bed wedge). Propping up of the head usually works best since gravity can help keep food from creeping upward into the esophageal area.

10. Relaxation: If people take time to rest and relax, they are able better able to reduce the amount of stress that could lead to poor choices. For example, it could reduce a person's desire to consume large amounts of alcohol which can certainly aggravate the pain and discomfort associated with heartburn.

There are also remedies for acid reflux other than the ones described above. There are many published guides on how to lessen or eliminate heartburn. Guides regarding diet and exercise can also be found quite easily. The fastest and easiest way to find these articles is to do a site search or to search in your favorite Web browser.

Jacqueline Courtiol, M.A. Ed. is a teacher, mother and business owner. Jacqueline has authored numerous articles on topics of childcare, natural health, parenting and pregnancy. She is also the co-developer of Colic Calm, a natural homeopathic formula for relief of acid reflux in infantsand colic. More information can be found at http://www.coliccalm.com or contact us if you have questions.

When to See a Specialist about Acid Reflux

2008-06-08T22:27:00.000-07:00

Most people typically suffer from heartburn at some point. Indigestion or acid reflux usually occurs after a meal and millions suffer from heartburn at least once per month. If heartburn causes suffering more frequently or more severely, then a doctor should be consulted about it.

Many heartburn symptoms could indicate an acid reflux problem. Frequent and severe heartburn that persists after numerous over-the-counter medications have been tried can indicate an acid reflux problem. Heartburn that interferes with sleep, lifestyle and daily activities can also indicate an acid reflux problem.

Difficulty and pain with swallowing, the frequent feeling of food caught in the throat or chest and pain in the neck, back or chest may be indicators of acid reflux. Excess saliva, heartburn that causes vomiting and vomiting blood are known symptoms of acid reflux.

Acid reflux may also cause black stool resulting from digesting blood. A persistently sore throat and episodes of choking, coughing or wheezing may also indicate the presence of acid reflux. Finally, a dramatic episode of weight loss can also be an indicator for acid reflux.

Seeing your doctor for any of these symptoms is advised and can help you in finding relief from the symptoms. Your doctor should be able to determine if you have Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease and with treatment, help you to stop experiencing most if not all the symptoms. Finding the right medical professional to help with your health and solve your heartburn problems is also very important.

Several websites may be useful in finding the right doctor to help solve your problem.

The AARP's magazine and online website list the top hospitals for the over-50 frequent heartburn sufferers.

Castle Connolly Medical Ltd. researches and compiles a list of the top doctors and hospitals in dealing with this disease.

The American Medical Association provides a Doctor Finder service that provides information on over 700,000 physicians practicing in the United States.

Health Grades provides profiles and quality reports on hospitals and doctors by specialty.

A government-sponsored site called Hospital Compare provides hospital quality assurance rankings and patient rights information.

The National Institutes of Health developed the Medline Plus site with links to health professionals' directories in your area.

InfoPlease is a site listing the best hospitals in the United States based on rankings coming from the U.S. News and World Report.

LocateADoc is a patient reviewed site helping you to find physicians and their patient's reviews.

With so many options available, you can easily find a doctor familiar with acid reflux who can help you receive the treatment you need.

About the Author: Elizabeth Radisson is the editor of http://www.OurGoodHealth.org For more articles on acid reflux and related topics, such as heartburn and indigestion, visit http://www.OurGoodHealth.org/acid-reflux/

Acid Reflux and Heartburn - The Symptoms of Pain

2008-05-30T22:32:00.000-07:00

Everyone from infants to elderly people can suffer from acid reflux. It happens when stomach acid is refluxed or regurgitated back into the esophagus. There are many possible causes. An above normal level of acid in the stomach can be as a result of an ulcer. Eating too fast can cause undigested foods to clog up and cause acid to be refluxed. Acid reflux can also occur if a person does any exercise too soon after eating. In fact, there are five major symptoms that you should look for if you think you suffer from acid reflux. If these symptoms worsen or your ability to function is compromised for long time periods then you should see a doctor.

Symptom number one is a sensation of burning in the area in front of the lungs and heart. The onset can happen within minutes after eating or even during eating. This is the most uncomfortable and severe of the symptoms. Unfortunately, people mistake this for a heart attack. The best solution is to take an antacid and try to lie down for three minutes. Usually, when you feel more comfortable the symptom will simply disappear. Another remedy is to drink water, which will lubricate the digestive tract, and help jammed food go down.

Symptom number two is persistent daily burping and coughing. This can indicate that there is excessive gas in the stomach. The movement of stomach gas can also force acid back out. The coughing is a result of stomach acid getting near the lungs. However, if the cough continues for two weeks or more without any other cold like symptoms then you should see a doctor.

A long period of voice loss is the number three symptom. If you are coughing continuously, you do risk losing your voice because the throat becomes dry. Acid reflux can give a person the impression they are getting a cold, but this is deceptive. A doctor can only make a diagnosis based on keeping a watch on the cough, any throat dryness, and any other symptoms for a week's time. If the symptoms and the cough have disappeared at the end of this then it probably was a cold. If it is acid reflux, the symptoms will reoccur or may continue for an indefinite period.

Symptom number four is a sour taste inside the mouth. This can go on for a few months and needs to be assessed by a doctor.

Symptom number five is a hoarse voice, usually as a result of the persistent cough. Though this may also be another symptom of the common cold, a combination of them needs a visit to the doctor. There are a few tests the doctor can do to properly diagnose acid reflux. Then and only then will the doctor prescribe medication to control your acid reflux.

Jill Seimer shares tips for a healthy lifestyle at RefluxLife.com She recently reported on acid reflux natural cures with her views on alternative remedies for acid reflux.

Acid Reflux - Indigestion at its Worst

2008-05-29T22:37:00.000-07:00

You may be suffering acid reflux disease if you are feeling a burning feeling coming from your stomach, into your lungs and finally into your throat. You are not alone. It affects many millions of people every year. There is no cure, but simple changes in diet, more exercise and the use of medication can ease symptoms. Basically, acid reflux occurs when your stomach produces above normal levels of stomach acids. The acid escapes your stomach and goes to your lungs. When this happens you can get very ill. People with acid reflux are also at risk of heart attacks. Stomach acid can damage your arteries and impede your blood flow. Immediate treatment is a priority.

When you eat too much too fast or eat far too much fatty food, you can get indigestion. Therefore, you have to suffer about three hours before the discomfort begins to subside. An acid reflux sufferer can wait days before the condition subsides. If you have acid reflux more than three times you should seek medical advice. Your doctor will give you medication and get you to change your diet to help avoid recurrences. Unfortunately this is easier to suggest and harder to practice for some. This is especially hard for those who eat large amounts of not so healthy foods.

Most people thoroughly enjoy munching on fast food. An acid reflux sufferer may be unable to enjoy these pleasures unless they can find fatty free foods. Grease ridden foods can quite easily trigger this condition. For some, it is hell and for others, it is just a minor discomfort. If you have acid reflux you should create a food diary, noting the good and bad reactions each one gives you. In a few weeks, you will have a better view of what you can eat and what you cannot. Sometimes you can, with your doctor's help, regulate your acid reflux with medication. However, in some cases, medications are simply not enough, but for others it makes the difference between a suffering free life and a life of discomfort. Some medicines reduce acid production; others close ulcers and sores within the stomach that can cause increased acid production. The other benefit to acid reflux is that the medication can reduce the pain suffered. However, you should be sure that any medications you take that you are not allergic to it. You must tell your doctor of all known allergies that you have so they can prescribe a safe one just for you.

Sadly, acid reflux is a condition that you may have to try to live with. In time, you may be able to control the recurrences. If you combine healthy eating and the right medicines, you will be able to not only enjoy food again, but begin again to enjoy your life. Though establishing which foods are good and which are bad may take some time, once you do, you can make healthy meals and will be best able to pick out what to eat when dining out.

Jill Seimer shares tips for a healthy lifestyle at RefluxLife.com She recently discussed acid reflux natural cures with her views on alternative remedies for acid reflux.

Acid Reflux - Is GERD a Hereditary Disease?

2008-05-28T22:31:00.000-07:00

The question of acid reflux being a hereditary condition has not been researched very often. However, specialists have concluded that genetically speaking the chances of getting this disease by inheritance may account for 50% of the sufferers. They have also concluded so far that the other 50% is due to diet.

Of all the digestive diseases in the world, acid reflux is considered to be the most common. It is estimated that nearly 1 in 5 people suffer from acid being regurgitated into the mouth and esophagus and/or heartburn. It is also known that a regular cycle of acid reflux occurrences gives people a higher risk of getting esophageal cancer.

In July 2003, scientists did studies with 2000 pairs of non-identical and identical twins, and found that 43% of the total who suffered frequent gastrointestinal symptoms and the chances of them developing acid reflux, were suffering or would suffer do to hereditary genetics. However, whether acid reflux is hereditary or not, there are other main causes. It is known that there are at a minimum of ten possible considerations.

Coffee, tea and other caffeinated beverages account for the first possible cause. These trigger problems by relaxing the digestive system and let the stomach's contents to regurgitate into the esophagus.

The second possibility is chocolate which contains known amounts of theobromine.

This can relax the esophageal sphincter, allowing stomach acid to spurt back into the esophagus.

Fatty and fried foods are another possible culprit. Such foods stay in the stomach a lot longer and reduce the speed of digestion. This causes over-filling of the stomach and the risk of food regurgitation.

Tomatoes and foods containing tomatoes can also cause acid reflux. Again, tomatoes and the like will relax the digestive system.

Alcohol helps to increase the amount of acid in the stomach. It also relaxes the digestive system, greatly increases the risks.

Another troublemaker is tobacco smoking. As cigarette chemicals enter the lungs and the blood, they also impede on the ability of the digestive system and esophagus to work properly.

Meal sizes are a critical factor. Too large a meal over fills the stomach and can prevent the esophageal sphincter (lower) from closing. Again, the chance of regurgitating food into the esophagus increases.

Citric juices and fruits can relax the lower esophagael sphincter. It can also add further acid to the stomach.

Food consumption in the few hours before going to bed is a definite trigger. Once you lie down with a full stomach the pressure is increased on the lower esophageal sphincter.

Finally, tight fitting clothes and belts can impede on digestion. Anything that puts pressure on the abdominal area will do the same to the stomach. This will force food out of the stomach and into the esophagus.

Jill Seimer offers tips for a healthy lifestyle at RefluxLife.com She recently discussed natural medicine for acid reflux with her views on natural cures for acid reflux.

A Closer Look At Acid Reflux Disease.

2008-05-27T22:30:00.000-07:00

Generally known as ?heart burn?, acid reflux disease is a condition wherein the liquid content of the stomach refluxes into the esophagus. It can be both agonizing and annoying. But if you want to know the truth, the reflux of the stomach's liquid contents into the esophagus occurs in most normal individuals. Though, when heartburn becomes acid reflux disease or Gastro esophageal reflux disease, also referred to as GERD, it is s real problem. This is because with GERD, the acid is stronger and remains in the esophagus even longer causing more pain.

Many a times, you will experience this especially when you are upright, sitting straight, or standing and it occurs during the daytime. You body handles this reflux by the fluid flowing back down into your stomach. One tends to swallow more during the daytime as a result draining the acid back to where it belongs. Your salivary glands create saliva that also contains bicarbonate that acts to neutralize the acid your stomach has kicked up.

Though at night, you may experience a greater problem when acid reflux disease takes place that is because while sleeping, gravity does not work as well lying down, your constant swallowing stops, and the production of saliva is reduced.

For GERD, there are certain conditions that tend to make a person more prone to acid reflux disease. For instance, this can be a serious problem while you are pregnant. Elevated hormone levels of pregnancy probably cause reflux by lowering the pressure in that part of your body known as the lower esophageal sphincter. Moreover the growing baby puts more pressure on the abdomen. Both of these effects of pregnancy tend to increase the risk of GERD.

You will experience only minor symptoms if you?re acid reflux disease is a minor condition. This would include mainly heartburn, regurgitation, and nausea.

However for more complicated conditions, then one would need to watch out for the following symptoms:

Firstly the liquid that comes back into the esophagus damages the lining of the esophagus. The body in turn tries to protect itself from the acid reflux disease by 'inflaming' the esophagus. In many cases when trying to speed the healing process through the inflammation, the wall of the esophagus may form an ulcer. Thus an ulcer is a break in the lining of the esophagus wall. Then what happens is that there may be bleeding. In case the bleeding is very severe, patients might need a blood transfusion or even surgical treatment.

If your heartburn is severe or acute, or if it takes place very frequently, you need to see a doctor.

What can you do for yourself to alleviate the condition? You can try sleeping on a pillow at night that raises your chest up slightly so that gravity can bring the acid back down more easily. Many a times this condition regularly arises on a full stomach; hence one needs to eat earlier and eat less to keep the stomach from being too full. Cut down on the chocolate, peppermint, caffeinated drinks and alcohol. Lessen fatty foods and for sure, either cut down or quit smoking. Other foods may aggravate the conditions. Also pass up on both spicy or acid-containing foods, like citrus juices, carbonated beverages, and tomato juice.:

John Wellington provides readers with up-to-date commentaries, articles, and reviews for health, fitness as well as other related information.

Are Painkillers Making Your Acid Reflux Worse?

2008-05-26T22:29:00.000-07:00

Regardless if you suffer from occasional acid reflux, GERD or Barrett?s Oesophagus, did you know that taking certain common painkillers can actually cause or make acid reflux worse?

Acid reflux that results from medication, whether it is over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription drugs, is often called acid drug reflux. The frequent and prolonged use of certain drugs such as aspirin can aggravate your stomach and lead to heartburn. In addition, it?s a fact that when used for a long period of time, these acid reflux inducing drugs cause damage and increase the risk of developing GERD.

The most common types of painkillers that cause acid reflux include, but are not limited to:

NSAIDs (Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatroy drugs) ? NSAIDs are commonly used for pain relief and include common drugs that many people have in their household such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve). NSAIDs are used to relieve headaches, body aches and pains, reduce fevers, and for people who have conditions involving inflammation such as arthritis.

Unfortunately, medical studies have revealed that NSAIDs are frequently the cause of peptic ulcers. It has also been found that they may cause GERD, as well as increase the severity of symptoms people with GERD experience. In fact, a three year study found that those who use NSAIDs were two times as likely to experience GERD symptoms compared to those who didn?t use NSAIDs at all.

That being said, understand that those who take NSAIDs on occasion to treat pain (IE a headache), are less likely to develop a case of acid reflux than those who take these drugs on a regular basis. Thus, due to the fact that NSAIDs is the most common treatment for those with rheumatoid arthritis, those who suffer from this condition are far more likely to be at risk for acid reflux and GERD.

Other Medications ? There are other drugs that can lead to GERD and make the disease worse. The following is a list of some of these drugs:

? Antibiotics

? Anticholinergics ? Drugs that are used to treat glaucoma, allergies and urinary tract disorders.

? Beta adrenergic agonists ? Medication prescribed for asthma and obstructive diseases of the lungs.

? Bisphosphonates ? treatment for osteoporosis

? Calcium channel blockers ? treatment for angina and high blood pressure

? Dopamine ? treatment for Parkinson?s disease

? Sedatives

? Supplements ? Potassium and Iron Pills

What can you do?

If you need to take any of the above mentioned medications to treat a chronic condition, or are taking other medication that you think may be causing you to experience acid reflux, talk to your doctor about alternatives.

Your doctor may be able to prescribe or recommend other non-NSAIDs pain medication you can take. Your doctor may also recommend that you take medication in combination with your painkillers to help neutralize the acid within your system. The following are two common types of medicines used to deal with acid problems.

1. Antacids ? Antacids are drugs in the form of tables or alkali liquids that are designed to neutralize acid. One dose usually provides the sufferer with fast relief of mild symptoms. Most antacids are sold OTC and include: Maalox, Pepto-Bismol, Rolaids and Alka-Seltzer. Some antacids can also be prescribed.

2. Acid-suppressing medicines ? There are two types of acid-suppressing medicines: Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs) and Histamine Receptor Blockers (H2 antagonists). These drugs are designed to decrease and suppress the amount of acid production in the stomach. They are often used by those who have severe symptoms and are usually prescribed. Some PPIs include: esomeprazole, lansoprazole, and omeprazloe. Some H2 antagonists include: ranitidine, famotidine, climetidine.

Kathryn Whittaker has an interest in Acid Reflux. For further information on Acid Reflux please visit Acid Reflux or Acid Reflux Symptoms .

How Your Posture Is Affecting Your Acid Reflux

2008-05-23T22:32:00.000-07:00

Although there are many types of antacids and other medications you can take to help relieve symptoms of acid reflux, did you also know that the right posture can have a positive impact on the way you digest food, thus preventing acid reflux from occurring?

That?s right, the postures you adopt while you ingest food and directly after you eat are important, because they can either make food digestion an easy or difficult process for your body. For instance, sitting in a hunched forward position while you eat, and lying down directly after a meal, places additional stress on the stomach and can promote indigestion or heartburn.

Furthermore, wearing anything tight around your waist (belts, tight pants, corset, etc.) while you?re eating, places pressure on your stomach. Taut clothing constricts your tummy from expanding and moving freely, which is a natural process during eating and digestion.

When you put excess pressure on your stomach, it takes longer for your stomach to digest food. The longer it takes for your stomach to digest food, the higher your chances of developing indigestion and/or acid reflux. Therefore, improving posture during and after meals may help or prevent symptoms of heartburn.

Proper posture that encourages good digestion

Sit down at meals - When you eat, you should be sitting down at a table. You should not eat standing, walking, lying down or while driving.

Sit up ? Don?t slouch or hunch over the table to eat your food. Sit close to the table and bring your utensil to your mouth, instead of your mouth to your utensil. To ensure proper posture while sitting follow these tips:

? Sit in a chair that provides your back with support (IE. High back, firm cushions, etc.)

? Keep you knees level with your hips and sit as far back in the chair as possible. To keep your knees level, your feet should be flat on the floor

Note: If your lower back bothers you when sitting, put a round cushion or towel between the chair and the small of your back to provide support.

Take your time and eat ? Don?t rush through your meal. Eating too fast also causes digestion problems. You need to allow your stomach the time to register the food ingested.

Don?t lie down ? Although you should allow your body to rest after you?ve eaten, make sure you are sitting or standing. Do not lie down as this slows digestion.

How can I improve my posture?

1. Exercise ? performing regular back and abdominal exercises (IE yoga, Pilates, etc) will strengthen muscles and help maintain good posture without causing you discomfort.

2. Firm mattress and sleeping position ? Sleep on a mattress that is firm and will provide your back with good support. Either sleep on your back and keep your legs straight or place a pillow under your knees, or if you sleep on your side, keep your legs slightly bent and make sure the top leg is straighter than the bottom leg. Do not sleep on your stomach.

3. Constant conscious awareness ? Always be aware of how you are sitting or standing. That way you can correct your posture if your body slips into its familiar bad habits.

Good posture improves your health and your overall appearance. When you stop slouching you?ll discover that not only will this aid in digestion, it will also help ease and prevent other problems that may occur that involve the neck, shoulders and back. Straightening and strengthening the muscles in your back does wonders for your wellbeing. Give it a try!

Kathryn Whittaker has an interest in Acid Reflux. For further information on Acid Reflux please visit Acid Reflux or Acid Reflux Symptoms .

GERD, Heartburn and Acid Reflux - Prescription Meds for Controlling Indigestion

2008-05-22T22:33:00.000-07:00

There is a multitude of prescription medicines available for treating acid reflux and the subsequent symptoms. Though no cure has yet been found, diet change, avoiding late night eating and using prescription medicines can minimize the number of episodes. All prescription drugs have to be prescribed to patients by a doctor after the doctor has made a diagnosis and knows what symptoms need to be treated. However, if the prescribed medicines do not help acid reflux symptoms, it is vital to seek further intervention by a doctor. Other causes or problems may be at work. In some cases, the symptoms may be because of GERD or an ulcer, and in certain cases may need corrective surgery. Once some medications have been tried, the doctor in charge will order a series of tests.

One such drug used to treat ulcers and acid reflux is called Rabeprazole. It comes in pill form and is taken daily for up to eight weeks. This will stop acid being regurgitated from the stomach. However, it does have side effects, as with all drugs. People can experience changes in sleep patterns, and the ability to work and other daily activities. Other side effects include stomachaches, headaches, lowered appetite and restlessness. In order to benefit from this drug it is essential to follow the daily prescription as designated by a doctor. Missing one dose does not mean that you should make it up later, just continue as directed. Taking an extra pill can result in very serious side effects.

Nexium is another useful acid reflux drug. It helps to treat ulcers and GERD, and similarly to Rabeprazole, must be taken exactly as prescribed, in a responsible fashion. Other helpful medications also include Protonix, Prilosec and Prevacid. These work by lowering the amount of stomach acid and thus reduce the occurrences of acid reflux. They should all be taken as directed by a doctor or according to the packages' instructions. Combining any of these drugs at the same time can be a serious health risk and should be avoided.

In people who suffer more than two times per week with acid reflux, the prescription medications can make life more bearable. All of them have to be taken under the strict supervision of a doctor. If you think you may be suffering from acid reflux then you should not take any medicine unless your doctor has prescribed it to you. If you take medicines without your doctor's recommendation then they may not help as the symptoms you are suffering may not be an indicator of acid reflux, but symptoms of other underlying diseases or illnesses. Only a doctor is qualified to diagnose acid reflux disease.

If you are just suffering from heartburn then there are various over the counter drugs available. These can be tried a couple of times before getting advice from a doctor. They may settle the symptoms suffered from acid reflux somewhat, but they are no substitute for a healthy diet and proper exercise. Therefore, in order to better manage acid reflux occurrences, it is essential for a sufferer to combine life changes with doctor's recommended drugs. Most importantly, only revert to prescription medicines when the suffering is something you can no longer cope with and you are in need of urgent relief.

Jill Seimer offers tips for a healthy lifestyle at RefluxLife.com She recently discussed natural medicine for acid reflux with her views on natural cures for acid reflux.

An Asthma Diet - Taking Control Of Your Asthma

2008-05-21T22:44:00.000-07:00

Asthma ? a respiratory disease that renders its victims breathless during an attack ? can be a terrifying affliction. In response to a specific allergen or other trigger, an asthmatic person?s airways will become inflamed and constricted so that normal breathing is significantly hindered.

Consequently, asthmatics are dependent on a number of medications to ease their symptoms and prevent attacks. But nothing does more for preventing asthma related symptoms then significantly limiting exposure to those allergens known to trigger symptoms.

For some these can be environmental triggers, seasonal components, or everyday exposures ? such as pet dander or dust ? that must be limited as much as possible. But some asthmatics are just as seriously affected by the foods that they eat. So in order to decrease their symptoms and chance of attacks they must adopt a strict asthma diet so that they can increase their chance at health.

An asthma diet is different for every asthma sufferer. While some people are highly aware of the foods to which they are allergic, others must keep careful and specific records of their eating so as to notice which foods seem to correlate to increased symptoms.

Some preservatives in food also trigger asthma. So as part of an asthma diet, ingredients of food products must be scrutinized. Once it is determined what specific foods ? or the preservatives included in them ? are the culprits then they can be avoided through the use of an asthma diet.

For those who wish to experiment with an asthma diet, a food journal can be quite helpful in determining your specific triggers. Keep it with you at all times so that you can keep careful track of what you are eating and how you are feeling. If a food allergy is your culprit, you should be able to notice a pattern very quickly. Then you can make lifestyle changes accordingly.

If you are unsure if food is the cause of your asthma, then you may want to consult your medical professional. Your doctor will be able to test for specific allergies so that you know for sure what to avoid. This combination of medical care and proactive self-advocacy in the form of an asthma diet can put you back in control of your asthma.

Asthma does not have to rule your life. An asthma diet is just one way in which you can put yourself in control of your day so that you can enjoy a healthy and symptom-free life.

For easy to understand, in depth information about asthma visit our ezGuide 2 asthma.

Bad News; Once You Develop Acid Reflux Disease You Are Going to Have it For Life!

2008-05-21T00:33:00.000-07:00

Gastroesophogeal reflux disorder (GERD) or more commonly referred to as 'acid reflux' disease is a painful and common disorder in adults of all ages, particularly in people 40 and over. The disorder is caused by the juices of the stomach backing up into the esophagus, causing a burning sensation and sometimes damaging the lining of the esophagus itself. The burning sensation is also referred to as 'heart burn', since it is often felt in about the same place the heart rests in the chest cavity.

Many of the digestive enzymes of the stomach, such as pepsin, work best at an extremely low pH, or in other words a very acidic environment. It is for this reason that 'parietal' cells of the stomach lining produce and pump large quantities of the chemical hydrochloric acid into the stomach. Stomach fluids are therefore highly acidic, reaching pH's as low as 1, which is about ten times more acidic than common battery acid, and a million times more acidic than water. It is this acid that causes the discomfort and damage associated with acid reflux disease.

The disorder can develop for a number of reasons. There is a lot of evidence suggesting that a likelihood to develop the disease can be genetic. Also, any trauma or injury to the esophageal sphincter, the circular muscle responsible for keeping stomach fluids out of the esophagus, can lead to the disorder. Such injury can be caused by frequent vomiting, or by a hiatal hernia.

The bad news is that once you develop acid reflux disease, you are going to have it for life. The good news is there are a wide variety of excellent treatments for the disorder that are now available, some by prescription and some over the counter. There are also a number of measures people can take to reduce the symptoms of acid reflux in addition to the use of medication.

There are three basic medication types popularly used for acid reflux. The first and most famous being the 'antacids', which all use some kind of strong base such as calcium carbonate, or magnesium carbonate to neutralize the acid of the stomach. Though fast acting, these treatments only last a short period and are not recommended for use in treating reoccurring heart burn. Some examples of antacids include Tums, Rolaids, and Alka-Seltzer.

Like antacids, 'acid reducers' are available over the counter but they work by actually lowering the amount of acid produced by the stomach and are usually effective for a longer period of time. The more popular acid reducers include Zantac, and Pepcid AC.

Acid reducers are often enough to counter milder forms of acid reflux disorder, but more moderate forms of the disease may require a doctor prescribed 'proton pump inhibitor' (PPI). PPI's also function by lowering the amount of acid produced by the stomach, though by a different mechanism than acid reducers. For this reason they can be safely be used in conjunction with acid reducers. Some PPI's include Prilosec, Prevacid, and Aciphex. Prilosec has recently been made available over the counter, though its continued use should be only be done under the advice of a medical professional.

Muna wa Wanjiru is the Web Administrator and has been researching and reporting on Internet Marketing for years. For more information on Acid Refux visit his site at http://www.merpetsales.com/some-cases-of-acid-reflux-may-be-cure.html/<</font>

Heartburn - Common Symptom of GERD and Acid Reflux

2008-05-19T22:25:00.000-07:00

Gastro-esophageal reflux disease or GERD is what most people will refer to as acid reflux disease. It is a medical condition where the stomach's liquefied contents will travel back up the esophagus, sometimes into the throat. These contents contain seriously damaging levels of pepsin and stomach acid. In smaller cases, patients can suffer extreme damage to their esophagi.

Unfortunately, once you get gastro-esophageal reflux disease your will most likely suffer it for some time because it is a chronic problem. When the esophagus is damaged, it also becomes a seriously chronic problem. There are treatments available to improve the condition of the esophagus, but if stopped the original symptoms and suffering can return in as little as a few weeks. However, when your doctor diagnoses you with gastro-esophageal reflux disease or GERD, he or she will use five specific things to be sure.

One of the most common symptoms of acid reflux disease is heartburn. If your doctor suspects that your heartburn is due to acid reflux, then he or she will prescribe medicines that will reduce stomach acid production. Your doctor will then assume, should your condition stop because of the medication, that you were an acid reflux sufferer. The second diagnosis tool your doctor may recommend is endoscopy. Your doctor will get you to swallow a tube so he can view your esophagus internally. However, acid reflux sufferers usually have a perfectly normal looking one. So, this form of diagnosis is only good for people with long-term acid reflux and subsequently damaged esophagi. Note that this procedure may show other problems including an ulcer.

The next option is to have a biopsy. Usually your doctor will recommend this if they suspect esophagus cancer. However, it is also a good diagnostic tool for acid reflux, and can help the doctor see if there are any other causes.

The other option to diagnose acid reflux is for the doctor to examine your larynx and your throat. The doctor may find that your larynx or throat is inflamed, which can indicate acid reflux or other serious conditions.

The final diagnostic tool your doctor will use is to do an esophageal acid test, which is considered to be the best way to diagnose gastro-esophageal reflux disease. It is also considered to be not so intrusive. Basically, a tube is inserted through your nose and moved down your throat into your esophagus for up to twenty-four hours. A sensor at the end of the thin tube will measure the total acid that is refluxed during this time period.

Dependant on how serious your condition is, the condition you are suspected to be suffering, and the duration of time you have been suffering your symptoms, the doctor may use one or more of the tests. Your doctor may choose to do the tests in a specific order to help eliminate other causes for your acid reflux.

Jill Seimer shares healthly living advice at RefluxLife.com. Recently she published an article on natural acid reflux cures from her experience on heartburn disorder symptoms.

Looking For Suggestions For Acid Reflux Treatment?

2008-05-18T22:10:00.000-07:00

Anyone who has suffered through acid reflux knows just how painful a condition it can be. Also known as GERD (Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease), this annoying state occurs when acid in the stomach back up, or reflux, into your esophagus. The muscular tube that leads from your throat straight to your tummy is known as your esophagus. Usually during acid reflux, the materials from the stomach remain, which causes heartburn, and can cause nausea. If left untreated over time, it can lead to damage of the esophagus.

If you are experiencing acid reflux, you will find that the materials in your stomach will move back up your throat and into your mouth, with the acid causing a burning sensation in your throat. You may even find undigested pieces of food make its way back up.

What Causes Heartburn?

Normally blamed on a defective lower esophageal sphincter, there is treatment for acid reflux once you establish the causes. The esophageal sphincter can be found as a tough rim of muscle that surrounds the lower end of the esophagus. The sphincter contracts, which pushes your food into your stomach.

GERD occurs when the sphincter can not push the food into the stomach, either because it is not strong enough, or, it relaxes completely, resulting in allowing chemicals and food in the stomach to rush back into the esophagus.

Other potential reasons associated with acid reflux include a hiatal hernia and a "weak" or "slow" esophagus that doesn't contract strongly enough to move the food to the stomach in a timely manner.

How Is Acid Reflux Treated?

Before you speak to your doctor about what pills you can take to relieve acid reflux, you may want to consider a few lifestyle changes first. Eat smaller meals, lose some weight, quit drinking alcohol, quit smoking and remain active and awake for at least a couple of hours after meals. These are all sound suggestions whether you have acid reflux or not.

There are some over the counter drugs that can ease symptoms of heartburn such as Pepcid and Zantac. These Histamine Receptor Antagonists work by decreasing the amount of acid in your stomach. If you want to neutralize the acid, consider Mylanta and Tagamet.

A couple of quick points to consider:

- acid reflux cannot be cured, but it can be treated and managed if you modify your lifestyle, and with some medications designed to help remedy heartburn

- recent studies from the US Department of Health suggest that 7 million people in the US suffer from acid reflux

- while not being the main cause for acid reflux disease, spicy foods can in fact worsen symptoms associated with acid reflux disease in some people

Finally, if there is still no relief from acid reflux symptoms, doctors may prescribe proton pump inhibitors such as Nexium and Prevacid. These medicines prevent the release of acid into the stomach and intestines. Finally, promotility agents, such as Reglan, may be used to force the esophagus to empty more quickly and to speed digestion. If you are experiencing acid reflux, talk to your doctor to determine which treatment options are best for you.

Learn more about acid reflux symptoms, pregnancy symptoms and heartburn and natural medicine for acid reflux at acidrefluxadvice.com

Acid Reflux Cooking and The Family

2008-05-16T22:20:00.000-07:00

It is sometimes difficult to deal with indigestion and acid reflux, especially if you are the person having to cope with it. However, it can be equally as difficult for family members to cope with a chronic indigestion and acid reflux sufferer.

Sadly, the one thing every family will concur with is that cooking for an acid reflux sufferer is hard because they do not want to make them anything that might bother their stomach. This is most definitely a legitimate complaint. However, the sufferer must show understanding and empathy with the family members also.

Contrary to popular opinion, acid reflux sufferers are not deliberately complaining. They cannot help being fussy about what they eat because they want to be awkward. The fact is that acid reflux sufferers have to avoid certain foods. However, as a family member of someone who suffers from this condition, you should not adjust your own diet to suit the suffering person, but allow yourself to have what you enjoy, although they cannot.

As a family member, you can still have your favourite foods when you eat out, or simply just make something separate for the sufferer, while the rest of you eat normally. The acid reflux sufferer will not be offended, and you won't feel trapped by an illness that should not affect you.

A good strategy is to be supportive of the acid reflux sufferer. You should avoid treating them as if they are bad or different. However, it is hard to do.

Most families are caught between showing the sufferer that they are considering them and they require special food or other treatments. However, it is not necessary to make the sufferer assume guilt because they have special needs. In fact, this is critical when your sufferer is either a child or a teen. They did not choose to suffer from acid reflux or indigestion.

The only way to handle this is not by words, but actions. Try by preparing foods that everyone can eat. Research which foods can be eaten and which cannot. Keep their illness private - do not discuss it with people outside the family. Such actions leave the sufferer embarrassed and different. However, the sufferer should be allowed to talk freely when they need to, but not on your cue. Many people are very private about how they eat and the fact that they suffer from acid reflux or indigestion.

Obviously, it is hard to cope with a family member who suffers indigestion or acid reflux. Being supportive is critical. In the end, the support the sufferer receives will make all the difference in the world. They will feel happier, and live healthy and happy lives.

Natural is key for JIll Seimer as she shares healthly living at RefluxLife.com. Recently she published an article on Natural cures for Acid Reflux from her experience on heartburn disorder symptoms.

Do You Suffer From Acid Reflux?

2008-05-15T22:33:00.000-07:00

If you suffer from persistent heartburn two or more days a week, you may have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Usually, if you suffer from heartburn 2 or more times per week for at least 12 weeks, there?s a good chance that your diagnosis would be GERD. Many suffer from an occasional bout with heartburn, but acid reflux disease, as a diagnosis, should only be made if the heartburn causes impediments to your lifestyle due to severe, chronic discomfort over prolonged periods of time.

Long-term or persistent heartburn should be evaluated by a doctor, as heartburn can imitate the symptoms of heart disease. An infant is most unlikely to be able to complain of heartburn or any symptoms of the disease. Simple things like changing the child's food, keeping him/her upright for some time, especially after eating, keeping a eye on the child for any sign of chest pain or heartburn and a host of others.

Antacids reduce the acidity of the stomach, thus ameliorating heartburn and other symptoms generated by acid reflux. Other symptoms of stomach cancer include burning heartburn or indigestion. The most common of all the symptoms is heartburn, which is something that we see widespread in the media, with advertising for various products that are meant to control heartburn.

The diet we are use to is destroying our body. Our body was not designed to break down this type of food. I believe it is a symptom of the quality of the food we eat today, our eating habits and the stressful times in which we live. Most people who go to fast food chains eat a burger with fries and a large soda. Stomach fluid helps break down the food we eat so that it can be digested.

When we get the munchies we grab a bag of Doritos and tear open the bag and scarf them, we eat them too fast, without chewing properly. I loved to eat a jalapeno burger loaded with chili and raw onions and jack cheese, but it has become my worst nightmare. One should try to eat four or five little meals each day.

In addition, try to eat more complex carbohydrates and fewer fatty foods. You should also eat more fiber and eat smaller meals so that your stomach does not become too full.

Avoiding a diet high in fatty foods and alcohol is very important and quitting smoking can also help decrease your symptoms. Try replacing fatty, deep-fried foods with healthier options, such as tasty summer salads and steamed vegetables. Try to avoid those foods which you know trigger acid reflux until you have healed your irritated esophagus.

The highest incidence of stomach cancer is in people who have a diet high in foods which are preserved by drying, salting, pickling or smoking. Some food materials are known to aggravate acid reflux, some of the foods include; citrus, caffeine, chocolate, fatty fried foods, garlic, and onions.

Have you ever wondered what really causes digestive problems? Acid reflux disease, or GERD, is a common compliant of the digestive system, often characterized by persistent burning or discomfort behind the breastbone. Nearly everyone has a digestive problem, but many people develop these diseases because of lifestyle, poor diet and lack of physical activity.

Author William Dittman editor of http://www.WhatCausesAcidReflux.com

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Is This Acid Reflux Or Heart Problems?

2008-05-15T22:32:00.000-07:00

The typical cause of heartburn or acid reflux is when acid from the stomach backs up into the esophagus. Indeed for most people, a proper eating habit may help fixing the heartburn problem. Though heartburn is the most common of the acid reflux disease symptoms, other signs may also manifest themselves.

Although heartburn usually goes away, the bad news is that it is usually a lifelong problem that will eventually return. Acid reflux symptoms can range from mild heartburn to pain that can feel like you're having a heart attack. If the heartburn comes back often and you wake up with acid refluxes you should see this as a warning signal.

Acid reflux symptoms can range from mild heartburn to pain so bad you think you may be having a heart attack. If, however, you have a simple case of acid reflux, there are some changes you can make to your lifestyle to help keep heartburn to a minimum or possible eliminating it all together. Smoking can also increase heartburn symptoms.

Worst still, heartburn tends to rear its ugly head at night. Painful, chronic persistent heartburn that lasts three or more months and occurs at least twice each and every week is often diagnosed as Acid Reflux Disease or Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). Heartburn may be a problem during exercise.

Treatment

Again, always consult a physician on treatment options whether you experience signs of acid reflux or possible heart related problems. Some people, however, fail to respond to treatment with PPIs and H2 blockers and their only option are more radical drugs known as promotility agents. For more information and in-depth analysis of the treatment of acid reflux, visit Acid Reflux Treatment.

Though there are a number of acid reflux symptoms, there are also a variety of effective treatment plans for this condition. There are various acid reflux symptoms and treatment plans. Heartburn, a sour or bitter taste in the mouth or back of the throat and difficulty swallowing are the most common acid reflux symptoms and treatment may include prescription and over the counter medications, dietary and lifestyle changes or botanical and herbal remedies.

It?s important to get treatment for a heart attack as soon as possible. It's important to get treatment for heart attack as soon as possible.

Author William Dittman editor at http://www.WhatCausesAcidReflux.com

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A Closer Look At Acid Reflux Disease

2008-05-15T02:11:00.000-07:00

Many a times, you will experience this especially when you are upright, sitting straight, or standing and it occurs during the daytime. You body handles this reflux by the fluid flowing back down into your stomach. One tends to swallow more during the daytime as a result draining the acid back to where it belongs. Your salivary glands create saliva that also contains bicarbonate that acts to neutralize the acid your stomach has kicked up. Though at night, you may experience a greater problem when acid reflux disease takes place that is because while sleeping, gravity does not work as well lying down, your constant swallowing stops, and the production of saliva is reduced.

For GERD, there are certain conditions that tend to make a person more prone to acid reflux disease. For instance, this can be a serious problem while you are pregnant. Elevated hormone levels of pregnancy probably cause reflux by lowering the pressure in that part of your body known as the lower esophageal sphincter. Moreover the growing baby puts more pressure on the abdomen. Both of these effects of pregnancy tend to increase the risk of GERD.

You will experience only minor symptoms if you?re acid reflux disease is a minor condition. This would include mainly heartburn, regurgitation, and nausea.

However for more complicated conditions, then one would need to watch out for the following symptoms:

Firstly the liquid that comes back into the esophagus damages the lining of the esophagus. The body in turn tries to protect itself from the acid reflux disease by 'inflaming' the esophagus. In many cases when trying to speed the healing process through the inflammation, the wall of the esophagus may form an ulcer. Thus an ulcer is a break in the lining of the esophagus wall. Then what happens is that there may be bleeding. In case the bleeding is very severe, patients might need a blood transfusion or even surgical treatment.

If your heartburn is severe or acute, or if it takes place very frequently, you need to see a doctor.

What can you do for yourself to alleviate the condition? You can try sleeping on a pillow at night that raises your chest up slightly so that gravity can bring the acid back down more easily. Many a times this condition regularly arises on a full stomach; hence one needs to eat earlier and eat less to keep the stomach from being too full. Cut down on the chocolate, peppermint, caffeinated drinks and alcohol. Lessen fatty foods and for sure, either cut down or quit smoking. Other foods may aggravate the conditions. Also pass up on both spicy or acid-containing foods, like citrus juices, carbonated beverages, and tomato juice.

John Wellington provides readers with up-to-date commentaries, articles, and reviews for health, fitness as well as other related information.

Indigestion Heartburn - 5 Things to Help Your Indigestion and Acid Reflux

2008-05-12T22:31:00.000-07:00

Heartburn and indigestion is something we all get from time to time. Usually indigestion happens after eating a big meal, and it affects about 5 million American men. However, some of them will suffer problems that are more frequent. Luckily, there are many ways to prevent it and further improve the health of the digestive system - five specific ways.

Firstly, eating the right amount of fiber daily will lower the risk of indigestion. Unfortunately, most people consume fast and junk foods, not too mention lots of fatty foods and meat. These are a great way to worsen this condition. A fiber rich diet is not just good for digestion, but it can prevent heart disease, diabetes, coloctoral cancer, hemorrhoids and various other types of diseases. So adding whole grains, nuts, fruits and vegetables will help. However, should avoid gassy foods - baked beans, broccoli, cauliflower, baked beans and fizzy drinks. Drinking lots of water is a good digestive lubricant. Water can dissolve minerals, nutrients and vitamins, enabling absorption.

Secondly, how you chew is vitally important because it is a process that breaks up the food and tells the body to release enzymes for digestion. However, it is important to not overeat. Large portions will generate larger quantities of stomach acid because more is needed to digest your food. This will greatly increase the chances of suffering indigestion and heartburn.

Thirdly, exercise and avoidance of stress will also alleviate indigestion. This will improve your overall health and aid digestion. Insufficient exercise and being overweight can result in irritable bowel syndrome, diarrhea and other stomach problems. Stress is another critical point that can aggravate digestion. It reduces abdominal blood flow and enzyme production, slowing down digestion. This will result in indigestion and heartburn.

Fourthly, overusing antacids is not a good way to resolve heartburn and indigestion. Acid reflux can result and indigestion will occur when foods backup in the esophagus. Many people immediately grab their medicines as soon as there is a hint of a problem. Most of the time these antacids do not work as well as they claim, and they will reduce the amount of acid needed for normal digestion if overused. This will greatly reduce the stomach's ability to digest the food and leave it vulnerable to infections.

Finally, another way to combat indigestion is to take digestive enzyme pills. These enzymes are sourced from plants. They help aid digestion and assist in the absorption of needed nutrients. A bad diet can reduce the amounts of these natural enzymes. However, these supplements are a great help in lowering the occurrences of sick stomachs and indigestion. Even healthy people can benefit from taking these natural pills.

Passionate about helping others Jill Seimer reports on healthy lifestyle at RefluxLife.com Recently publishing Acid Reflux in Children she shares her views on dealing with infant acid reflux.

GERD or Acid Reflux - Swallowing a Critical Process

2008-05-11T22:14:00.000-07:00

Esophageal contractions can be one of a few causes for gastroesophageal reflux disease or acid reflux. Most people are sadly under the impression that just high cholesterol or fatty foods are the problem, and thus eliminating these from your diet is the only solution to avoiding further suffering or the need for medication. However, there are certain life changing events that can also trigger it. There are people who produce above average amounts of stomach acid, and others who have a multiple of triggers, but generally there are four main ones, the esophageal contractions being the most important.

Swallowing is the most critical process when trying to avoid acid reflux or to simply just eat food and digest it. It may appear to be a fairly easy thing to do, but no two people are the same and everyone definitely does this differently. It is important because it designates how well one can have food pushed down the esophagus and down into the stomach. In other words, it will affect a person's ability to simply eat food and digest it. The swallowing process causes the top part of the esophagus to contract (peristalsis) in a ring like fashion. When the food gets to the lower part is has been carried to the stomach by a series of continuous wave of contractions.

Unfortunately, people who suffer from acid reflux have a flaw in their contraction ability, and acid that is generated is not flushed through their stomachs properly. As all sufferers know this can be a very uncomfortable and sometimes painful experience. The problem is that the overall pressure normally produced by swallowing is insufficient to keep the cycle going or there are simply not enough of them to get the food down to the stomach for digestion. This is not just a defect found in acid reflux suffers, but even those who get more serious reflux illnesses.

The nighttime is usually the worst for sufferers because when we sleep we lack the gravity needed to assist the process. This will further weaken any already weakened swallowing, preventing the acids from getting to the stomach. However, esophageal contractions are not present in all acid reflux sufferers, but is only usually found in the most serious cases. Ultimately, this means that the more you suffer with acid reflux, the better your chances are that you are also suffering from weakened esophageal contractions.

Jill Seimer reports on health issues at RefluxLife.com covering on healthy natural lifestyle. Recently she discussed Natural healing for Acid Reflux from her experience on acid reflux disorder symptoms.

GERD Acid Reflux - Slow Digestion Medical Attention Best Way to Address the Condition

2008-05-09T22:04:00.000-07:00

Some things can cause the uncomfortable and sometimes painful gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or acid reflux, including emptying the stomach. Simply thinking that just high cholesterol and fatty foods are the only trigger is a mistake as there are other events that can be the root cause. Some people do produce abnormally high levels of stomach acid and others may have other underlying conditions, but generally speaking, there are four main triggers affecting the emptying process.

The majority of people suffer acid reflux shortly after finishing eating a meal. This condition can go on to cause further problems, even damage to the heart, lungs, vocal chords and esophagus. However, some of them simply have a slower digestive pattern whereby the stomach empties more slowly and allows for more stomach acid to be produced. Most of the time this is as a result of stomach distention from eating a huge meal. This can cause the lowest esophageal sphincter to relax and not close properly.

The longer the stomach emptying process goes on, which usually takes a long time, the chances of acid reflux increases and the length of suffering is extended. However, this particular cause is by no means common, only accounting for 20% of sufferers. The fact is that in the majority of cases there is not necessarily any clear-cut triggers or results or a sliding scale that can measure the trigger levels in all people across the board.

If you suffer from acid reflux and cannot identify the root cause then seeking, medical attention is the best way to address the condition. Acid reflux can be as a result of life experiences that may not be readily known about or may only be resolved with the use of certain medications. This is also true of other medical conditions, where simple home and grocery or drug stores remedies do not work. It is then that only prescription medication can help.

Jill Seimer shares healthy living at RefluxLife.com and reported on acid reflux disorder symptoms from her experience using on natural cures for acid reflux.

Help with Acid Reflux

2008-05-08T22:07:00.000-07:00

There are antacids that can be bought over the counter. Prescription medications to reduce acid production in the stomach can be prescribed by a physician. Acid reflux also known as gastro-esophageal reflux, occurs when stomach contents churn and rise up into the esophagus, the tube connecting the stomach with the mouth. In some cases, the stomach contents rise up all the way into the mouth, only to be swallowed again.

The pain and discomfort felt by person suffering from heartburn is caused by the reflux of acid contents from the stomach to the esophagus. We all hope that our reflux problems are no more than a minor problem associated with too much food or alcohol, but there is always the underlying danger of stomach cancer.

Most reflux attacks occur during the daytime, but during the day the top halves of our body are upright meaning that the reflux automatically flows back down to the stomach and any problems are prevented.

Some regurgitation of acid and/or foods may be present. There are supposed to be foods that cure acid reflux, but all people may not be affected the same way. So with foods there is probably not a simple cure all.

Losing weight, avoiding coffee, alcohol, spicy foods may be necessary for long-term control of acid reflux symptoms and treatment of the condition. But at the same time, there may be some foods that do this that you are not even aware of.

Here are my top 3 acid reflux foods to avoid. There are foods to avoid for acid reflux, and food to enjoy too. Try to exclude caffeine, spices, fatty foods and citrus fruits from your diet and restrict the consumption of alcohol.

Try to replace synthetic medications with natural cures for acid reflux and introduce healthy, carbohydrate rich foods in your diet (rice, bread, pasta). Due to the fact that excessive production of stomach digestive fluids aggravates the condition, an appropriate acid reflux diet should contain only foods that don?t add to the stomach?s acidity.

Overeating Avoid Eating foods which contain high acid content. If you tend to feel bloated after eating only a small amount of food, an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy is an option for ruling out cancer that may be lurking. A person should monitor their eating habits and record each time they have acid reflux.

Chewing gum and eating hard sweets cause excessive air to be swallowed, thus causing wind and reflux. In adults, acid reflux can also manifest itself as heartburn after eating spicy food. Everyone is different; therefore people have to approach eating in different ways.

These symptoms get worse when you lie down right after eating a meal. If any of the above tests do diagnose the presence of GERD then doctors normally first suggest a change in lifestyle as many cases of acid reflux are caused by poor diet, stress and poor eating habits. Hence in order to lose weight effectively, you need to avoid eating too much fatty food and plan a healthy acid reflux diet that is low in fat content.

Article by William Dittman editor at http://www.WhatCausesAcidReflux.com

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Natural Cures for Chronic Indigestion and Acid Reflux

2008-05-07T22:20:00.000-07:00

Suffering from chronic indigestion can be tiring and frustrating, what with the constant need for medication, but there are other ways to remedy or control this condition. There are a few natural remedies that can assist in reducing the overall effects and help treat the symptoms of indigestion, heartburn and acid reflux. These contain no aluminum, which is commonly known to cause Alzheimer's and senility.

Other powerful alternatives include herbal, fruit and vegetable remedies, such as anise, peppermint, lavender, papaya, pineapples, chicory root, cinnamon, and dried grapefruit skin. Anise or aniseed has three varieties that are both healthy overall and will aid digestive illnesses - European, green and sweet. The other two varieties are of no use - caraway seeds and star anise.

Peppermint can help with all varieties of digestive conditions including gas, cramps, ulcers and other stomach problems. Lavender, a complete body healer, helps by reducing stomach acid levels. Papaya's papain (digestive enzyme) is well known for digesting proteins and can be consumed in quantities of 500mg at every meal. Pineapples also contain enzymes, including bromelain, another protein digester, which reduces inflammation resulting from indigestion and damage to the esophagus. The juice is especially good because of the high concentrations of the enzyme, but can be bought in tablet form, with doses ranging from 200mg to 500mg recommended for each meal.

Chicory root, and its close relatives, escarole and endive, can be boiled in quantities of half a cup for up to 10 minutes, cooled and then drunk as a tea. It is one of the oldest remedies and it is also recommended that it is added raw to your salads. Cinnamon, a known antiseptic, settles stomach acids and is a delicious addition to both savory and sweet meals.

Finally, grapefruit skin that has been grated and dried is a quick alternative to antacids and can be chewed on as a possible snack alternative whenever indigestion arises. The number of pieces required is dependent on the person and is based on simple experimentation to see how few are needed.

All in all the medically recommended alternative is to adjust a person's diet. Avoiding non-alkaline foods can greatly help in controlling, relieving and sometimes ridding a person of indigestion, heartburn and acid reflux. The most critical thing is to ensure that a salad is included on a daily basis as this will help clean out any trigger ingredients and help avoid repeated episodes of indigestion.

Jill Seimer shares tips for a healthy diet at RefluxLife.com She recently discussed natural medicine for acid reflux with her views on natural remedies for acid reflux.

Acid Reflux Diet - Lifestyle Change From Greasy to Healthy

2008-05-06T22:06:00.001-07:00

After a person has been diagnosed as having acid reflux, they will need to change their diet. This can be difficult for some, but not for others. It depends on what a person's current diet is and then finding ways to alter it to fit into their lifestyle. Once a person has been diagnosed, they should look for a few cookbooks for those who suffer from acid reflux. Filled with lists of acceptable and unacceptable food as well as recipes, a person can begin to add other food to their diet and remove ones that aggravate.

Foods that are greasy or contain too much daily should be avoided. These foods can cause the acid reflux to return. Too much red meat is also discouraged. For those who enjoy drinking wine or other alcoholic beverages, they should try to drink them in moderation as alcohol can have adverse effects on a person who has acid reflux. Fast foods, such as hamburgers, French-fries, and chicken nuggets should also be avoided. While this seems like a lot of food that one would miss, once a person discovers new recipes, they will learn how to prepare food in different ways. It is not only about avoiding certain foods; it is about how they are prepared as well.

This does not mean that all recommended foods should be avoided. This will depend on the person's stomach and the kinds of food that bother them. Experimentation is the only way to really tell. Nevertheless, for the most part, this list is a good reference guide especially when eating in a restaurant and not at home. Some food that are on the to be avoided list may be acceptable as long as they are prepared another way. Deep frying most foods will not work for someone who has acid reflux. However, baking these foods instead may be better. A person will have to experiment when preparing these foods as well.

Ask the doctor for a list of foods that are to be avoided and a list of foods that are good for those with acid reflux. Eating more vegetables and fruit that is not acidic is actually better for those who have acid reflux. Also, ask which beverages should be avoided as well. The more a person knows about the kinds of food they should be eating, they better off they will be. At first, a person will miss eating whatever they feel like. However, after a while they will begin enjoying better quality food and will no longer want greasy fast food. They may even develop a fondness for cooking like they never had before. Preparing good food will also make a person healthier in the long term. It is better to miss certain foods than have to go through an acid reflux episode. Acid reflux can always reappear. Eating a healthy diet will help keep the episodes to a minimum and help a person live a long life.

Jill Seimer offers tips for a healthy lifestyle RefluxLife.com She recently discussed natural medicine for acid reflux with her views on natural cures for acid reflux.

Acid Reflux More Than Heartburn - Lose Your Voice

2008-05-05T22:25:00.000-07:00

Acid reflux can bring on what seems like a mild cold or the flu. People can experience a raspy cough, a sore throat, and possibly laryngitus. However, with a cold these symptoms can last about a few days or so, then disappear. Symptoms that remain for longer periods may be an indication of acid reflux. Other additional symptoms may include an upset stomach, burning sensations after eating highly acidic, greasy or fatty foods, and possible headaches. If this is the case then medical treatment needs to sought as further medical problems can develop that can cause permanent damage.

The sore throat results from acid traveling from the stomach into the esophagus and even the lungs. The acid mixes with the mouth's saliva, which contains digestive enzymes, and can cause voice loss. It can also result in a feeling of lack of breath or shortness of it because the condition hinders the amount of air getting into the area for speech. Then, the vocal chords become strained and damaged. The voice can become deep, thin or just a whisper.

What most people do not realize is that the damage from acid reflux can extend to the lungs and heart. The only way to combat this is to get medical help. The first step in healing is a diet change. Acidic foods like citric fruits and vegetables have to be avoided. Alcohol consumption will have to minimized to the occasional drink of wine. The result is time for the throat to heal and the reduction in the production of acid.

Damaged vocal chords are a more serious matter that may need surgery. Growths like little polyps can result in a raspy voice and pain during speech. Only with a proper medical examination can this be properly diagnosed. Note - it is important to get a doctor's immediate opinion if your vocal chords continue to hurt passed three days and your voice is getting no better. The critical thing is to do damage control before the situation worsens. The wait for surgery may be so long that the surgery may only cause further damage.

The condition of acid reflux is common. It can be resolved, but there is no known cure. Diet and medication can help. Damage to the voice does need medical intervention before permanent damage occurs. Remember that only your doctor is qualified to make the diagnosis and prescribe remedies that will help.

Jill Seimer shares tips on health at RefluxLife.com and reported on acid reflux disorder symptoms from her family experience with GERD.

Identifying The Causes Of Acid Reflux

2008-05-04T23:07:00.000-07:00

If you experience some acid reflux disease symptoms and suspect that you might be suffering from acid reflux disease, also known as GERD, it is important that you make a trip to your doctor for a diagnosis. Acid reflux causes pain and inflammation in the lower part of the esophagus.

There are a number a possible contributing causes of acid reflux disease, although doctors are still not sure what the original cause might be. Some argue a recent increase in those suffering from acid reflux is due to our modern sedentary lifestyle, and (at least in America), a diet high in fat, sugar and caffeine, all of which are believed to worsen the condition. Acid reflux is generally believed to result from the contents of the stomach washing up into the esophagus. Strong stomach acids, necessary for proper digestion, cause intense pain and burning, and when acid reflux is left untreated, can cause tissue damage.

It has also been found that people with asthma and diabetes have a higher incidence of acid reflux disease. Peptic ulcers and an insufficiency of digestive enzymes in the stomach can also be conditions that cause stomach acids to build up and back up. In prone individuals, greasy food and certain food items like chocolate and peppermint can also relax the LES and increase the chances of reflux.

Most times during acid reflux, the materials from the stomach remain in the lower part of the esophagus, where they can cause heartburn and nausea. There are many possible acid reflux disease symptoms that a general practitioner will check for, since the signs can vary from person to person. It should be noted that these acid reflux symptoms do not occur every meal or even every day.

Acid reflux treatment can vary from person to person once it is diagnosed. Some people, regardless of how it makes sense, will decide to create a home remedy for acid reflux. Some doctors will recommend staying away from caffeine, alcohol and smoking. Other things to avoid or limit if acid reflux is diagnosed are overeating, alcohol, coffee and smoking.

The important factor is in getting into the physician to have your acid reflux disease symptoms checked before the problem gets worse and damage occurs. Although there are many causes of acid reflux disease, there are also many treatment possibilities to keep the symptoms at bay. The good news for acid reflux sufferers is that the disease can be diagnosed and treated fairly efficiently and easily in most cases.

Gloria Fanz is an expert writer. For more information on acid reflux causes, visit acid reflux cure.

Acid Reflux vs. Non-Acid Reflux

2008-05-02T23:31:00.000-07:00

Have you ever experienced a burning sensation in your chest, almost as if your heart is on fire? Have you ever felt a burning sensation in your throat followed by a foul taste in your mouth? If you have, then what you?ve experienced is acid reflux, commonly referred to as heartburn.

Acid reflux is a common condition that almost everyone experiences at least once during their lifetime. During digestion the stomach produces enzymes and acid to digest food. When the mixture of stomach acid and enzymes are refluxed into the oesophagus more frequently than they should, or for an extended period of time, acid reflux occurs. The most common symptom of acid reflux is a burning sensation behind the breast cavity.

A number of factors can contribute to acid reflux including: ? overweight ? excess pounds put pressure on your abdomen and can push your stomach up causing acid to reflux into the oesophagus

? Overeating ? Eating too much food can slow digestion.

? Posture and tight clothing ? Sitting hunched over while eating or wearing constricting clothing around your waist puts pressure on your stomach

? Foods ? many types of food trigger heartburn including: caffeine, fired or fatty foods, salty food, chocolate, excessive alcohol, garlic, peppermint, onion

? Smoking ? nicotine aggravates the stomach and oesophagus and inhibits saliva production.

? NSAIDs ? Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin and ibuprofen can aggravate the stomach.

Antacids and acid-suppressing medicines can help relieve and prevent acid reflux from occurring. There are many types of these drugs available for over-the-counter (OTC) purchase such as the antacids Rolaids and Pepto-Bismol, and acid-suppressers such as Pepcid AC.

Nevertheless, in rare cases, despite the medications an acid reflux sufferer is given to treat their symptoms, they continue to experience symptoms. Many medical researchers are beginning to believe that the ineffectiveness of the treatment may be due to the fact that those who are being treated for acid reflux are actually suffering from agents within the oesphagus that are not related to stomach acid. This condition is known as non-acid reflux.

What is non-acid reflux?

Non-acid reflux is when other potentially harmful agents (not stomach acid) are refluxed into the oesophagus such as bile. It has been discovered that non-acid reflux is defined as a reflux that has a greater pH level than 4. Unfortunately, not much is known about non-acid reflux, its symptoms, or the affects it has on the oesophagus.

It has been found that most cases of non-acid reflux occur after mealtime when the contents of the stomach are being neutralized, and the condition is more present in children than adults.

Medical researchers are still trying to figure out the exact cause of non-acid reflux. Currently new technology is being used that can accurately determine the presence of acid or non-acid in the oesophagus by measuring the Ph level.

If you believe you are suffering from acid reflux, but you find that OTC antacids are not relieving your symptoms, it is a good idea to seek the advice of your doctor. It is important for you to know what type of reflux you are experiencing so you can properly treat your condition. The reason is if you are suffering from non-acid reflux, taking an antacid will not cure your symptoms because this drug has been designed to neutralize acid - acid which would not be present in the case of non-acid reflux.

In addition, if you suffer from frequent episodes of acid reflux, you should still consult your doctor. It may be possible that your common condition has developed into a chronic disease known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Kathryn Whittaker has an interest in Acid Reflux. For further information on Acid Reflux please visit Acid Reflux or Acid Reflux Symptoms .

Natural remedy for acid reflux

2008-05-01T23:21:00.000-07:00

I'm going to show you some natural remedies for acid reflux or heart burn. A good natural remedy for acid reflux is something simple, something we can find in our kitchen cabinet or our fridge. Here are some natural remedies for acid reflux or Heartburn.

A good natural remedy for acid reflux could be to drink a whole glass of cold water. Also you can eat ginger or drink ginger tea. Gingerols and shogaols in ginger help to neutralize stomach acids, enhance the secretion of digestive juices, and tone the muscles of the digestive tract. Another -not so good tasting- remedy is to drink half teaspoon of baking soda in a glass of water. In some cases, milk or yogurt -on an empty stomach- will work to neutralize stomach acids.

Peppermint is said to be a natural remedy for acid reflux. Try with peppermint gum. Also the tea will help indigestion but does not contain enough menthol to cause heartburn. You can eat raw carrots, potatoes and apple. These are all acid neutralizers. Another good natural remedy for acid reflux is a tablespoon of distilled white vinegar. If you don't have access to any of these natural remedies, may be the following one could help you. It is the chewing gum. Gum chewing stimulates the production of saliva. And because saliva is alkaline, it can help neutralize the acid.

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Acid Reflux Syndrome Testing

2008-04-24T03:33:00.000-07:00

Severe or prolonged acid reflux heartburn symptoms that do not respond to natural remedies need to be addressed by your physician. This should be done well before complications arise as a result of a more serious condition. Remember you can ignore acid reflux heartburn for a short time but the symptoms will not go away without treatment. You need to take action and get help now.

First You need to contact your family physician. A correct diagnosis of your condition will lead your doctor to prescribe medications that will assist you in curing your acid relux heartburn. Occassionally he may also prescribe additional test. Commonly an EMS or esophageal motility study will be performed. The test will allow the doctor to closely examine the function of the valve between the stomach and the esophagus.

During the test the doctor or physicians assistant will run a catheter into the nose, guiding it down the esophagus and into the stomach. Also during the test you will told to take deep breaths as well as drink small amounts of water. The catheter will be withdrawn slowly and pressure readings will be taken during this process. It is critical to measure the ability fo the sphincter valve to function correctly. Only then can your acid reflux heartburn condtition be addressed.

Depending on the individual the motility test can be frightening and uncomfortable. It is seldom painful and the key is to remain as relaxed as possible. A small amount of gagging or coughing is normal during the initial phase of the test. Normally the test is completed in less than a hour and after a short period of recovery many people return to work or home. You may suffer from a slight sore throat for a short time but this is usually gone within 24 hours.

Now days this process is frequently done using a small fiber optic cable attached to a camera or monitor. This has special advantages in that it can also observe damage to the esophagus and sphincter caused by acid reflux. It also can detect other problems associated with esophagus like GERD, cancer or possible hernia.

Remember not contacting your physician about your severe acid reflux problem may lead to a more serious condition. Simple outpatient testing may be required to get a good diagnosis of your problem. Most of the time you can cure your acid reflux by using natural remedies in conjunction with changes in your lifestyle. If you continue to have serious symptoms you need to get help. There is no reason to suffer from the pain of acid reflux heartburn.

James A. Kesel, MS Acid Reflux Syndrome Testing, http://www.heartburnscures.com

Help Information About Acid Reflux in Infants

2008-04-24T03:32:00.000-07:00

Many adults think that acid reflux in infants is absurd but it does occur. If you are a parent, then you would like to know if your baby has the disorder. Of course, you will also be interested to know how to treat this condition. Let me give you some information that can help you identify the symptoms and some approaches you can take to treat acid reflux in infants.

Vomiting is one of the common symptoms of this disorder. Now, you have to take note that this is different from the common spit-up that parents face on a daily basis. Babies that have acid reflux in infants may suffer from excessive vomiting that reoccurs through the day and through the night as well. It would be a good idea to seek medical attention if your baby throws up significantly throughout the course of the day.

The other symptoms of this disorder are subtle and may be difficult to recognize. For instance, a baby may have acid reflux disease if that infant is suffering from a cough that does not seem to go away and has difficulty breathing. Heartburn and abdominal pain are symptoms that are difficult to detect simply because the baby can?t tell you what specifically is wrong.

Gas and stomach discomfort are also signs of acid reflux in infants. These symptoms usually go with fussiness and crying, especially during and right after feedings. A baby that is suffering from this disorder may also have difficulty eating. These more subtle symptoms resemble colic and it is important to note that the two conditions may be related in some cases. Colic and acid reflux in infants often go hand in hand.

Let us proceed with the treatment of acid reflux in infants. Babies usually outgrow the condition but it is crucial that you consult his pediatrician if you believe that your baby has acid reflux. You can also try to reduce the symptoms while you are waiting for your appointment.

The first thing that you may try is to elevate the baby?s head. It is important to keep the baby?s head elevated since the problem with the condition is that that the contents in the stomach come up into the esophagus. Hold the baby upright for about 30 minutes after each feeding to make sure that his stomach has settled completely. Of course, you don?t want to pile pillows under your baby?s little head. You can purchase raisers that can be put under the mattress in the crib or right in the bassinette. You can easily install these inexpensive items.

Morgan Hamilton offers expert advice and great tips regarding all aspects concerning Acid Reflux in Infants. Visit our site for more helpful information about Natural Medicine For Acid Reflux and other similar topics.

Acid Reflux Disease, Potential Treatments and Solutions

2008-04-07T22:31:00.001-07:00

Life style modification: the only real, safe and legitimate way to decrease the symptoms and safely cure your acid reflux. Changing your diet, your habits, and getting in better shape will certainly have a positive effect on the burning sensation in your throat created from stomach acid re-entering the esophagus. Everything from coffee to spinach may cause acid reflux, though it differs from person-to-person.

As a general rule, coffee and alcohol are the worst contributors for causing acid reflux, followed closely by pops such as Coke and Pepsi, or any acidic, sugary substance. Elimination of these from your diet should have a dramatic effect on the reduction of the acid reflux symptoms.

Other major dietary contributors to your ailment are chocolates, mints, high-fat foods, cigarette smoke, spicy or acidic foods, onions, cabbage, broccoli and spinach. Milk, and other high-calcium products are large contributors as well.

Another type of "all-natural" "self-implemented" therapy is known as positional therapy. If your acid reflux is occuring in a sleeping-situation, positioning of the head slightly higher than the rest of the body, or tilted at a more sitting-like angle has been seen to give ~90% of patients complete relief, and the remainder at least partial relief.

If dietary changes are out of the question, and the positional changes are not helping or don't apply, antacids and gastric H2 receptor blockers are both effective in about 60% of patients. Finally, "Nissen fundoplication" - the wrapping of the upper part of the stomach to strengthen it - is effective in all those treated, however, surgery is out of the question for the majority

Adam X. Knife is the author of AcidRefluxCure.info, the site covering everything from acid reflux symptoms to the general definition of acid reflux disease.

Is Acid Reflux A Musculoskeletal Problem?

2008-03-31T03:05:00.000-07:00

Is acid reflux disease a musculoskeletal problem? Let?s look at a recent patient that came into my office for a headache. She stated that she had the headache constantly for six weeks. She also suffers with pain in her low back, and stated that she has frequent urinary tract infections. She had been to her medical doctor for the pain in her low back, and he had diagnosed her with osteoporosis, and given her a prescription for Celebrex. This patient also had a history of acid reflux.

Her family physician has been treating her acid reflux for a few years now with Nexium. Recently he ordered an endocsope of her esophagus, which showed a hiatal hernia and a condition known as Beret?s Esophagus. This is a condition, which occurs due to prolonged irritation of the esophageal lining, which actually represents the beginning of cellular change, and is a pre-cancerous condition. This patient is postmenopausal, and is taking hormone replacement therapy. Now let?s look at what is going on with this patient a bit closer. She is taking Nexium for the acid reflux, and has been for a number of years. This will effectively lower the acidity of her stomach. Lowering the acidity of the stomach diminishes her ability to absorb calcium, which is needed for healthy bone mass. A lower acidity also promotes the growth of bacteria in the urinary tract.

Taking the Nexium does not address the hiatal hernia, which is a protrusion of the stomach through the hiatal valve. This valve is normally closed, and only opens to the pressure of food swallowed, to allow it to enter the stomach. One must ask the question, ?Why is this valve stuck open?? This patient was prescribed Celebrex for the pain in her back, which is well known to cause gastrointestinal disorders. When this patient came to me, she was a nervous wreck. She couldn?t sleep, she was in constant pain and she was always crying. She thought that she was going to die.

We found that she had several structural problems with her spine. She had lost the normal curvature of her cervical spine, and was developing bone spurs on her cervical vertebrae (bones in her neck). Her spine in her low back, curved to the left. She had miss-alignments (subluxations) in several areas, C2, C3, C4, C5, effecting the nerve supply to the diaphragm. This is the large muscle that we use to breathe, and through which the esophagus passes to get to the stomach. She was also misaligned at T4 effecting the nerve supply to the heart, lungs, and gallbladder, and also at T12 and L1 effecting the nerve supply to the bladder and kidneys. She stopped taking all of her medication. We had her start taking some digestive enzymes as well as some other nutritional supplements to help build healthy bone mass.

She began a series of adjustments to re-align her vertebrae, and take pressure off of the nerves. After 10 treatments, she is smiling, she is without pain, and she is sleeping through the night, and wants to go dancing with her husband. She stated that she is improved 60%. Is acid reflux a biomechanical problem? It was in this case. So getting back to my last article about dangerous doctors. What were all those drugs treating? Just the symptoms. Nothing was done to find out why she had a hiatal hernia, why she was losing bone mass, why she was getting frequent urinary tract infections, why she had pain in her back.

I heard a commercial on Television this morning for Advair. This is a prescription drug designed to treat asthma. The ad said that it treats to two common causes of asthma, ?inflammation, and bronchial constriction?. These are not the ?causes? of asthma, but are part of the symptoms of asthma. These are what cause the wheezing and breathing difficulties of asthma, but what is causing the inflammation and bronchial constriction? Many studies have shown that misalignment of the bones in the neck, and upper back have been associated with asthma, and re-alignment of those structures have had a dramatic effect on that condition in many people. The cause is not always subluxation, but shouldn?t it be looked at before dangerous drug intervention or even worse surgical intervention? Please feel free to comment, and you can also listen to this as a podcast at www.westvalleyfamilyclinic.com/audio/refluxpodcast.mp3.

http://www.westvalleyfamilyclinic.com

GERD and Acid Reflux Complications - Ulcers Strictures and More

2008-03-29T04:40:00.000-07:00

Take a subject most people do not want to discuss like heartburn and vomiting, then throw in pain which only the person going through it can understand and you will describe Gastroesophageal reflux disease. But, to better combat the problems and complications GERD can cause, anyone suffering form GERD or acid reflux needs to understand the disease.

Ulcers

When we mention ulcers we are talking about a break in the esophagus lining which can cause irritation or inflammation. The ulcer in the esophagus can damage the cells lining the esophagus or cause bleeding requiring surgery to repair the damage. Just because you show conditions of GERD does not mean you have an ulcer, it is just a reminder to have your doctor watch for.

Strictures

Once an ulcer has been cured or healed scarring is an issue. The scarring normally shrinks the tissue causing a stricture or narrowing of the esophagus. This narrowing can make it more difficult for food to pass through on its way to the stomach and begin the digestive process making acid reflux more of a potential problem. When strictures occur usually an endoscopic procedure is necessary to stretch out or repair the passageway to allow food through.

Barrett?s Esophagus

This form of GERD can be extremely dangerous and potentially fatal. Barrett?s esophagus gives sufferers the possibility of causing cancer, from cells lining the throat to become damaged and even cancerous. A microscopic examination or endoscopy of the ?live? cells can help determine if esophagus cell are cancerous. This condition should be monitored carefully, only about 10% of patients with GERD experience it, but it never hurts to get checked.

These are three of the seven major complications of GERD.

Jill Seimer shares tips on health at RefluxLife.com and wrote on acid reflux disorder symptoms from her experience with GERD.

Acid Reflux in Pregnancy

2008-03-29T04:35:00.000-07:00

It is estimated that as much as 80% of pregnant women have GERD symptoms and the symptoms vary from mild to very severe. It is rarely serious in this group and, of course, it is limited to the length of the pregnancy.

Nausea and vomiting is common in the first trimester and is mainly due to the rising level of the female hormone, estrogen and progesterone circulating in the blood stream. Acid reflux symptoms are more common in the third trimester.

In the third trimester, the uterus is large and has pushed up into the upper abdomen distorting the configuration of the organs in the abdomen. The stomach is pushed up against the diaphragm. This can affect the competence of the Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES) and cause acid reflux. It can also force part of the stomach up through the diaphragmatic hiatus. This is a hiatus hernia. A hiatus hernia can result in acid reflux.

In addition weight gain during pregnancy (especially in the apple shape) will settle around the waist. This weight will press on the abdomen and increase the intra-abdominal pressure. This pressure on the LES may force food up into the esophagus.

During pregnancy estrogen and progesterone levels need to be high to maintain the pregnancy. These two female hormones are produced by the ovaries until the placenta takes over. These hormones relax smooth muscles of the uterus and are necessary to allow the uterus to stretch to accommodate the developing pregnancy.

Unfortunately this muscle relaxation is not confined to the uterus. The muscles of the GI tract are affected. In the large bowel reduced strength of peristaltic contraction leads to slow transit time and likely constipation. In the esophagus it reduces the tone of the LES allowing reflux and slows down peristalsis along the esophagus. The food swallowed is cleared slower and the LES is lax. A double whammy.

Patients who have had GERD symptoms before falling pregnant tend to have severe GERD in pregnancy. Sometimes in pregnancy GERD can be so severe that hospitalisation is necessary. Also vomiting can be so severe that weight loss follows. In pregnancy regular weight gain is expected. Weight loss suggests a referral to a gastro-enterologist especially if the weight is below the pre-pregnancy benchmark.

Severe GERD can lead to mal-nutrition. This can be harmful to the mother and may put the foetus at risk at a time of vital development and growth.

Ginger is a good safe treatment of GERD in pregnancy and you only need a small amount. It can stimulate saliva production. Saliva is a natural antacid. Ginger helps relieve nausea and vomiting and it is a carminative (relieve gas). Lifestyle change is important. If still smoking and drinking alcohol, then it is time to stop. Elevating the head of the bed is beneficial and lying on the left side is best because in this position the stomach is lower than the esophagus.

Avoid or reduce your intake of fats, coffee, tea, chocolate, certain citrus fruits, certain spices, tomatoes and garlic. When exercising, avoid bouncing up and down and exercises that involve bending forwards. Stick to exercises that keep you upright. Stretching exercises and power or brisk walking are unlikely to aggravate GERD symptoms.

Antacids are safe in pregnancy because they do not cross the placenta into the baby's circulation. However, antacids containing sodium (sodium bicarbonate) can cause fluid retention. Aluminium containing antacids can make constipation of pregnancy worse. Magnesium can slow down labour. These drugs are in Category A. The categories were laid down by the FDA in 1979 and are related to safety profile and potential harm to the foetus. Category A is safe in pregnancy.

The H2-receptor antagonists and proton pump inhibitors are in Category B except omeprazole which is in Category C. These drugs cross the placenta but trials results are not adequate to consider them safe during pregnancy. So far no trial has shown any harm to the foetus.

Dr. Phil Hariram is a retired General Practitioner who has spent 27 years treating acid reflux. http://www.acidrefluxguru.com

What You Need To Know About Acid Reflux Disease

2008-03-28T02:49:00.000-07:00

Acid reflux is also known as the Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). Some people simply describe it as heartburn because of the burning effect of the condition experienced by the patient. Essentially, acid reflux is a disorder in which the acid contents in the stomach back up into the esophagus. The acidic nature of the contents results in pain and inflammation in the lower part of the esophagus.

Before finding the cure, it is important to first understand the acid reflux causes. Acid reflux is caused by poor functioning of lower esophageal sphincter. In normal condition, the lower esophageal sphincter is tightly closed. But in the case of an acid reflux patient, the lower esophageal sphincter is open, allowing stomach acids reflux. There are a few factors that can cause such opening. These factors include taking very heavy meals, lying down soon after eating (within two hours), use of certain drugs like diazepam, meperidine, morphine, prostaglandins, calcium channel blockers, nitrate heart medications and others.

One of the most common symptoms of acid reflux disease is a burning sensation in the chest (aka heartburn) that takes place after eating. While heartburn remains the main symptom of acid reflux, a number of related symptoms are reported. These include difficulty in swallowing, cramping, sore throat, hoarseness, pain below the breastbone, spitting up at night, unusually high salivation, coughing, bad breath, shortness of breath, and vomiting. The symptoms may appear when one is in lying position, especially after a meal. The heartburn feeling can also spread to jaw, neck, arms, and back. Reflux of contents from the stomach into the mouth is another common acid reflux symptom, leaving a bitter taste in the mouth. If acid reflux happens frequently, it can be threatening to health because it may lead to reflux esophagitis, esophageal narrowing, esophageal ulcer, and Barrett?s syndrome. Barrett?s syndrome is an alteration in the lining of the esophagus and this can eventually lead to esophageal cancer.

Acid reflux can strike anyone regardless of his or her age or sex. However, it is most commonly found in people who are overweight. People suffering from hiatal hernia, recurring vomiting, or scleroderma (hardening of skin and connective tissue) are also prompt to acid reflux. For women, acid reflux can also happen due to pregnancy.

The most common treatment is to take antacids after meals and at bedtime. You can buy antacids easily from the nearest pharmacy. Lifestyle changes is also important. For example, do not lie down immediately after a meal. Avoid fast food and other fatty foods, soda drinks, coffee and alcohol as they can aggravate acid reflux. If over-the-counter medicine cannot relieve your acid reflux symptom, you may have to turn to a doctor, who may give you drugs like H2 blocker, proton pump inhibitors etc. In severe cases, other treatment such as a surgery may be necessary.

Gloria Fanz is a professional writer. For more independent resources about acid reflux disease symptom, diet, treatment and cause, visit acid reflux cure.

Infant Acid Reflux

2008-03-27T05:23:00.000-07:00

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Acid Reflux in Pregnancy

2008-03-26T05:38:00.000-07:00

Acid reflux is a common condition in the West and there is a suggestion that it is increasing. Obesity is increasing in the West and since obesity can cause or worsen acid reflux, the increase in acid reflux is likely to be related to a combination of our diet, lifestyle and obesity. There is, however, a group that develops acid reflux as a part of life's natural process. Pregnant women develop GERD symptoms as a result of pregnancy.

It is estimated that as much as 80% of pregnant women have GERD symptoms and the symptoms vary from mild to very severe. It is rarely serious in this group and, of course, it is limited to the length of the pregnancy.

Nausea and vomiting is common in the first trimester and is mainly due to the rising level of the female hormone, estrogen and progesterone circulating in the blood stream. Acid reflux symptoms are more common in the third trimester.

In the third trimester, the uterus is large and has pushed up into the upper abdomen distorting the configuration of the organs in the abdomen. The stomach is pushed up against the diaphragm. This can affect the competence of the Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES) and cause acid reflux. It can also force part of the stomach up through the diaphragmatic hiatus. This is a hiatus hernia. A hiatus hernia can result in acid reflux.

In addition weight gain during pregnancy (especially in the apple shape) will settle around the waist. This weight will press on the abdomen and increase the intra-abdominal pressure. This pressure on the LES may force food up into the esophagus.

During pregnancy estrogen and progesterone levels need to be high to maintain the pregnancy. These two female hormones are produced by the ovaries until the placenta takes over. These hormones relax smooth muscles of the uterus and are necessary to allow the uterus to stretch to accommodate the developing pregnancy.

Unfortunately this muscle relaxation is not confined to the uterus. The muscles of the GI tract are affected. In the large bowel reduced strength of peristaltic contraction leads to slow transit time and likely constipation. In the esophagus it reduces the tone of the LES allowing reflux and slows down peristalsis along the esophagus. The food swallowed is cleared slower and the LES is lax. A double whammy.

Patients who have had GERD symptoms before falling pregnant tend to have severe GERD in pregnancy. Sometimes in pregnancy GERD can be so severe that hospitalisation is necessary. Also vomiting can be so severe that weight loss follows. In pregnancy regular weight gain is expected. Weight loss suggests a referral to a gastro-enterologist especially if the weight is below the pre-pregnancy benchmark.

Severe GERD can lead to mal-nutrition. This can be harmful to the mother and may put the foetus at risk at a time of vital development and growth.

Ginger is a good safe treatment of GERD in pregnancy and you only need a small amount. It can stimulate saliva production. Saliva is a natural antacid. Ginger helps relieve nausea and vomiting and it is a carminative (relieve gas). Lifestyle change is important. If still smoking and drinking alcohol, then it is time to stop. Elevating the head of the bed is beneficial and lying on the left side is best because in this position the stomach is lower than the esophagus.

Avoid or reduce your intake of fats, coffee, tea, chocolate, certain citrus fruits, certain spices, tomatoes and garlic. When exercising, avoid bouncing up and down and exercises that involve bending forwards. Stick to exercises that keep you upright. Stretching exercises and power or brisk walking are unlikely to aggravate GERD symptoms.

Antacids are safe in pregnancy because they do not cross the placenta into the baby's circulation. However, antacids containing sodium (sodium bicarbonate) can cause fluid retention. Aluminium containing antacids can make constipation of pregnancy worse. Magnesium can slow down labour. These drugs are in Category A. The categories were laid down by the FDA in 1979 and are related to safety profile and potential harm to the foetus. Category A is safe in pregnancy.

The H2-receptor antagonists and proton pump inhibitors are in Category B except omeprazole which is in Category C. These drugs cross the placenta but trials results are not adequate to consider them safe during pregnancy. So far no trial has shown any harm to the foetus.

Dr. Phil Hariram is a retired General Practitioner who has spent 27 years treating acid reflux. http://www.acidrefluxguru.com

The Link Between Acid Reflux and Smoking

2008-03-24T23:16:00.000-07:00

If you smoke, or use any form of tobacco, improving your posture while you eat isn?t going to do much for your condition. Why? Smoking/nicotine is a direct contributing factor to acid reflux and to chronic heartburn caused by gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD). Therefore, engaging in any tobacco use ? cigarettes, cigars, pipes, snuff and chewing tobacco ? can not only become a literal pain in the chest, for GERD sufferers it can even disrupt sleep and interfere with your lifestyle.

The following are six ways in which smoking directly affects acid reflux:

1. Decrease in saliva production - Cigarette smoking inhibits saliva production, and eats up most of the bicarbonates within the saliva produce. Bicarbonates help neutralize stomach acid, and saliva works to coat the oesophagus to lessen the effects of acid that refluxes up from the stomach. Saliva also helps to wash acid in the oesophagus back to the stomach.

2. Increase in acidity ? Nicotine encourages the production of stomach acid.

3. Bile salt movement ? Smoking appears to encourage the movement of bile salts to the stomach from the intestines. Stomach acids are even more harmful when bile salts are present.

4. Direct injury to the oesophagus ? Smoking can cause direct harm to the oesophagus by making it vulnerable to acid reflux injury.

5. Impair LES functioning ? Nicotine can lower the pressure in the lower esophageal (LES) which can cause it to become weak and relaxed. LES is the valve that resides between the oesophagus and the stomach. The decrease in pressure can cause the LES to relax inappropriately, allowing stomach acids and enzymes to be thrust back into the oesophagus.

6. Decreased gastric motility ? It has been discovered in studies that people who smoke have reduced gastric motility while they are smoking. A decrease in gastric movement can lead to poor digestion due to the fact that it takes a longer for the stomach to empty.

As you can see, there are plenty of reasons why smoking can cause and make acid reflux worse. That being said, it shouldn?t come as a surprise to you that the best treatment a tobacco user can do to help their condition is quit.

Of course, quitting smoking isn?t as easy as we think or would like it to be. An addiction to nicotine is a hard habit to kick, especially if you?ve been smoking for many years, hang around others who smoke, and enjoy it. However, smoking, like any addiction, can be overcome. The only trick is, in order to quit smoking, you have to want to.

There are many different quitting strategies you can consider. Therefore, if you find quitting through your own methods is difficult, consult your doctor for other options. Also, many people who want to quit smoking find support groups to be very helpful.

Does quitting smoking really help your heartburn?

It is believed by many medical practitioners that for most acid reflux sufferers, quitting smoking will likely allow them to get better fast. However, some practitioners believe that quitting smoking will only provide modest relief.

Nevertheless, all medical practitioners agree that quitting smoking is a good idea regardless if it helps your acid reflux or not. After all, even if you see little change in your experiences with heartburn, quitting smoking greatly reduces your chances of developing serious diseases such as cancer, heart and lung disease.

In addition, don?t forget that smoking isn?t the only cause of acid reflux. Thus, if you are not seeing improvement after quitting, it?s time for you to take a careful look at your diet.

Kathryn Whittaker has an interest in Acid Reflux. For further information on Acid Reflux please visit Acid Reflux or Acid Reflux Symptoms .

Herbal Treatments For Acid Reflux Problems

2008-03-24T04:18:00.000-07:00

In the past years, more and more people are turning to alternative medicines to cure different types of illnesses, including acid reflux problems. Most of these people who used alternative medicines, usually herbal treatments, swear that their symptoms were cured. Besides claiming that these herbal treatments are effective, most people using them are convinced that herbal treatments do not have the side effects that are apparent with synthetic medicines manufactured by large pharmaceutical corporations. As herbal treatment continues to become increasingly popular, people with acid reflux problems are now lining up establishments that are selling alternative medicines for their ailments.

Due the numerous side effects that these drugs have on the body, many people who suffer from acid reflux have stopped taking over the counter or prescription drugs. According to some studies, some antacids interfere with vitamin and calcium absorption of the body. In some cases, antacids interfere with digestive activities by shutting down stomach secretions resulting in a temporary relieve for the sufferers but does not really cure the problem. Moreover, people also have different reactions to drugs. Some medications will relieve heartburn in some people but may not work on others. This would cause people to try several brands of antacids in the market, thereby further exposing them to health hazards. As a result of these problems related to antacids, many sufferers are forced to find alternative through herbal treatment. In most cases, a single type of tea or capsule claims to solve many types of health problems. The logic is, the lesser number of medications a person takes in one day, the lesser chances of exposing the body to toxins.

Antacid products use sodium bicarbonate, aluminum hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, calcium carbonate, aluminum phosphate, or a combination of these substances to neutralize stomach acid. This provides one of the strongest and most widely accepted argument why people should shift to alternative medicines to cure their acid reflux problem. Scientifically proven, these types of elements have inhibiting effects on the functioning of the human anatomy. For one, the hydrochloric acid in our body is no longer able to perform its vital functions which is associated with food digestion and absorption of necessary nutrients and vitamins. Another problem with neutralizing hydrochloric acid in the stomach is that our bodies, because of having a natural coping mechanisms to sustain itself, will produce even more acid to compensate for what have been lost. So, instead of curing the problem, we create another problem. "Acid rebound" is common when the stomach produces more acids to replenish what have been neutralized.

On the other hand, more people are seeing hope in herbal medications although they are often not backed by scientific studies. The common selling point of these products is that they work by strengthening the body's immune system. For those advocating herbal treatments, acid reflux is often associated with poor digestion. As such, targeting and strengthening the digestive system can then prevent acid reflux. Herbal treatment comes in various forms. Usually they are in the form of tea, juice, capsules and food supplements. They are often claimed to be all natural and safe. As a result, most of these herbal medicines can be taken anytime without any treats of overdose or side effects.

For more information on curing heartburn and acid reflux visit: http://www.dealstek.info/heartburncure.html

Causes of Acid Reflux

2008-03-24T04:17:00.000-07:00

A harmful chronic disease, acid reflux, can be caused by many different factors. In this article, we'll be looking at some of the causes of acid reflux disease.

The improper functioning of the lower esophageal sphincter, or LES muscles, is one of the main reasons that people experience the caustic fluid backup that is characteristic of acid reflux. Found at the base of the esophagus, these muscles provide a method of opening and closing the passageway to the stomach. When weakened, the LES muscles are often unable to close fully. As a result, acid from the stomach can find its way up into the esophagus.

Abnormalities of the esophagus are another cause of acid reflux disease. The esophagus may be malformed in several different parts, but two of the most common abnormalities that lead to acid reflux are peristalsis and a condition known as adult-ringed esophagus. In an adult-ringed esophagus, small rings in the throat can cause an inability to swallow properly.

Another factor that can be responsible for acid reflux is improper functioning of the stomach. Impaired stomach muscles are found in over fifty percent of all acid reflux sufferers. They have difficulty responding quickly to stimuli. This can cause an extended period of time before the stomach is emptied of its contents, often resulting in an acid backup in the esophagus.

Another reason why one may experience acid reflux is hiatal hernias. The hiatus, a hole that is located in the diaphragm, helps to secure the passageway between the esophagus and the stomach. It is usually tight, keeping the organs separate. However, if the hiatus is weakened, it can loosen up resulting in a small part of the stomach protruding through the hole. This occurrence is known as a hiatal hernia. This can lead to a lack of functioning in the LES muscles, which, as discussed previously, leads to acid reflux.

Medical conditions of asthma and diabetes are two other things to take note of when considering the causes of acid reflux. It was found that at least half of all asthma sufferers are known to experience acid reflux. However, we have not yet discovered which disease may be causing the other. As such, diabetes sufferers need to be careful of their eating habits when it comes to acid reflux. Many diabetics suffer from gastroparesis, a condition that causes a delay in the emptying of the stomach. This can cause a backup in the stomach resulting in an acid buildup in the esophagus.

Certain drugs may also be the cause of acid reflux. NSAIDs, or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may be responsible for the development of acid reflux or a worsening of the condition in those who already have it. These drugs are quite commonly available, and some of the most recognized brands of NSAIDs include Motrin, Nuprin, Advil, and Aleve. A recent research study showed that people who regularly took these medications were twice as likely to experience some symptoms of acid reflux.

The above are some of the causes of acid reflux disease. If you are suffering from acid reflux, you should consult with your medical professional for advice.

For more information on curing heartburn and acid reflux visit: http://www.dealstek.info/heartburncure.html

The Link Between Asthma And Acid Reflux

2008-03-21T04:16:00.001-07:00

Asthma is a chronic lung disorder that causes difficulty breathing. Those suffering from it have higher sensitivity - or even hyper-sensitivity - in their airways. When having an asthma attack, this sensitivity causes the airway to become irritated. It reacts by constricting itself, leading to less air being able to get through and difficult breathing.

There has been some research that indicates that asthma symptoms can be worsened by a condition known as gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) which is more commonly known as acid reflux. This condition causes stomach acid to rise up into the throat which can lead to further irritation, and more pronounced asthma symptoms.

There have also been studies that have shown evidence that asthma sufferers are more prone to developing GERD. This may be due partly to the additional pressure in the chest during an asthma attack, which may force stomach acid up in the wrong direction.

It has not been shown that acid reflux is a contributing factor in developing asthma, however. If that were the case, treating the GERD should also show positive results on asthma but the two are not linked this way. It would appear that one can make the other more pronounced but is not the direct cause.

If you do suffer from both conditions, however, treating one can often ease the effects of the other. If you think you might be dealing with a combination of asthma and acid reflux, the best thing is to consult with your doctor. They can run some tests to give you a thorough diagnosis, and prescribe the best treatment method for your particular situation.

Jackson Sperry covers topics such as asthma symptoms, asthma treatments and causes of asthma for the Asthma Explained website. For more helpful information, visit http://www.asthmaexplained.net

Acid Reflux - Some Tips in Relieving Its Symptoms

2008-03-20T04:23:00.001-07:00

At least 4 out of every 10 Americans suffer from heartburn at least once every month. Are you one of them?

Heartburn is usually felt as a burning pain originating from the chest and traveling upward through the throat. At times, the burning sensation finds its way up through the mouth. When this happens, an acid or bitter taste is left as a reminder of the condition.

Many people tend to take this lightly. However, this should not be so. Frequent heartburn can be a symptom of a disorder known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (also commonly known as GERD or acid reflux).

GERD or acid reflux is a condition whereby the acid content of the stomach rises back up into the esophagus rather than continue on its normal digestive path. It usually develops when the lower esophageal sphincter or LES is damaged. The LES is the muscular ring which functions to prevent the regurgitation of stomach contents back into the esophagus.

To control the symptoms of acid reflux, many people rely on over the counter or non-prescription antacids (Phillip's Milk of Magnesia, Tums, Mylanta, Maalox, etc.). Others use prescription medications such as Tagamet, Zantac, Pepcid and Prilosec.

These medications are all effective in controlling the symptoms but there are several controversies regarding their use in addressing the problem. Several studies indicate that treating acid reflux with these medications lowers the hydrochloric acid content of the stomach, which may prove more disastrous in the long run.

To effectively control acid reflux symptoms, it may be more beneficial to resort to more natural means. Here are several tips which you can use:

. Avoid taking in acidic beverages. Acidic beverages such as coffee, tea and juices are proven to increase the pain associated with heartburn. Alcohol and carbonated drinks should also be eliminated from the diet for the same reason.

. Milk can sometimes be another causal agent of heartburn. Studies show that there is a high incidence of milk allergy in infants with acid reflux. Further, it was also established that eliminating milk products in the infants' diets drastically improved their conditions.

. Stay away from foods or drinks flavored with spearmint, peppermint or other spices with strong aromatic oils. These are known to relax the LES and thus may also increase the probability of experiencing heartburn.

. Some say that avoiding or lowering the fat in the diet may improve the condition. However, there is still no conclusive evidence to support this claim.

. Avoid smoking. Smoking increases the likelihood of developing acid reflux since it tends to weaken the LES. Results of several scientific studies support this finding.

. Constant psychological stress also contributes to the weakening of the LES and hence, in the development of acid reflux.

. When you are lying down, the contents of the stomach may find it easier to travel back into the esophagus. So, it is advisable that you do not lie down immediately after a meal. Let 3 hours pass before doing so.

. Elevate the head of your bed. It will keep you from losing sleep due to heartburn.

. Get moving. Have a regular exercise routine or engage in interesting physical activities.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Acid Reflux

Treating Acid Reflux with Natural Remedies

2008-03-20T04:22:00.000-07:00

If you belong to the 40% of the American population suffering from frequent heartburn and acid reflux, you may have been constantly searching for the most effective treatments for this uncomfortable condition. But do you know that the most effective help may be waiting for you right there in your kitchen?

Several naturally occurring foods and herbs may very well be the much-anticipated answer to treating acid reflux. Here is a list for your reference.

. Garlic. Yes, the lowly and smelly garlic! Garlic is one of the most important foods that should be included in your daily diet. It is known to promote the growth and proliferation of beneficial bacteria in the stomach which can effectively wipe up the Helicobacter pylori population in the stomach. H. pylori is a micro organism which causes gastritis and is the only bacteria which cannot be killed by the hydrochloric content of the stomach.

To be able to gain the most benefits from garlic, remember to crush or chew it before ingesting it to unleash the effect of its active ingredient, allicin. Use fresh garlic always.

. Aloe Vera. Aloe vera can be very effective in treating acid reflux. It has a very potent anti-inflammatory component but most people are more used to applying it as a wound dressing, as a lotion or for other such topical applications.

Unknown to many, aloe vera has the ability to spread a protective coating on the esophagus and helps in controlling the stomach contents from regurgitating. Aloe vera is commercially available in different forms. It can be bought as aloe vera juice and as gel capsules.

Taking aloe vera may cause diarrhea for certain people. To avoid this, try taking it with a gas-reducing tea such as mint or lemon balm tea. A word of caution: aloe vera is contraindicated in pregnant women and for people with kidney problems.

. Licorice. Licorice in the form of Deglycyrrhizinated licorice or DGL is a very powerful anti-inflammatory agent. Like aloe vera, it also forms a protective coating on the esophagus and the intestinal lining. It is a proven cure for ulcers, heartburn, acid reflux and other such digestive problems.

DGL can be purchased at any supplements store and is available in pill form. To ease heartburns, it is recommended that you take two 250 mg chewable tablets or you may break open a 250 mg capsule and mix it with water or juice. Warning: DGL is not recommended for people suffering from hypertension.

. Turmeric. Turmeric prevents acid build up in the stomach and aids in the proper digestion of foods. To use turmeric, you may want to incorporate it in your cooking or you may take 2 to 3 ? to 1 gram capsules before meals.

. Banana. Bananas are natural antacids and are very useful in relieving heartburn. You may eat them fresh or as ground dried bananas.

. Almonds. Some people claim that eating a handful of almonds helps easing the pain associated with heartburn.

. L-Glutamine. L-glutamine is an amino acid commonly used by body builders. However, this amino acid also aids in the maintenance of an optimal digestive environment and thus greatly helps in relieving gut problems.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Acid Reflux

How to Deal with Your Acid Reflux

2008-03-19T05:56:00.001-07:00

Tackling a medical condition head on is never easy, especially in the beginning, and acid reflux or chronic heartburn is no different. Most people don?t know that acid reflux is an issue in their daily life until after they visit their physician. When you continue to experience shortness of breath, and mild heartburn you may think little of the situation. Yet over time, as weeks roll by a cough may show up, along with the loss of your voice.

Everyone wants to sit down at the table and eat the foods they enjoy, while acid reflux suffers struggle with constantly battling between a normal life and heartburn after meals. Today, by improving your diet and the option of using medications on the market to give heartburn relief, the disease symptoms can be controlled.

The acid build up in the stomach can lead to ulcers brought on from digestive disorders, stress, and coupled with the body?s inability to shut off the controls for acid production in the stomach. When heartburn visits regularly all that may be required is a diet change and or lifestyle. This may involve a job change - because of stress, beginning an exercise program or adding some foods and removing others. Lifestyle changes can be a difficult issue for many, for others your doctor may need to look at medication to combat the problem. Whatever path taken, time is required for anyone to return to a pain free life.

Medication Approach

Some individuals produce excess stomach acid, to counter the problems medications can be prescribed. Medications and drugs can assist in the healing of ulcers that produce more acid than the stomach needs. Once under control the true cause of the extra acid production and cause of the ulcers need to be explored. If stress is the cause, the root of the stress needs to be identified and dealt with ? home life, work related or personal unhappiness needs to be addressed. Behavior change must occur.

Changing Diet to Fight Acid Reflux Disease

Rest, proper eating along with exercise can help in combating and controlling acid reflux symptoms. Exercise can help not only provide more energy in daily task but assist the body in digesting foods more efficiently. A diet based on fruits and vegetables and not full if heavy greasy foods or filled with alcohol will reduce heartburn symptoms. Making a diet change can initially be difficult but dedication to slow daily changes will soon show great improvements in everyday life.

A diet high in protein and low in fat will give heartburn sufferers a big edge in stopping the control heartburn may pose in their life. Learn how to prepare those kinds of foods and change your life and health for the better.

Jill Seimer shares health tips at RefluxLife.com and wrote on natural medicine for acid reflux from her experience treating heartburn in her family.

The Acid Reflux Blues ?An Easy Antidote!

2008-03-18T22:26:00.000-07:00

The real antidote to acid reflux, gerd, heartburn and indigestion has to do with what we eat, how we eat, where we eat and when we eat. This may sound a little too simple, but it is not. Everyone is different; therefore people have to approach eating in different ways.

There are many foods and beverages which trigger heartburn. Not all of these affect everyone in the same manner. For instance, I have difficulty digesting raw bell peppers, but I know others who cannot eat raw tomatoes, but have no trouble with raw bell peppers. Ironically, I can eat fresh raw tomatoes all day long and not have gerd. So anyone who makes blanket statements regarding this subject has got it all wrong.

Through trial and error, we all discover what we can and cannot digest with ease. There are, however, some foods that cause problems for anyone who is susceptible to acid reflux. Any food or drink that causes the LES (lower esophageal sphincter) to relax should be consumed in strict moderation. The LES is a ring of fibrous muscle which separates the esophagus and the stomach. When this muscle relaxes, acid and pepsin can splash up from the stomach into the esophagus and throat, thereby causing acid reflux.

The hydrochloric acid in the stomach is very powerful. It has been compared to the acid in a car battery, but it is a necessary part of our physical anatomy. It constitutes the initial stage of the digestive process. It not only breaks down the food we eat but keeps potentially dangerous bacteria which live in the digestive tract in check. This is the reason that drugs which stop the acid pumps from functioning are potentially dangerous. These drugs are called proton pump inhibitors (PPI drugs). They interfere with the digestion and assimilation of food and allow the overgrowth of bacteria.

Eating jagged foods like crackers or corn chips can cause little lacerations to develop in the esophagus and LES. Then later consuming acidic foods like spicy over cooked tomato sauce can exacerbate the problem. This scenario is typical of why many people have acid reflux to begin with. It can easily be avoided.

Foods and beverages, like chocolate, caffeine, fried foods, tomato products and alcohol, can cause the LES to relax and should be avoided until the esophagus has had time to heal.

How and where we eat is very important, as well. Chewing food properly is essential to correct digestion. Saliva in the mouth is actually very alkaline in nature. It acts as sort of a lubricant to assist the teeth in grinding food to a fine pulp, making it easier to digest. When I was a little boy, I had an elementary school teacher who constantly reminded me to chew my food twenty-two times before swallowing. She said that if I didn?t I would have indigestion. At the time, I thought she was crazy, but she was right on the money.

Eating slowly in a relaxed atmosphere is also crucial to good digestion. When we eat too fast we don?t chew properly forcing crude clumps of food into a shocked and traumatized stomach. This is certainly a perfect way to insure a good case of indigestion. People who grab meals on the run are the worst offenders and I think you will find many of them at fast food restaurants. Unfortunately, they are teaching their children to do the same.

Finally, there is the important consideration of when you eat. It?s a proven fact that eating several small meals, spaced throughout the day, is far healthier for the digestive system than the traditional ?three big meals?. Eating too much at one time is one of the biggest causes of acid reflux and also contributes to unwanted weight gain.

Last but not least, I must mention the most relevant antidote to the acid reflux condition; never go to bed with a full stomach. If we want to avoid acid reflux, we must allow at least two hours after eating before lying down. Three hours would be even better. This, of course, means that a late night bowl of ice cream in bed would be strictly taboo.

So you see, the real antidote to the acid reflux blues is not so much about ?what to do?, but about ?what not to do?. It is not about drugs, surgery or even doctors. The natural cure for acid reflux is all about common sense.

Wind Publishing

For free recipes, articles and information, visit: http://www.refluxgoneforever.com

Charles Stewart Richey is a self-educated expert on how to cure acid reflux disease by natural means. He has written an extensive report entitled, REFLUX GONE FOREVER, Natural Acid Reflux Remedies. For free recipes, articles and information, visit: http://www.refluxgoneforever.com

Free Yourself of Acid Reflux Drug Addiction!

2008-03-18T22:25:00.000-07:00

Recent statistics from the US Department of Health and Human Services suggest that over seven million people suffer from severe acid reflux in the U.S. alone. It is estimated that over fifteen million Americans suffer from chronic heartburn, as well.

The incidence of acid reflux is greater in people over the age of forty, but it can affect anyone, even infants. Acid reflux affects people of every age, socioeconomic class and race.

Simply put, acid reflux occurs when stomach acid splashes up through the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) into the esophagus and throat. This reflux of acid can be the result of many things including diet, alcohol consumption, smoking, hiatal hernia, stress and even pregnancy. When this refluxed acid hits the tender lining of the esophagus, it causes a painful burning sensation in the chest and, or throat. Other symptoms include difficulty in swallowing (dysphagia), hoarseness, asthma and dental erosion.

If left untreated, this condition can evolve into more severe and life threatening diseases like Barrett?s Esophagus, which is a precursor cancer. In an attempt to avoid the more serious consequences of acid reflux, people are resorting more and more to pharmaceutical drugs.

There are three classifications of drugs which treat and acid reflux. The first of these are antacids, which neutralize the acid in your stomach and are at best only a temporary fix. They are loaded with harmful ingredients such as sodium and aluminum. The next group of drugs is called H2 Blockers. They reduce the amount of acid that the stomach produces and provide longer lasting relief than antacids. Finally there are the PPI drugs (proton pump inhibitors), which shut off the proton pumps in the stomach that manufacture hydrochloric acid.

PPI drugs should only be used for eight weeks, at most. It says so right on the package. Doctors certainly know this but allow if not encourage most patients to continue taking these drugs on a permanent basis.

PPI drugs actually shut down the pumps that produce the stomach acid necessary to digest and assimilate food. This is an essential function of our physical anatomy. Another point of concern is that stomach acid keeps very dangerous bacteria, which live in the stomach and intestines, in check.

There are, unfortunately, no studies that can determine the long term effects of these drugs. We do, however, know what the potential harmful side effects are and there are hundreds of them. They include: allergic reaction, back and chest pain, fatigue, fever, flu-like disorder, hypertension, constipation, GI hemorrhage, vomiting, tinnitus, anemia, vitamin B12 deficiency, weight gain, arthritis, fibromyalgia syndrome, anorexia, depression, dizziness, impotence, insomnia, migraine, visual field defect, menstrual disorder, asthma aggravated, pharyngitis, acne, taste loss, fungal infection and Barrett?s esophagus ? just to mention a few!

The medical community would have us believe that drugs are the only answer to the problem of acid reflux. Doctors are not taught nutrition or natural healing techniques in med school. As a result they depend on prescription drugs to treat the symptoms of acid reflux disease. They unfortunately know nothing about how to cure the condition itself.

PPI drugs are very big business. Annual global sales for PPI drugs alone reached well over six billion dollars in 2002. One can only guess what those statistics are today. One can only imagine the extent of the damage these drugs are causing people all over the world.

I am happy to say that we are not limited to pharmaceuticals in order to rid ourselves of the acid reflux condition. There are many alternative techniques and procedures which can be employed to accomplish that end. As a veteran of the acid reflux drug battle, I am living proof that one can heal themselves of acid reflux by using what I call natural medicine.

When I found out that my doctor had exhausted all possibilities of helping me, outside of the PPI drug regime, I knew that I was on my on. I had to heal myself. To my surprise, through research and study, I found that curing acid reflux disease is really quite simple.

With a few modest changes in lifestyle and with the help of several natural remedies, one can absolutely win the battle against acid reflux without the use of drugs.

There are many natural ingredients found in any health store, which can help during the acid reflux recovery period. Herbs, such as marshmallow, slippery elm and bladderwrack have wonderful healing properties. Aloe vera, licorice and natural honey can sooth the esophagus and assist in the healing process. Chewing gum between meals actually neutralizes stomach acid.

There are many simple things which contribute to the acid reflux condition which most people overlook; insufficient water consumption is one of them. Eating too rapidly and chewing food improperly is another.

Eating smaller, more frequent meals is helpful. Substituting Kukicha Twig tea for coffee makes the body more alkaline. Have fruit, like bananas and melons instead of cereal for breakfast. Snacks of walnuts, almonds and more fruit will keep you going throughout the day. At dinner eat lightly and at least two hours before retiring. You certainly don?t have to starve yourself, but try to stay away from those acid reflux ?trigger? foods.

It does take a new approach to life, in general, to heal a stubborn acid reflux condition. Think of it as an exciting challenge. You will feel so much better and your health will improve. It will have been worth the effort.

In a society where convenience sometimes takes precedence over common sense, pills have taken the place of ancient healing techniques and natural therapies. Drugs taken on a regular basis can be more dangerous than the illness itself.

Take command of your health and use natural resources to free yourself of those acid reflux drugs.

Wind Publishing

For free recipes, articles and information, visit: http://www.refluxgoneforever.com

Charles Stewart Richey is a self-educated expert on how to cure acid reflux disease by natural means. He has written an extensive report entitled, REFLUX GONE FOREVER, Natural Acid Reflux Remedies. For free recipes, articles and information, visit: http://www.refluxgoneforever.com

Acid Reflux and Stress

2008-03-13T05:00:00.000-07:00

Although it has not been proven scientifically, many people believe that stress is a major contributor to acid reflux disease.

Physiologically, stress can cause the digestive system to come to a screeching halt. Food that should be moving along will linger and magnify the effects of acid reflux. Under stress the body sends energy to the muscles, via the blood stream, to help the body cope with a stressful situation. This means that less blood, or energy, is flowing to the digestive system. When digestion is slowed down in this manner, undigested food and gastric juices remain in the stomach much longer enhancing the occurrence of acid reflux.

Stress can also cause people to experience changes in behavior like the immoderate consumption of alcohol and so called "comfort foods". It can also lead to late night binging and excessive smoking. All of these can trigger the symptoms of acid reflux by producing excessive acid in the stomach and relaxing the Lower Esophageal sphincter or (LES). When the LES is relaxed, stomach acid can splash up from the stomach into the esophagus, causing the pain of heartburn.

The "fight or flight syndrome" caused by stress can cause the body to tense up, delivering most of its energy to the heart, lungs and muscles. This intensifies hyperacidity, as the stomach is robbed of oxygen and enzymes necessary for proper digestion.

About half of the people who suffer from heartburn attribute it to stress. Whether stress is related to unpleasant work situations, emotional disorders, money problems, family strife or social conflicts, there are many things which can be done to restore the needed harmony in one's life.

Whether you suffer from chronic acid reflux and find that stress exacerbates the condition, or you experience occasional acid reflux brought on by bouts of stress, consider the following:

? Take the pressure off yourself - Lining up too many goals to be accomplished in too short a period of time can be very stressful. Do one thing at a time. Learn to relax and learn to say no when others become too demanding. Set your priorities straight and make lists that you can stick to. Go easy on yourself.

? Take your mind off of you - "Loosing your mind" is not the worst thing you can do. Meditation, Tai Chi, Hatha Yoga, Chi Gong and self-hypnotism are all great ways to relieve stress. Focusing on a demanding activity will take your mind off what is causing the stress. Not thinking about yourself can be very beneficial. These arts can also be applied to enhance life with positive improvement.

? Exercise your way to peace of mind - Everyone knows that exercise is essential for good health. Besides the physical benefits it is also an important way to relieve stress. Who has time to think about problems when you're about to win a tennis match! The endorphins produced in your brain while exercising create an opiate-like "good feeling" sensation that can take you far away from the cares of the day. It is important to find a way to make exercise fun, whether it be jogging with your dog or playing ball with your friends.

? "Let it be" - You cannot control everything in life. There will always be planes that are late arrivals or departures. The weather may not cooperate with that family picnic that you planned. Your mother-in-law may show up when least expected and there will always be taxes to pay. It is important to learn to roll with the punches. You can always find something good in an otherwise bad situation, but most importantly don't let it stress you out.

? Maintain an optimistic attitude - Never underestimate the power of positive thinking. Focus on the good things - not the bad things. Be excited about the future and believe that only good is in store for you. Better than projecting the future, concentrate on the present and demonstrate gratitude in the moment. Being optimistic not only affects others in a positive way, it gives you the balance that you need to be stress free.

? Have a good laugh! - Laughter is the great healer. A good laugh can relieve more stress than anything else. Watch a funny movie, go to a comedy club or go see Hunter Blue perform at Mimi's in New York City. Try to associate with people who make you laugh, or at least don't make you frown. Maintain a good sense of humor at all times. Stress cannot exist where there is laughter.

? Love a dog or a cat - Pet animals are a sure cure for stress. Their pure unaffected love and funny antics can blow that stress away. If you can't muster the obligation of responsibility for a pet, borrow someone else's pet or volunteer to be a care taker when they are out of town. Pets have a tranquilizing affect on us and their power to diminish stress should not be overlooked.

? Talk to a friend - It's very therapeutic when a trusted friend gives advice and thoughtful support. We all need objective guidance at times. Sympathy from friends and relatives has a calming affect and can reduce stress. It's almost as if you are not bearing your problems alone anymore and that kind of encouragement is invaluable.

? Get a massage - There is nothing quite as stress relieving as a good massage. I find that going for acupuncture is very relaxing as well. If you can't manage a massage, indulge in a long hot bath, whirlpool or steam shower.

It has been said that stress is a killer. Thankfully, its reduction is not rocket science and is quite easily accomplished. By reducing the stress in our lives, we can minimize the effect of the acid reflux condition. Of course there are other factors involved with acid reflux, but stress is certainly one of the big ones and should be dealt with in a serious manner. Relax!

Wind Publishing

For free recipes, articles and information related to acid reflux, please visit: http://www.refluxgoneforever.com

Charles Stewart Richey is a self-educated expert on how to cure acid reflux disease by natural means. He has written an extensive report entitled, REFLUX GONE FOREVER, Natural Acid Reflux Remedies. For free recipes, articles and information, visit: http://www.refluxgoneforever.com

Herbal Remedy for Acid Reflux You Can Use Right Now

2008-03-12T04:52:00.000-07:00

An Herbal Remedy for acid reflux makes perfect sense. You do not have to live with the pain you are having now.

What do you eat? When do you go to sleep or lie down? What do you drink? These may not be the most important questions for many of us. But for someone that has acid reflux these are serious concerns.

If you are suffering more than twice a week you may have acid reflux disease - also known as GERD.

Not all heartburn is caused by GERD (Gastroesophageal reflux disease). Occasional heartburn can be caused by a variety of factors but if you have regular episodes there are things you can do to help. Heartburn is one of the symptoms of acid reflux.

If you have regular heartburn the first thing you should do is stay away from expected use of antacids. Initially when you take antacids you can reduce the pain. Because they are designed to neutralize the acids in your stomach they can compel the stomach to create MORE acid - a cycle called 'acid rebound'. Some medications can also cause diarrhea or constipation or even increase the risk of food poisoning by inhibiting the cultivation of good bacteria. This is another reason why an herbal remedy for acid reflux is in your best interest.

Foods such as caffeine, alcohol, citrus, chocolate, spicy or tomato-based foods may initiate a bout of acid reflux. Fatty or fried foods, onions or garlic are also on the do not eat list.

Being overweight or smoking also increases the risk of GERD and lifestyle changes may help to control the symptoms. Almost anyone is at risk. But it should be noted that pregnant women, children, overweight individuals and smokers are at the top of the list of likely candidates.

Young babies have immature digestive systems. National Digestive Diseases (NDDIC) says that most children outgrow GERD by the time they are one year old. However, because the symptoms are bothersome precautions like frequent burping and keeping the infant upright for 30 minutes after eating can reduce the occurrence.

Older children may have to take similar precautions in diet and activity as adults. You should always discuss with your specialist when you suspect GERD to avoid future complications.

Being overweight or pregnant increases the pressure in the abdomen. 25% of pregnant women experience heartburn at some time during their pregnancy.

If you suspect GERD it is important to contact your doctor as there can be harmful side effects of persistent heartburn including scaring of the esophagus, asthma, erosion of the teeth and even worsened risk of esophageal cancer. Frequent, persistent heartburn can also be a symptom of other serious conditions and should be checked on by a professional.

Widely used heartburn and ulcer drugs such as Nexium, Pepcid and Prilosec can make people more susceptible to pneumonia, probably because they reduce germ-killing stomach acid, Dutch researchers found in a study of more than 300,000 patients.

Orange peel extract are being researched for their abilities to curb heartburn.

There are three herbs that are well known for soothing stomach muscles which are chamomile, gentian, and ginger. If your problem does not respond successfully to natural remedies within a few days, please see your health care provider.

In today's world more and more herbal remedies are being accepted. The need for many people to move away from drugs is at hand. For some individuals the drugs that are being taken for other ailments are not mixing well with the drugs for the new illness. An herbal remedy for acid reflux restores what you lack.

In closing an herbal remedy for acid reflux makes sense. It is the safer way to treat your body than using drugs..

Resource Heartspring Earth Clinic

Please pass this article on to people in your life you care about.

Aron Wallad has been helped by natural herbs. He has dramatically reduced his blood sugar level from 306 to 160 using a 47 year old natural herbs product. Called Immunicin it conttains over 250 herbs. Go here right now to see his story. http://www.herbalhealth123.com

What Really Causes Acid Reflux

2008-03-12T04:51:00.000-07:00

Acid reflux occurs because the muscle at the bottom of the esophagus fails to close properly. This muscle should work like a one-way valve, allowing food to enter the stomach, and stopping stomach acid from backing up.

Several factors will influence the way this muscle works, and cause acid reflux. In infants and babies, the muscle may not close tight enough to keep the stomach acid in the tummy. This is commonly called colic. Colic can be miserable for both the baby and the family, but it generally disappears by about six to eight months of age, as the child's muscles develop and strengthen. Another common reason people suffer from acid reflux is pregnancy, or being overweight. Both of these conditions cause extra pressure to build up along the diaphragm, and push on the lower esophagus. This can weaken the muscle, and promote acid reflux.

Almost fifty percent of acid reflux sufferers have stomach muscles that work very slowly, this can result in delayed emptying of the stomach. When this occurs, food remains in the stomach longer than normal, increasing the chances that the stomach acid could splash up on the sensitive tissues of the esophagus.

Hiatal hernias can also cause the symptoms of acid reflux. The hiatus is a passageway in the diaphragm that permits food from the esophagus to pass into the stomach. A hiatal hernia is when a small part of the stomach actually protrudes up through the hole. This prevents the muscle at the bottom of the esophagus from working properly, and can lead to acid reflux.

Several common medications may also cause you to suffer the effects of acid reflux. Medications that irritate the stomach lining can aggravate the symptoms of acid reflux. The most common medications that do this are Motrin, Nuprin, and Advil. These medications are commonly used as pain relievers, and many sufferers report relief if the take these medications with food.

Different types of foods can also cause acid reflux. If you suffer from this disease, keeping a food diary can help you discover the cause and prevent future suffering. Many people get into the habit of taking antacids several times each day. This only masks the symptoms of acid reflux, and provides short-term relief. If you find yourself using antacids more than three times each week, then it is time to visit the doctor. Several effective treatments will stop acid reflux, and prevent complications from starting.

Gerri Stone Find out why you have digestive problems, and how to cure them www.AcidsRefluxSolution.com

Getting Relief From Acid Reflux Symptoms Through Adjusting Your Sleeping Postures

2008-03-11T04:13:00.001-07:00

You may find it extremely disruptive experiencing acid reflux symptoms in the night. However, your symptoms appear to come on more often when you are sleeping. If you are wondering why this is so; well, the reason is that your sleeping postures are causing more acid to back up to your esophagus. This usually happens when your head is not propped up enough. Not having a good night of sleep can lower the quality of your life. You not only have to deal with your pain in the night but wake up feeling exhausted and depressed, thus giving your day a poor start.

Luckily there are products in the market to help address this issue. One such product to reduce your acid reflux symptoms in the night are specially designed pillows. A solution to correcting your sleeping postures would easily have been for you to sleep with multiple pillows. However, if you have tried this, you would have found it difficult to keep to this position the whole night without moving and having all your top few pillows falling off. So this means that you basically end up with just using one pillow, a position that is likely that puts you at risk of developing acid reflux symptoms in the night.

Specially designed pillows such as jumbo pillows can keep you wedged up when sleeping. These pillows have stronger bases and come complete with foam at the bottom so that you would not find it easy to slip off them.

Another great invention is bed raisers which can be used at bedtime. You may think about using bricks or books to accomplish the task of raising the bed. However, add your own body weight to the bed, you may well end up hurting yourself since your bed is propped up in not a very stable manner.

Bed raisers can be used as a better alternative to using your bricks and books. Bed raisers are placed under the upper legs of your bed and can be adjusted to raise your bed at an angle. You may adjust this angle just enough for you to prevent having to experience acid reflux symptoms in the night.

You can find the specially designed pillows and bed raisers at major departmental stores. These items should be located in the bedding section. You can also purchase them over the web and are usually not all that expensive.

There is no doubt that such interesting inventions exist to help people who are seeking relief from their acid reflux symptoms. You should seriously consider these options if you wish to sleep through the night without getting any disruptions any more.

Acid reflux symptoms can be easily treated with diet and lifestyle changes. For more information and resource, please visit this site here at www.treat-acid-reflux.com

Apple Cider Vinegar Vs Acid Reflux

2008-03-10T05:12:00.000-07:00

Acid reflux has been around forever, and one home remedy has been around nearly as long is apple cider vinegar.

All forms of vinegar have been touted as having medicinal uses for thousands of years. The ancient Greek physician Hippocrates is said to have prescribed it for everything from ear infections to rashes, and the Chinese have long used it to prevent the spread of viruses. Its use as an astringent, where it is more effective than icepacks, is well known.

Apple cider vinegar specifically has been cited as a remedy for acid reflux, or gastroesophegeal reflux disease (GERT). D.C. Jarvis? bestselling book ?Folk Medicine? promoted its use in 1958, and the remedy has been popular ever since.

But does it work? Claims of apple cider vinegar?s effectiveness are anecdotal at best. It?s rarely been tested methodically, the way a drug would be, simply because that kind of research is usually funded by pharmaceutical companies and apple cider vinegar isn?t a pharmaceutical product so of no interest to them. The companies that could benefit from it being proven effective don?t have the money to fund the kind of research required.

Furthermore, most acid reflux remedies vary widely in their efficacy. They work for some people and don?t work for others. Apple cider vinegar may well help some sufferers, but there is no evidence to suggest it would help every person, every time.

It?s important to note that acid reflux isn?t a ?condition? in itself. It?s the SYMPTOM of a condition. The real problem is that the muscle that separates the stomach from the esophagus is weak or compromised, thus allowing stomach acid to splash up into the esophagus. Overeating can cause it (when the stomach becomes overfull; acid is forced upward), and so can lying down after a large meal. Those instances are situational. When you don?t do the things that cause it, you don?t get heartburn.

If you suffer from acid reflux regularly, even without overeating, it may be a chronic condition that requires treatment. That?s where remedies like apple cider vinegar come into play. The Internet is teeming with anecdotes about its usefulness, with almost as many articles explaining that it?s nothing more than folklore. But try telling that to the people for whom it has worked!

Why the variance in opinion? Clearly some cases of acid reflux being cured by apple cider vinegar are just psychosomatic: The sufferer believed it would work, and so it did. In other cases, perhaps the heartburn would have gone away on its own whether the patient drank apple cider vinegar or not.

And there is the possibility that it actually does work for some people. As mentioned, different remedies work for different people when it comes to GERD. It?s hard to cite any one cure as THE best option in every case. The point is, don?t pin all your hopes on a folk remedy whose usefulness is anecdotal and unproven. However, if you are interested to see if it can help your GERD, you could try taking up to 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in 8 oz of water, adding a little honey to taste. Giving it a try won?t hurt (once you get past the bitter taste), and if it doesn?t work, you can move on to something else.

Kathryn Whittaker has an interest in Acid Reflux. For further information on Acid Reflux please visit http://www.naturally-stop-acid-reflux.com/acidreflux.html or http://www.naturally-stop-acid-reflux.com/blog/2006/11/16/apple-cider-vinegar-vs-acid-reflux/

Bad Breath and Acid Reflux

2008-03-10T05:11:00.001-07:00

Is there a connection between bad breath and acid reflux? Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a condition where stomach contents return up the esophagus, sometimes all the way to the mouth, causing heartburn and an unpleasant bitter taste. Many professionals and health writers list GERD as a possible cause of bad breath, but few go into any detail about what produces the bad odor. Given that there may be a demonstrable connection, there are a couple of explanations we can consider.

First, symptoms of bad breath and acid reflux often strike after consumption of a large meal. Many foods, though we love to eat them, don't smell too good on the breath afterwards. These include garlic (probably the best known food cause of bad breath), onions, strong cheeses, spicy foods, alcoholic beverages, and a number of other foods. When a recently consumed meal is pushed back up the esophagus, it wouldn't be surprising that an unpleasant smell is produced on the breath.

Secondly, it's no secret that one's stomach contents don't smell too good. The stomach is an acid environment where foods start to break down in preparation for digestive processes in the intestine. If enough time has passed since the food was consumed, stomach contents that return up the esophagus in a case of GERD will have the sharp acidic smell of vomit - an unpleasant odor producing an atypical halitosis and suggesting a link between bad breath and acid reflux.

Thirdly, in cases of chronic GERD, acid stomach liquids repeatedly come in contact with, and burn, the lining of the esophagus. Because the damage recurs frequently, the tissue never has time to heal completely and is thus chronically irritated with continual production of dead tissue. Dead tissue has an unpleasant odor, and when it is present in the esophagus, it's likely to produce an indirect connection between bad breath and acid reflux.

But, the truth is, there doesn't seem to be a really strong correlation between bad breath and acid reflux itself. A relatively low percentage of people with GERD experience chronic halitosis. Instead, researchers recently reported at the 71st Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology (2006) that there is an apparent connection between proton pump inhibitors (drugs commonly used to treat GERD), and chronic bad breath. The drugs, it seems, may cause an overgrowth of odor producing bacteria in the mouth - and anaerobic odor producing bacteria in the mouth are by far the most common cause of chronic halitosis.

R. Drysdale is a freelance writer with more than 25 years experience as a health care professional. She is a contributing editor to Bad Breath Guide, a blog dedicated to the treatment of bad breath.

Acid Reflux Can Fool You - It Might Really Be a Heart Attack or Vice Versa

2008-03-08T03:06:00.000-08:00

Pain radiating from your chest or surrounding areas can be frightening! The first thing you probably think is that you've had a heart attack -- but that's not necessarily so. You may be having an acid reflux attack instead. Acid reflux causes burning sensations in the chest and throat which can easily be confused with heart pain.

The symptoms of heart pain and acid reflux are similar, but there are some differences. However, don't take a chance with your life! Seek medical care at once if you experience any symptoms that could be related to a heart attack.

There are some distinguishing characteristics you might want to keep in mind, but don't resort to being your own doctor. With that firmly in mind, here are five ways in which heart attacks and acid reflux symptoms differ:

1. A strong feeling of pressure accompanies most heart attacks. The pressure could also be a powerful squeezing sensation. If you are having a heart attack, you may experience a lot of pain or just this feeling of pressing and squeezing. With heart attacks the pain or discomfort will usually go on for more than 10 minutes. If the pain or discomfort rapidly subsides, it probably is not related to the heart. However, you may be having symptoms of angina and that requires medical care as well.

2. If the pain is largely centered around your throat, it is probably due to acid reflux. The burning discomfort is probably the result of stomach acids that have backed up into your esophagus.

3. With heart conditions exercise can be followed by chest pain. This is not usually true of acid reflux since physical activity seldom makes acid reflux act up.

4. After you've eaten a meal, if you experience pain -- that's probably the result of acid reflux or heartburn and not a heart attack.

5. If pain or a tingling sensation spreads from your chest to nearby parts of your body -- such as your shoulders, neck, jaw and arms -- those symptoms may be telling you you're either having a heart attack or angina.

Whenever you experience any discomfort or pain in your chest or surrounding areas, you need to take that as a serious warning signal. Don't ignore the warning, but seek medical care as soon as possible.

Help yourself to a more energetic life with health tips for you. Patricia Wagner writes about a .variety of ways you can be healthier at http://www.a-to-z-wellness.com

Can you cure acid reflux?

2008-03-06T03:55:00.000-08:00

Acid reflux is regurgitation of acidic contents from the stomach into the esophagus. Reflux is prevented by the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) which remains tightly closed and opens when peristaltic waves herald the imminent arrival of swallowed food. When the LES becomes incompetent acid reflux will result.

So can you control your acid reflux? If it is due to true LES incompetence, then there is no cure. You will need maintenance treatment with acid suppressants like omeprazole, or if very severe or you develop secondary problems then fundoplication will relieve your symptoms.

There are, however, various factors that can affect the efficiency of the LES and acid reflux. Consider eliminating these factors that may impact on GERD before seeing your doctor or taking over the counter acid suppressants. Sometimes all you need is a change of lifestyle.

Obesity can cause or contribute to acid reflux. This is especially so in the apple type distribution of weight. The extra weight increases bulk in the upper abdomen and makes it difficult for the esophagus to discharge food effectively into the stomach. In addition obese individuals are prone to developing hiatus hernias. A hiatus hernia can weaken the LES. Losing weight is an important aspect of acid reflux treatment.

Wearing tight fitting clothes can cause acid reflux especially if it is two sizes too small. The increased pressure in the stomach may force acid back up into the esophagus. Wear loose clothes and your reflux symptoms will go away.

Large volume of food in the stomach will put pressure on the LES and can trigger acid reflux. It has happened to us all at some time or other. The large volume also reduces gastric clearance time allowing more opportunity for reflux. Eating smaller portions more frequently will counter this problem.

Certain foods can affect GERD. Cow's milk protein intolerance can cause esophagitis. It is called Allergic Eosinophilic Esophagitis. This is controlled by removing cow's milk protein from the diet. Other foods that can affect the LES include fats, coffee, tea, alcohol, and some spices.

Some drugs can affect the LES and cause acid reflux. These drugs include broncho-dilators such as theophylline, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), tri-cyclic antidepressants ie amitriptylline and drugs for Parkinson's disease.

Female hormones can affect acid reflux. In a Scandinavian Study, women on hormones had increased risk of GERD. These drugs include the contraceptive pill and hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Sedatives and tranquillisers can slow down peristaltic waves in the esophagus affecting clearance of food from the esophagus.

If you are on medication and you have GERD, opt for liquid medication. Certain drugs ie tetracycline are corrosive to the esophageal lining. Tablets and capsules (gelcaps) can lodge in the esophagus. Always drink a glass of water after medication to wash it down into the stomach. Avoid taking medication while lying down. GERD patients should always take medication sitting up or standing and avoid lying down immediately after.

Smoking relaxes the LES and nicotine is corrosive to esophageal lining. Stop smoking and your GERD might improve.

Certain exercises can increase the risk of GERD. This is the case in competitive weightlifting and cycling. Joggers can develop acid reflux symptoms.

If you have acid reflux symptoms, look at all the potential risk factors and eliminate them. If by doing so, your symptoms disappear, you have actually cured your acid reflux. However, if the symptoms persist, the next step is a visit to your doctor.

Dr. Phil Hariram is a retired General Practitioner. He has treated Acid Reflux for 27 years. Find out more about Acid Reflux at http://www.acidrefluxguru.com

Acid Reflux Symptoms - The Ill Effects Of Bulimia

2008-03-06T03:54:00.000-08:00

Your bulimic eating behaviour can create harm to your digestive system and also cause you to develop acid reflux symptoms. You are considered bulimic when you have regular binge eating episodes and then you follow these episodes with purging either through vomiting or taking laxatives of your food. You force yourself to vomit or take laxatives as you do not want to gain weight.

During the binge eating phase, you have found it hard to stop yourself from eating. You end up over stuffing yourself. Instead of consuming one burger, you are eating ten, for instance. When you do this, it may be that you are undergoing some psychological trauma and look for ways to overcome or forget your grief. You are also likely to have a low self esteem and confidence in yourself. It may also be that you are not actually overweight but because you feel extremely guilty over your inability to stop eating, you feel that it is necessary to purge all that food after that.

However, forcing yourself to vomit immediately after eating can cause plenty of harm to your body. Vomiting after eating removes both the food from the stomach and also the acid produced by the stomach for digestion. As you vomit, the stomach acid is forced up your esophagus. Eventually, as you vomit on a regular basis at least once or twice a day, your esophagus becomes itchy and stinging. You develop acid reflux symptoms and also GERD. Increasingly, you will find it tough to even swallow the food properly.

Over the long run, bulimia not only damages your esophagus but can also wear down your stomach lining and eventually result in death. Indeed, people have died because of bulimia and its consequences.

If you do not treat bulimia, then over a long period, you may suffer from malnutrition. Damage to your body can also become permanent for the rest of your life. Sadly, many do not realize the importance of getting treatment until it is too late.

The only way to overcome your eating disorder and get relief from your acid reflux symptoms is to first recognize that you have bulimia. Once you recognize this, then you should get into a treatment program meant to help bulimics. You will need to go through some psychological counseling as it is important to boost your self esteem and confidence. You need to realize that you are hurting yourself with your bulimia eating disorder.

Then again, although you may recover from bulimia, you may continue to have acid reflux symptoms. This is because damage to your esophagus has already been made internally. You will need to consume some medication to help prevent the acid from returning to the esophagus. Some changes also need to be made to your eating and lifestyle habits to keep your acid reflux symptoms under control. However, these changes should place you in good stead to lead a healthy normal life.

Acid reflux symptoms can be easily treated with diet and lifestyle changes. For more information and resource, please visit this site here at http://www.treat-acid-reflux.com

10 Nuggets about Acid Reflux

2008-03-05T04:26:00.000-08:00

1. Acid reflux is common and is increasing in the developed world. A Gollop Poll in USA reported that 44% had symptoms on a monthly basis. GERD is higher in whites and the obese. There is also a higher prevalence in people aged 60-70 years. It is rare in Africans. It is also lower in Eastern countries. In India it is 7.5%, Malaysia 3% and China 0.8%. It is suggested that this incidence will increase as these countries introduce Western diet higher in fats.

2. Lifestyle change is an important aspect of treatment of acid reflux. Some patients show marked improvement after losing only a small amount of weight.

Obesity increases abdominal pressure and affects the lower esophageal sphincter(LES). Large meals distend the stomach and adds pressure on the LES. Certain foods affect the sphincter. Avoid or consume, in moderation, foods such as fats, coffee and alcohol.

3. Antacids neutralise acids in the stomach. This reaction raises the pH and is likely to relieve heartburn or other symptoms of reflux. Trials, however, show that antacids will not heal esophagitis.

The antacids commonly used are magnesium hydroxide, magnesium trisilicate and aluminium hydroxide.

4. Acid Suppressant drugs should be used if lifestyle changes and antacids are ineffective. The first group introduced is the H2-receptor antagonists such as ranitidine. Side effects from this group of drugs are rare.

The newer proton pump inhibitors like omeprazole and lansaprazole are more effective than H2-receptor antagonists. They are safe and long term use has shown no ill effects. They are so effective that most GERD patients that were unresponsive to ranitidine were effectively treated with omeprazole.

5. A complication of GERD is bleeding from esophigitis. This can lead to anaemia especially in children. Stricture is a distressing complication. It can cause pain and difficulty on swallowing. Barrett's esophagus, experts think, develops after damage to the mucosal lining by acid reflux.

6. Most infants will reflux, and conservative measures such as thickened feeds help. Reflux generally subsides before the end of the first year. In the past Barrett's esophagus was thought to be confined to adults but with the introduction of smaller fibreoptic endoscopes, more biopsies are done and Barrett's esophagus is often diagnosed in children.

7. Surgery for acid reflux is very uncommon since the advent of effective acid suppressant medical treatment. Today stricures are not common and there are only a rare few that do not respond to omeprazole as acid reflux treatment.

The commonest procedure is Nissen Fundoplication. Today laparoscopic fundoplication is popular.

8. Smoking makes acid reflux symptoms worse, especially in children. Nicotine relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter allowing acidic stomach contents to reflux up into the esophagus. In addition deposited nicotine in the back of the throat when swallowed, is corrosive to the esophageal lining. Stop smoking if you have acid reflux.

9. Raising the head of the bed is an effective acid reflux treatment. It is useful for nocturnal acid reflux symptoms and reduces sensitisation that results in problems during the day. Tests have shown that adding additional pillows is ineffective.

10. Exercise is a healthy option for everyone and generally will not trigger acid reflux. A study, however, in 2000 showed that competetive weightlifters were more likely to have acid reflux. Competetive cyclists and long distance runners were also studied and the results indicated a higher incidence of GERD. Jogging can increase GERD. If this is the case, then an alternative exercise regime is recommended.

Do not ignore your symptoms. Lifestyle changes may be all that is necessary to control symptoms of GERD but if, in addition to over the counter medications, your symptoms persist see your family doctor. If you have GERD, complications can be severe and the symptoms very distressing.

Dr. Phil Hariram is a retired General Practitioner. He has treated Acid Reflux for 27 years. Find out more about Acid Reflux at http://www.acidrefluxguru.com

Acid Reflux Relief With Coconut

2008-03-04T04:21:00.002-08:00

Tropical countries like the Philippines grow coconuts in abundance. The coconut tree is a very useful tree. People in these areas found plenty of uses for the coconut tree, from its trunk, leaves, and to its fruits. Not a single part of the coconut plant is wasted as all of it has specific uses. With recent developments, the attention of Americans has been brought to the medical values of the coconut fruit. Especially in the past few years, clinical studies showed that components of the coconut have remarkable effects as antihistamines, anti-infectives/antiseptics, enhances and strengthens the immune system as well as a glucocortcoid antagonist. It has also been found that coconuts can effectively relieve acid reflux symptoms.

Acid reflux is a problem faced by many and is caused by common irritation on the walls of the esophagus. This comes about after consuming a meal or a snack. Acid reflux is also commonly known as heartburn because it is often characterized by the tightening of the chest couple with breathing difficulties. Acid reflux may cause some patients to feel a burning sensation in the stomach and the esophagus. Vomiting and a general feeling of being so full are also experienced by these patients. Physicians and other medical practitioners explain that acid reflux is the result of the failure of the Lower Esophageal Sphincter or LES to remain closed. By nature, the Sphincter closes and keeps acid and food in the digestive system. However, when the sphincter fails to close due to an abnormality, food seep back into the esophagus and causes that burning sensation which we commonly call as heartburns. Heartburns are usually associated with poor digestion.

In tropical countries, people rely on coconuts to relieve gas pains and heartburns. How do we use coconut to relieve acid reflux? . There are two ways of administering coconut to relief acid reflux. Firstly, coconut oil can be applied on the stomach as a form of liniment. Secondly, virgin coconut oil can be taken internally by the acid reflux patient. Before administering coconut oil as a form of liniment, you need to prepare the solution by extracting the oil from the coconut fruit. This can be done by grating the pulp of a mature coconut fruit and then squeezing the milk out from the grated pulp. The milk extracted from the coconut pulp will be strained to remove all solids. The coconut milk is then cooked slowly over a low fire until the milk evaporates, leaving the oil behind. The coconut oil extracted will be used as liniment for relieving acid reflux by inducing the sufferer to belch.

The second way of using coconut to relieve acid reflux is to ingest virgin coconut oil. Virgin coconut oil can be extracted from the coconut fruit by placing the coconut milk in an even container for 48 hours until the cream, the water and the oil separates naturally. The oil extracted through this process is a potent anti-oxidant. Research shows that coconut oil, especially in its purest form, is very rich in short and medium chain fatty acids. This shorter chain length allows for faster metabolism and without use of the carnitine transport system which is associated with the oxidation process. This means that with a high quantity of coconut oil in the body would result in a high anti-oxidation capacity.

For more information on curing heartburn and acid reflux visit: http://www.dealstek.info/heartburncure.html

Acid Reflux Heartburn Symptoms May be a Sign of a More Serious Condition

2008-03-04T04:21:00.001-08:00

You just lay down and here it comes, acid reflux is flowing up your esophagus to your throat. It burns and you start to choke and cough. You get up and resign yourself to another night of sleeping in the recliner. Your old nemesis acid reflux heartburn has come again to make your life miserable. You should have invested in the companies that make antacids years ago, because you have spent so much money on their products. You assume it is just ordinary heartburn, but is your diagnosis correct? You have not been to the doctor in a couple of years. Why pay for him to tell you to take Pepsid AC or Maalox, right? Problem is your symptoms may be part of a more serious problem.

Take a couple of minutes and complete this survey:

1. Has your acid reflux heartburn continued to bother you despite changes in what you eat and drink?

2. Do you wake up in the morning with sore throat more than 3 days a week?

3. Do you have to sleep in a recliner or in an upright position to keep acid reflux from flowing up your esophagus?

4. Does your heartburn wake you up several times each night?

5. Do you take over the counter antacids each night before going to bed? If you have answered yes to 3 or more of these questions you may be suffering from more than simple heartburn. You may have GERD or gastroesophageal reflux disease and in some severe cases, something called Erosive GERD.

Acid is eating away at the lining of your esophagus and doing permanent damage. Ignoring this problem will not make it go away and everyday that goes by means more damage to your esophagus. Now what do you do? Well depending on how you did on our survey you need to call your doctor and ask for a referral to a specialist that treats severe cases of acid reflux disease. These specialists are up on the latest treatment options. The next thing to do is begin researching your condition on the Internet. There are thousands of websites that provide information on acid reflux heartburn diseases. Do not put it off or the damage may be permanent.

Why live in misery? It is up to you; take control of your symptoms and disease now.

Acid Reflux Heartburn Cures, http://www.heartburnscures.com

What Really Helps? Acid Reflux Remedies At A Glance.

2008-03-03T03:30:00.001-08:00

Stomach problems can make a person totally sad. Conditions like acid reflux disease can make your days long and nights even longer. There are many instruction medications available today for such conditions but many people prefer to avoid taking many medicines. Natural acid reflux remedies provide welcomed relief for many sufferers.

Basically, acid reflux disease is a result of inflammation in the esophagus. The irritation is caused by liquid from the stomach working its way backwards into the throat. Many people identify the symptoms of this stomach problem known as heartburn. This painful symptom has many of us running to stores looking for acid reflux remedies.

I was not interested in finding acid reflux remedies myself because I had never experienced stomachache until last week. My first bout with the symptom of the stomach problem came as a kind of frightening shock. I thought that something was stuck in my chest and I couldn?t work it out. The feeling was that I would associate with chocking deep in the chest.

After that short experience with stomachache I decided that I had better check out some natural acid reflux remedies. I wasn?t really looking for myself. My husband complains of stomachache every day. I had never really understood what he was feeling until I experienced stomachache.

I can?t get my husband to take an aspirin let alone instruction medication. Mediations that were used in the past as acid reflux remedies had bad consequences. The medicine Propulsid that was used for the stomach illness was taken off of the market after many people died from the medication.

My husband isn?t really excited about taking medication of any type and the track record for medications for this stomach problem is unwelcoming. We decided that natural acid reflux remedies would be the best approaches to his pain. If there is a natural way to take care of a problem that is the way to go.

We found that drinking a lot of clean water each day helps to raise the symptoms associated with the stomach problem. Water helps to balance the pH in your stomach which neutralizes the acids. This is the easiest of the acid reflux remedies to follow.

Other acid reflux remedies include fresh garlic. This came as a huge surprise to both of us. You would think that garlic would disturb the natural balance in your stomach but it does the opposite. Just adding water and garlic to my husband?s diet has proved to be useful acid reflux remedies.

John Wellington provides readers with up-to-date commentaries, articles, and reviews for health, wellness as well as other related information.

Acid Reflux - Learning the Basics

2008-03-01T03:37:00.000-08:00

Having trouble with heartburn? Well, research shows that you are not the only one suffering from this condition. In fact, studies indicate that approximately 1 in every 10 adults in the United States or an alarming 10% suffer every day from this condition and the numbers are expected to rise in the near future!

The occurrence of heartburns usually denotes that the person has a condition commonly known as acid reflux. Acid reflux, medically termed as "reflux esophagitis" or "gastroesophageal reflux disease" (GERD), is a condition whereby the contents of the stomach are regurgitated or are returned back into the esophagus.

What causes acid reflux?

To understand this disease, we must be aware of how our digestive system works. As food enters the stomach, it is acted upon by the stomach acids and various digestive enzymes whose primary function is to break down the food so that the body can use it. The partially digested food, which is now acidic in nature, is then transported to the small intestine for further digestion.

However, this is not the case in patients afflicted with acid reflux. Those with this condition have a weakened lower esophageal sphincter (LES) which makes the regurgitation or passing of acidic gastric juices back from the stomach and up into the esophagus possible. In some cases, the acidic gastric contents even rise up as high as the mouth of an affected individual.

Among the factors which may contribute to the development of acid reflux are obesity, pregnancy, delayed emptying of stomach contents and the excessive intake of fatty foods. Smoking and drinking increase the body's caffeine and alcohol load which are also known causes of acid reflux.

Acid reflux is not only painful and annoying. Frequent regurgitation irritates the lining of the esophagus, which may lead to ulceration and scarring. At worst, it may even lead to the development of esophageal cancer.

What are the other symptoms associated with acid reflux?

Aside from frequent and painful heartburn, a person suffering from acid reflux may have the following symptoms:

. Regurgitation or the rising up of partially digested food in the stomach back into the esophagus or at times, even as high as the mouth
. Chest pains
. Difficulty in swallowing
. Voice becomes hoarse
. Corrosion of the dental cavities
. Asthma
. Persistent coughing while lying down
. Increased production of saliva
. Difficulty in sleeping after eating

How is acid reflux treated?

The symptoms associated with acid reflux greatly interfere with the performance of daily activities. The majority of the symptoms of this ailment bring such discomfort that the quality of life of a person with this condition is greatly affected.

The condition can last for several months. It may even last longer in cases where the condition is not treated early or not addressed properly.

In our modern society, acid reflux is usually treated by controlling the acidity of the stomach. As such, over the counter antacids such as magnesium hydroxide, aluminum hydroxide, calcium carbonate and aluminum-magnesium hydroxide are widely being used. Likewise, histamine H2 antagonists (cimetidine, ranitidine) and proton pump inhibitors (omeprazole) are also being prescribed. Some, however, swear by the effectiveness of several herbs such as licorice and aloe vera in treating this disease.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Acid Reflux

Four Major Complications of Acid Reflux

2008-03-01T03:36:00.000-08:00

Many people ignore the symptoms of acid reflux. They develop the habit of chewing antacids after meals, and don't think about it until the next bout of heartburn begins. Ignoring frequent acid reflux can lead to four major health complications. These four complications are esophageal cancer, Barrett's esophagus, esophagitis and esophageal strictures.

The lining of the esophagus becomes irritated from stomach acid splashing on it. Each time this happens, new tissue must grow to cover the damaged tissue. After repeated irritation, the cells of this tissue begin to change, and have pre-cancerous tendencies. If no treatment is started, a tumor can begin to grow in the lining of the esophagus. Symptoms of esophageal cancer include heartburn, difficulty swallowing, food being stuck in the esophagus, weight loss, and vomiting of blood. Left untreated the tumor will eventually block the esophagus, so no food or liquid can pass into the stomach. It can also grow through the walls of the esophagus and into other parts of the body. The treatment for this type of cancer depends on how advanced it is when the doctor diagnoses it, and if it has spread to other organs.

Another frequent complication of untreated acid reflux is Barrett's esophagus. This condition results in changes in the type of tissue that lines the esophagus. These tissue changes can lead to a rare type of cancer known as esophageal adenocarcinoma. This condition is generally found in people sixty years old and over, and it is extremely difficult to diagnose.

Esophagitis refers to inflammation and swelling of the lining of the esophagus. As the stomach acid splashes up and onto the lining of the esophagus, the irritation causes this swelling and inflammation. If not treated, difficultly swallowing, and esophageal ulcers will develop. Occasionally, these ulcers will become so severe that they begin to bleed. At that point, immediate medical attention is needed to stop the bleeding. Once this condition is diagnosed, it is easily treated with medications to reduce the acid reflux, and antibiotics if an infection is present.

The last major complication of acid reflux is esophageal strictures. This is a narrowing of the esophagus, caused by a build up of scar tissue. This condition leads to difficulty swallowing, regurgitation of food, as well as weight loss. There is a variety of treatments for esophageal strictures, such as stretching the esophagus, or surgery.

If you frequently suffer from acid reflux, or take antacids more that three times each week for heartburn, it is time to see your health professional. Ignoring your symptoms can be hazardous to your health.

Gerri Stone publishes information to help you find relief from acid reflux at http://www.StomachSolutions.com.

Pain Management: Hiatal Hernia or Acid Reflux? - How to Cure Both

2008-02-29T02:52:00.000-08:00

Acid Reflux - Hiatal Hernia

The Hiatal Hernia - Acid Reflux has been called the "great mimic", because it mimics many disorders. A person with this condition can get such severe pains in their chest that they think they are having a heart attack. They may think they have an over acid stomach because they will regurgitate stomach acid after they eat, or their stomach may hurt so badly they will think they have an ulcer. This is just a sampling of the symptoms that may occur from this disorder.

We always recommend that you see a medical professional to make sure there is nothing seriously wrong.

What is a Hiatal Hernia?

When you swallow, your food passes down a long tube known as the esophagus into the stomach. This tube must pass through a muscle known as the diaphragm, which is located near the bottom of your rib cage.

This opening in the diaphragm, which permits the esophagus to pass through, is regulated by a sphincter muscle (or "valve"), which relaxes and opens, when we swallow, to permit the food to pass through the diaphragm and into the stomach. This sphincter or valve closes to prevent stomach acid from coming back up into the throat.

A hiatal hernia-acid reflux occurs when the top of the stomach rolls or slides up into this opening and becomes stuck there.

Naturally, when part of the stomach is forced up into the diaphragm the sphincter muscle cannot close properly.

Thus, stomach acid may travel back up into the esophagus causing burning sensations (heartburn), esophageal spasms, inflammations and ulcers. (known as the Acid Reflux)

Your diaphragm is a muscle. The diaphragm has three large openings for passage of the aorta, esophagus, and vena cana. When you don't use your diaphragm to breathe, it weakens, and becomes flaccid.

This allows your stomach to be pushed through your diaphragm by gas pressure in your digestive tract in what is known as a hiatal hernia. The resulting pain is often confused for the onset of a heart attack.

A flaccid diaphragm most often results from chest breathing or shallow breathing.

The digestive tract has a series of one way valves to keep food material moving in the correct direction: the esophageal valve in the esophagus, a sphincter muscle valve between the esophagus and the stomach. The pyloric valve between the stomach and the small intestine, the ileocecal valve between the small intestine and the large intestine, and the Houston valve in the descending colon.

When one or more of these valves malfunctions, pressure from gas in the intestines may force food material to back up, pushing stomach acid into the esophagus.

The interesting discovery that we made with our studies in kinesiology was the relationship between these valves and the diaphragm muscle.

The valves generally do not malfunction as long as the diaphragm muscle remains strong and in balance. Once the diaphragm muscle weakens one or more of these valves may malfunction leading to a hiatal hernia and/or acid reflux.

Once the causes of mock heart attack (hiatal hernia) and acid reflux are properly identified, the preferred treatment becomes apparent. Both conditions can be corrected by doing diaphragmatic breathing exercises that both strengthen the diaphragm muscle and force the stomach down and out of the diaphragm.

Technique in Practicing Using The Diaphragm

1. Place your hand on your stomach When you take an in-breath your stomach goes out. 2. When you release your breath your stomach goes in.

This may be difficult to do at the beginning. To practice, you can lie on your back and put a book on your stomach. Concentrate with your in-breath pushing the book up and letting it fall when you release your breath.

This exercise can be done on the spot in whatever position you happen to be, standing, sitting, or lying down.

What I have discovered is that when I went to bed at night and did not feel very well, I would put my hand on my stomach and concentrate when taking an in breath to push my stomach out and feel it relax when I let my breath out. I would do this slowly.

The ultimate answer is learning to breathe with your diaphragm all the time. This involves regular practice of diaphragmatic breathing, and a continuing consciousness of how you are breathing.

As you continue this over a period of time, diaphragmatic breathing will become automatic.

A further benefit of diaphragmatic breathing is improved airflow into the lower parts of the lungs and better oxygenation

Once again we have found that helping your body to heal itself through muscle and energy balancing often provides satisfactory results in the long run.

Proper diaphragmatic breathing is important for our overall well-being. Proper diaphragmatic breathing assists us to properly oxygenate our body, particularly during physical exercise, reducing chronic fatigue due to shallow breathing.

It also helps us to maintain proper muscle tone in our diaphragm. This in turn helps us to hold our abdominal organs in the proper position and to reduce abdominal and chest pains. This is often helpful after eating to reduce gastronomic distress.

Another important feature of the Barhydt basic balances is that they always drive the body-mind toward equilibrium (or balance).

A person cannot harm himself or herself by doing these balancing exercises. Just do the exercise if you feel it may be helpful; it generally takes just a few seconds in any case. This makes basic balancing exercises appropriate for self-help.

Another benefit I have discovered when I learned to breathe using my diaphragm is that I can eat most anything like tomato-based foods (ketchup, spaghetti sauce), citrus fruits, mint, and even chocolate within moderation.

Visit http://www.Lovinglife.org for tips and tools for stress management and pain management. Visit my blog at http://www.lovinglifehealth.org Dr. Elizabeth Barhydt, A Muscle Stress Specialist on How To Relieve Stress, Pain and Learning Blocks Emotionally and Physically without Drugs.

Number 1 Acid Reflux Diet Tip - Eat Frequent, Eat Small

2008-02-27T02:56:00.001-08:00

Diet does not really directly cause acid reflux. But acid reflux can be aggravated by the food and drinks we take. Hence to look for a cure for acid reflux, we also need to create a good acid reflux diet plan that helps to ease the condition. And the number 1 tip we are going to learn today is to eat frequent, small meals instead of less frequent big meals.

There are 2 ways to carry out this step. You can either eat smaller and more frequent meals in a day, or avoid eating a big and heavy meal in a day. A lot of people, especially those who are always busy in work, tend to skip meals and eat 1 big meal at a time. This can perhaps be a tough habit to stop. Just try to remember this key point that may help you to keep your diet in check: eat when you are hungry and stop eating when you feel comfortable.

By constantly remind ourselves with this point, we will start to eat smaller sized meals over time. And by eating smaller meals we get hungry sooner and ends up eating more often, which is what we want to achieve. Keep your stomach full is not ideal if you have acid reflux condition. A stomach that is full is more like to have an acid reflux attack that cause stomach acid to flow into the esophagus, resulting in heartburn.

Hence eating more often and smaller amount at a time is particularly helpful for people with acid reflux. Smaller, low fat meals do not stay in the stomach for a long time and move more quickly into the intestines as compared to large meals. The shorter the time for food to be in the stomach reduce the chance for acid reflux to occur.

Also large meals are not welcomed because it put more pressure on the stomach, especially the esophageal sphincter and cause it to open easily. Once the sphincter opens, it will give the stomach acid a chance to splash up the esophagus. Researchers have confirmed that the large volume the food takes up in the stomach can easily induce an acid reflux attack.

So, start making this first change to your acid reflux diet plan by eating frequently and eating smaller meals each time. This is not only good for acid reflux, it is also good for health. A heavy meal in the afternoon always makes one feel sleepy right? Stay tune for more food tips to acid reflux.

Click for more top and latest info on Acid Reflux Diet or visit http://acid-reflux.greenhealthinformation.com.

Christopher Wen is the webmaster for greenHealth information site where he provides articles, news, and remedies to current health issues we faced in our everyday life. Check out his blog at http://greenhealthinformation.com.

Acid Reflux, Hereditary and Tips For Control

2008-02-27T02:55:00.000-08:00

Have you ever asked the question if your acid reflux disease and symptoms are hereditary? Some studies have been made and suggest to a degree that hereditary may play a part in acid reflux conditions.

Many doctors believe that just under 50 percent of those suffering from chronic heartburn and acid reflux can find the condition traced back to the genes. Those not in the gene pool usually finds their problems come from other sources, including work stress, diet and foods they consume.

The most common digestive disease or disorder in the world is acid reflux with about 1 in 5 suffering from heartburn and/or experiencing the burn of acid in the throat or esophagus. A greater risk exist for those who experience this burning / churning regularly to develop esophageal cancer.

Hereditary may play a part but many other potential areas for cause need to be considered, many of them focus on the foods we eat.

Top of the list and the foods most people link with acid reflux is fried and fatty foods. You know how you feel after eating these foods ? slow and dragging, the same description could be applied to your digestive system. These types of foods slow down the digestion process causing food to remain in the stomach longer. Large meals can also be a problem by increasing the pressure on the stomach and can allow the acids or contents to move upward into the esophagus.

Other foods can cause the lower sphincter muscle to relax causing the came results as the fried or fatty foods. These foods often contain caffeine like tea, coffee and soft drinks. Citrus juices and fruits, chocolate is another and tomato-based foods or products are another common cause of acid reflux.

Alcohol can increase in stomach acid, tobacco and its destructive chemicals and compounds can slowly weaken the digestive system and esophagus making individuals more prone to acid reflux disease.

Although hereditary may contribute to some people suffering with heartburn, GERD and acid reflux disease and its symptoms, by watching the foods we eat and when we eat them can offer increased ability to control the problem.

If you suffer or experience heartburn regularly consult with your doctor for find out what the potential cause and what actions need to be taken to remedy the problem.

Jill Seimer writes on diet issues at RefluxLife.com and reported on natural healing of heartburn from her experience dealing with acid reflux in her family.

Free Yourself of Acid Reflux Drug Addiction

2008-02-26T04:07:00.001-08:00

The incidence of acid reflux is greater in people over the age of forty, but it can affect anyone, even infants. Acid reflux affects people of every age, socioeconomic class and race.

Simply put, acid reflux occurs when stomach acid splashes up through the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) into the esophagus and throat. This reflux of acid can be the result of many things including diet, alcohol consumption, smoking, hiatal hernia, stress and even pregnancy. When this refluxed acid hits the tender lining of the esophagus, it causes a painful burning sensation in the chest and, or throat. Other symptoms include difficulty in swallowing (dysphagia), hoarseness, asthma and dental erosion.

If left untreated, this condition can evolve into more severe and life threatening diseases like Barrett?s Esophagus, which is a precursor to esophageal cancer. In an attempt to avoid the more serious consequences of acid reflux, people are resorting more and more to pharmaceutical drugs.

There are three classifications of drugs which treat and acid reflux. The first of these are antacids, which neutralize the acid in your stomach and are at best only a temporary fix. They are loaded with harmful ingredients such as sodium and aluminum. The next group of drugs is called H2 Blockers. They reduce the amount of acid that the stomach produces and provide longer lasting relief than antacids. Finally there are the PPI drugs (proton pump inhibitors), which shut off the proton pumps in the stomach that manufacture hydrochloric acid.

PPI drugs should only be used for eight weeks, at most. It says so right on the package. Doctors certainly know this but allow if not encourage most patients to continue taking these drugs on a permanent basis.

PPI drugs actually shut down the pumps that produce the stomach acid necessary to digest and assimilate food. This is an essential function of our physical anatomy. Another point of concern is that stomach acid keeps very dangerous bacteria, which live in the stomach and intestines, in check.

There are, unfortunately, no studies that can determine the long term effects of these drugs. We do, however, know what the potential harmful side effects are and there are hundreds of them. They include: allergic reaction, back and chest pain, fatigue, fever, flu-like disorder, hypertension, constipation, GI hemorrhage, vomiting, tinnitus, anemia, vitamin B12 deficiency, weight gain, arthritis, fibromyalgia syndrome, anorexia, depression, dizziness, impotence, insomnia, migraine, visual field defect, menstrual disorder, asthma aggravated, pharyngitis, acne, taste loss, fungal infection and Barrett?s esophagus ? just to mention a few!

The medical community would have us believe that drugs are the only answer to the problem of acid reflux. Doctors are not taught nutrition or natural healing techniques in med school. As a result they depend on prescription drugs to treat the symptoms of acid reflux disease. They unfortunately know nothing about how to cure the condition itself.

PPI drugs are very big business. Annual global sales for PPI drugs alone reached well over six billion dollars in 2002. One can only guess what those statistics are today. One can only imagine the extent of the damage these drugs are causing people all over the world.

I am happy to say that we are not limited to pharmaceuticals in order to rid ourselves of the acid reflux condition. There are many alternative techniques and procedures which can be employed to accomplish that end. As a veteran of the acid reflux drug battle, I am living proof that one can heal themselves of acid reflux by using what I call natural medicine.

When I found out that my doctor had exhausted all possibilities of helping me, outside of the PPI drug regime, I knew that I was on my on. I had to heal myself. To my surprise, through research and study, I found that curing acid reflux disease is really quite simple.

With a few modest changes in lifestyle and with the help of several natural remedies, one can absolutely win the battle against acid reflux without the use of drugs.

There are many natural ingredients found in any health store, which can help during the acid reflux recovery period. Herbs, such as marshmallow, slippery elm and bladderwrack have wonderful healing properties. Aloe vera, licorice and natural honey can sooth the esophagus and assist in the healing process. Chewing gum between meals actually neutralizes stomach acid.

There are many simple things which contribute to the acid reflux condition which most people overlook; insufficient water consumption is one of them. Eating too rapidly and chewing food improperly is another.

Eating smaller, more frequent meals is helpful. Substituting Kukicha Twig tea for coffee makes the body more alkaline. Have fruit, like bananas and melons instead of cereal for breakfast. Snacks of walnuts, almonds and more fruit will keep you going throughout the day. At dinner eat lightly and at least two hours before retiring. You certainly don?t have to starve yourself, but try to stay away from those acid reflux ?trigger? foods.

It does take a new approach to life, in general, to heal a stubborn acid reflux condition. Think of it as an exciting challenge. You will feel so much better and your health will improve. It will have been worth the effort.

In a society where convenience sometimes takes precedence over common sense, pills have taken the place of ancient healing techniques and natural therapies. Drugs taken on a regular basis can be more dangerous than the illness itself.

Take command of your health and use natural resources to free yourself of those acid reflux drugs.

? 2006 Wind Publishing

For free recipes, articles and information, visit: http://www.refluxgoneforever.com

Charles Stewart Richey is a self-educated expert on how to cure acid reflux disease by natural means. He has written an extensive report entitled, REFLUX GONE FOREVER, Natural Acid Reflux Remedies.

For free recipes, articles and information, visit: http://www.refluxgoneforever.com

Remedies For Acid Reflux Disease - 7 All Natural Tips!

2008-02-20T01:15:00.000-08:00

Acid reflux or GERD (gastroesophigeial reflux disease) is caused when stomach acid leaves the stomach and enters the esophagus. When this happens, a mild to severe burning sensation can be felt in the esophagus. Because of this uncomfortable burning sensation, the term heart burn was coined to describe this disorder.

The cells of the stomach lining are equipped to handle exposure to hydrochloric acid.These special stomach cells secrete large quantities of mucous that creates a barrier between the acid and the stomach lining. When functioning properly, the lower esophageal sphincter stops stomach acid from moving into the esophagus by creating a barrier between the esophagus and the contents of the stomach.

With GERD, the sphincter relaxes between swallows thereby allowing acid to escape into the unprotected esophagus. Unfortunately, the cells of the esophagus are not equipped to handle exposure to hydrochloric acid. Because of this, acid reflux can cause very uncomfortable burning sensations in the lining of the esophagus.

The safest approach to controlling acid reflux disease is to actively manage the factors that are know to cause acid reflux. Follow these tips to begin taking control of your acid reflux today!

#1 Work to maintain a healthy bodyweight. Obesity increases abdominal pressure which can force stomach contents into the esophagus, because of this it has been linked to acid reflux disease. Limit the amount of foods that you eat and add regular exercise to your daily routine. This will help you to maintain a healthy bodyweight.

#2 Avoid eating within 2 - 3 hours of bedtime. This will allow your body adequate time to digest the foods that you have eaten. Eating a large meal prior to bedtime will ensure that your body will be digesting the foods as you sleep. If your body is digesting foods and you are in a sleeping position, you are increasing the chance that stomach contents and acids will leak out into your esophagus.

#3 Limit greasy foods, chocolate, caffeine, garlic, onions, spicy foods and citrus fruit. All of these foods have been shown to increase occurrences of acid reflux.

#4 The choices that you make in your everyday life will have an impact on the frequency of acid reflux flare-ups. By limiting your alcohol intake and refraining from smoking, you will be eliminating two of the most common causes of acid reflux.

#5 Work to maintain good posture. Slouching, especially while seated, can allow your sphincter to relax. This in turn allows stomach acid to reflux into your esophagus.

#6 Avoid working out, bending, or stooping on a full stomach. If you are prone to acid reflux flare-ups, any type of movement on a full stomach is a bad idea.

#7 Elevate your head while you sleep. Lying down flat creates pressure in your abdomen. By elevating your head a few inches, you can alleviate some of this pressure. Try elevating the top portion of your bed by placing wood blocks underneath the feet of your bed.

Hopefully these tips will help you to take control of your acid reflux disease. If you implement them today, you will be on your way to feeling a difference tomorrow!

Did you find these tips helpful? For more information on controlling heartburn and acid reflux disease visit: http://heartburn.free-fit.com

10 Nuggets about Acid Reflux.

2008-02-20T01:12:00.000-08:00

1. Acid reflux is common and increasing in the developed world. A Gollop Poll in USA reported that 44% had symptoms on a monthly basis. GERD is higher in whites and the obese. There is also a higher prevalence in people aged 60-70 years. It is rare in blacks. It is also lower in Eastern countries. In India it is 7.5%, Malaysia 3% and China 0.8%. It is suggested that this incidence will increase as these countries introduce Western diet higher in fats.

2. Lifestyle change is an important aspect of treatment of acid reflux. Some patients show marked improvement after losing only a small amount of weight.

Obesity increases abdominal pressure and affects the lower esophageal sphincter(LES). Large meals distend the stomach and adds pressure on the LES. Certain foods affect the sphincter. Avoid or comsume in moderation, food such as fats, coffee and alcohol.

3. Antacids neutralise acids in the stomach. This reaction raises the pH and is likely to relieve heartburn or other symptoms of reflux. Trials, however, show that antacids will not heal esophagitis.

The antacids commonly used are magnesium hydroxide, magnesium trisilicate and aluminium hydroxide.

4. Acid Suppressant drugs should be used if lifestyle changes and antacids are ineffective. The first group introduced are the H2-receptor antagonists such as ranitidine. Side effects from this groups of drugs are rare.

The newer proton pump inhibitors like omeprazole and lansaprazole are more effective than H2-receptor antagonists. They are safe and long term use has shown no ill effects. They are so effective that most GERD patients that were unresponsive to ranitidine were effectively treated with omeprazole.

5. A complication of GERD is bleeding from esophigitis. This can lead to anaemia especially in children. Stricture is a distressing complication. It can cause pain and difficulty on swallowing. Barrett's esophagus, experts think, develop after damage to the mucosal lining by acid reflux.

6. Most infants reflux, and conservative measures such as thickened feeds help. Reflux generally subside before the end of the first year. In the past Barrett's esophagus was thought to be confined to adults but with the introduction of smaller fibreoptic endoscopes, more biopsies are done and Barrett's esophagus are being diagnosed in children.

7. Surgery for acid reflux is very uncommon since the advent of effective acid suppressant medical treatment. Today stricures are not common and there are only a rare few that do not respond to omeprazole as acid reflux treatment.

The commonest procedure is Nissen Fundoplication. Today laparoscopic fundoplication is popular.

8. Smoking makes acid reflux symptoms worse, especially in children. Nicotine relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter allowing acidic stomach contents to reflux up into the esophagus. In addition deposited nicotine in the back of the throat when swallowed is corrosive to the esophageal lining. Stop smoking if you have acid reflux.

9. Raising the head of the bed is an effective acid reflux treatment. It is useful for nocturnal acid reflux symptoms and reduces sensitisation that results in problems during the day. Tests have shown that adding additional pillows is ineffective.

10. Do not ignore your symptoms. Lifestyle changes may be all that is necessary to control your symptoms but if, in addition to over the counter medications ,your symptoms persist see your family doctor. If you have GERD, complications can be severe and the symptoms very distressing.

Dr.Phil Hariram is a retired General Practitioner. He has treated Acid Reflux for 27 years. Find out more about Acid Reflux at http://www.acidrefluxguru.com