Apple Cider Vinegar Vs Acid Reflux

        

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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/

Number 1 Acid Reflux Diet Tip - Eat Frequent, Eat Small

        

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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 - The Silent Killer?

        

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You may not be familiar with the term acid reflux even though you've probably suffered from it countless times during your life. Acid reflux is also known as Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD for short) or even more commonly it's referred to as heartburn. Why are there so many names for such a, seemingly, harmless condition? The correct clinical term for heartburn is GERD although anyone trying to explain that they have severe indigestion will find it far easier to stay they have heartburn instead of trying to blurt out gastroesophageal reflux disease. The acid reflux title is a description of what actually occurs in the stomach during heartburn so as you can see it's far more complicated than you previously thought.

So what exactly is acid reflux? GERD is when your stomach has produced too much acid in its attempt to digest food held there. This extra acid and other fluids then move back up your into your esophagus (the tube connecting your stomach and your throat)and begin to cause both pain and damage in this area. That burning sensation you feel in your chest is the direct result of very powerful stomach acid eating away at the tissue in your esophagus. If this happens every once in a while your body can cope with the damage. If, however, this is a daily occurence then the damage can become permanent and even life threating. Yes life threatening.

Most people pass heartburn off as a temporary problem that they can "cure" by taking a fistful of antacids and avoiding spicy food for 24 hours. This simply isn't so. Acid reflux/heartburn can have far more serious implications than simply being uncomfortable. In the most extreme cases acid reflux can lead to the development of a type of cancer which, if left untreated, can be fatal. That's the most surprising fact for most people - they never, ever assume that something like acid reflux might potentially kill them.

This type of cancer starts off as a condition known as Barrett's Esophagus (also known as intestinal metaplasia). During prolonged bouts of acid reflux (over a period of years) tissue in the esophagus gets replaced with tissues that are normally only found in the stomach and intestine. This abnormal tissue growth can then lead to a type of cancer developing which is known as esophageal adenocarcinoma. The most worrying aspect of this cancer is that normally it's not detected until the patient is in their 60's and at that stage it's normally too late to treat the cancer.

Should you rush off to your doctor to have a full medical because you get heartburn once in a while? No and the purpose of this article is not to cause a panic. If, however, you find yourself suffering from acid reflux almost every day then it is a recognized medical condition and there are prescription treatments available. Don't leave your health to chance for the sake of a quick trip to the family doctor for their advice and guidance on the matter.

This article was provided by Aaron Walker at RefluxNow.com. You can learn a lot more about acid reflux and its causes by reading the information there.

Burning For Two - Acid Reflux And Indigestion While Pregnant

        

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If you sit and talk to any group of pregnant women anywhere in the world about the various discomforts they must endure during pregnancy they will all likely agree on one that is worst than most. What is it? Acid reflux. Many years ago there was an old wives tale that women who suffered from heartburn would give birth to a child with a full head of hair. This, of course, is purely mythical. That aside acid reflux is still a hugely annoying thing to have to endure while you are pregnant.

Reasons For Acid Reflux In Pregnant Women There are several reasons why pregnant women are more likely to experience heartburn:

1. Hormone levels in a pregnant woman are far higher than a woman who is not pregnant. This dramatic increase in hormone levels can have a huge effect on every aspect of your body and especially your digestive system. The most common effect is that the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) can loosen up a bit. This is a type of valve which typically holds the food in your stomach. If this valve is loose then acid can flow back upwards into your gullet (esophagus). You will then experience heartburn to a varying degree.

2. During pregnancy your body will change shape. This normally does not happen until later in pregnancy. When these changes do happen your stomach area will keep expanding and this expansion is what can lead to acid reflux. Your stomach enlarging in this way puts far more pressure on the esophagus which can then lead to indigestion and acid reflux in general.

Is There Anything You Can Do?

There is always something you can do to help yourself! Firstly watch what you eat. Citrus foods, mint, spicy foods, fried foods, and chocolate should all be avoided as much as possible.

Eat smaller meals too.

This will help a lot if you experience a lot of morning (and daytime, evening and nighttime) sickness too. If you eat several small meals throughout the day you are far less likely to experience heartburn. Your body will be able to process those small meals far easier than 2 or 3 large ones.

Correct Your Posture

Believe it or not practicing correct posture can help an awful lot with acid reflux. Be especially careful of how you bend. While pregnant you should always bend down at the knees - although later you will have no choice but to do so as your stomach expands. However earlier on in your pregnancy bending down at the knees will put far less pressure on your stomach and therefore your esophagus. This can and will help you with the discomforts of indigestion.

You can fight back against acid reflux during your pregnancy. You simply have to choose to. Do not suffer in silence however and do not ever be afraid to consult with your doctor for medication if the heartburn becomes too painful to bear.

Helping others drives Jill Seimer with a passion but writing on healthy living at RefluxLife.com she recently published personal experiences on Acid Reflux in Children and dealing with infant acid reflux.

How to Calm the Raging Inferno of Acid Reflux

        

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More than 60 million people suffer with acid reflux disease every week of their life. Acid reflux is a very unpleasant and annoying condition. It is not considered to be a severe condition such as acid reflux, unless it occurs over twice a week over a time span of several months. If acid reflux disease goes untreated for a prolonged period of time, it can cause permanent damage to the esophagus.

Acid reflux disease is caused by acid from the stomach washing back up into the esophagus repeatedly. This happens when the lower esophageal sphincter becomes weak and relaxed. The main cause of the relaxed esophageal sphincter muscle is high fat foods which have been shown in studies to temporarily weaken the esophageal sphincter muscle.

The most common symptoms of acid reflux disease are a burning sensations in the chest, a sour acidic taste in your mouth, sore throat, and bad breath. Usually laying down right after eating will make symptoms worsen. Many people suffering from acid reflux have found relief in positioning their bed in an upright position. They usually do this by putting 4 to 6 inch blocks under the 2 bedposts at the head of the bed.

The answer to most people who suffer with acid reflux disease is to reach for an antacid. These are o.k. for short term use, but reducing the acid in the stomach is not the answer. In recent research, results indicated that reducing the acid in the stomach can cause several other diseases. So, what can you do? When you have acid reflux you absolutely have to have relief- and the quicker the better.

To start with, you can use these tips to help wean yourself off of the antacids for good. Lifestyle changes can go a long way in helping keep the flames at bay. Things such as quitting smoking, drinking, and reducing stress will set you on the right road. Then, making changes in your diet is the best thing you can do to keep acid down in the stomach where it belongs.

The first thing to do is start eating foods that are high in fiber. Then make sure that you eat smaller meals so you wont overfill the stomach, causing sloshing of the fluids in the stomach up into the esophagus.

Eat more complex carbohydrate foods and lay off of the fried fatty foods. Last of all, but not least it will help you tremendously if you can start an exercising program.

The most common foods that are known for causing acid reflux are fried foods, caffeine, and alcohol. Smoking also causes the esophageal muscle to relax causing a problem for acid reflux sufferers.

There are even some medications that can cause problems for some patients with acid reflux disease.

Be sure to consult with your physician concerning interactions of medications he has prescribed. A physician administering an acid reflux treatment usually prescribes various drugs as a first line of defense.

The stomach is designed to be very acidic with a pH of 3.0 or less. When your stomach has the proper pH, it digests your food so that it is broken down into vitamins, minerals, and amino acids that are absorbed. When the acid is reduced greatly in the stomach by antacids, it leaves too little acid for the functions in which it was designed for. Vitamins and minerals are severely depleted in cases where the patient continues over long periods of time to consume antacids.

Herbal supplements have rapidly gained popularity over the past decade because they are safe and affordable solutions for chronic health problems. Herbal supplements are a natural and effective solution for revitalizing your health. There are several herbs that are well known for alleviating heartburn. One of my favorites is a very refreshing drink- ginger tea. As always, consult your physician before taking any treatment of any kind.

Sign up for free monthly newsletter at- http://www.AlternativeHealthReporter.com Natural herbal remedies with an amazing 365 day guarantee. http://www.AlternativeHealthReporter.com

What Causes Acid Reflux?

        

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Though the root causes are often unclear, perhaps the most prevalent acid reflux cause is a poor diet. Acid reflux occurs during digestion, when the stomach churns up acid or refluxes it into the esophagus, causing a burning sensation in the chest or throat.

Though the root causes are often unclear, perhaps the most prevalent acid reflux cause is a poor diet. Acid reflux occurs during digestion, when the stomach churns up acid or refluxes it into the esophagus, causing a burning sensation in the chest or throat.

So if you eat too many highly acidic foods like tomato sauces and/or fatty, fried foods, the stomach has to process an overabundance of acid. Too much acid can push back through a valve between the stomach and the esophagus called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). Acid reflux culprits include but are not limited to tomato based sauces, fried and fatty foods, chocolate, alcohol, citrus fruits, peppers, and caffeinated beverages.

Along the same lines as diet, overeating also causes reflux. When you overeat, the stomach cant keep up with the demand to process all the acids. So food gets backed up, and digestive acids infiltrate the esophageal valve to cause that unpleasant burning feeling centered in the chest.

Also diet-related, another acid reflux cause is being overweight. There is a clear correlation between being overweight and a notable increase in the occurrence of acid reflux. Many believe this is because the extra weight puts more pressure on the stomach and esophagus. This pressure has been known to open the lower esophageal sphincter (esophagus valve), when the valve should be closed. This allows acid to escape into the esophagus.

Other factors that create a predisposition for acid reflux include smoking, use of alcohol, food allergies, certain medications, and lying down after meals. As you can tell, most of these factors can be overcome by practicing some behavioral modifications. In fact, in many cases of recurrent acid reflux, lifestyle changes are all that is necessary in preventing heartburn from becoming a chronic disease. Remember to consult a physician before embarking on any treatment strategy.

Acid Reflux provides comprehensive information on the cause, symptoms, treatment, and diet associated with normal and infant acid reflux. For more information go to Acid Reflux and/or visit its sister site at Pain Relief Web for related information.

Acid Reflux Symptoms and Treatment

        

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Acid reflux (also known as GERD or heartburn) is a common condition -- Over 60 million Americans experience it at least once a month.

For some, acid reflux is a temporary phenomenon experienced only when eating too much, or eating particular types of food e.g. spicy foods. But for many others, acid reflux can be a painful and persistent condition.

What Is Acid Reflux?

Acid reflux occurs when the lower oesophageal sphincter (that normally closes after swallowing to prevent stomach contents from escaping) malfunctions and allows stomach acid to travel up the oesophagus. When this occurs, a painful sensation is felt.

What are the Symptoms of Acid Reflux?

The symptoms of acid reflux are a painful burning sensation in the upper chest and/or regurgitation of acid into the mouth. Some patients will even develop nausea although this is less common. Although often called heartburn, the pain should not be mistaken for that associated with a true heart attack or cardiac arrest which would be accompanied by tightness of and pounding in the chest, weakness and feeling faint.

What are the Treatments for Acid Reflux?

Fortunately there are many treatments available for acid reflux.

Antacids are usually the first port of call for many acid reflux sufferers. For short term and infrequent attacks of acid reflux, these provide much needed temporary relief. However, as a long term solution they are not suitable and alternatives should be sought.

Any sufferer of regular acid reflux should keep a diary of everything they eat and drink. Over time, patterns can be established and many people report elimination or reduction of acid reflux symptoms after changing their diet accordingly to eliminate problematic food or drink.

If dietary changes have little or no effect, there are various families of drugs that are available over the counter and on prescription.

PPIs, or proton pump inhibitors, are often prescribed and successful drugs. These work by inhibiting production of the stomach acid that causes acid reflux. They have relatively limited side effects. H2 blockers are a different family of drugs that have the same effect but work in a different way. For the vast majority of long term acid reflux sufferers, PPIs and H2 blockers are a successful drug therapy. 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. Unfortunately, these can have very severe side effects and are therefore rarely prescribed.

Lastly, for those who fail to respond to drug treatment, or simply want an alternative to the daily inconvenience of taking drugs, surgery is an option. New techniques are constantly being developed, some of which include procedures such as Enteryx Procedure, Stretta Procedure, Nissen Fundoplication and Endocinch. Your doctor will be able to give you more advice on these surgery options.

About the author:
For more information and in-depth analysis of the treatment of acid reflux, visit Acid Reflux Treatment.


acid reflux diseaseandy casasantaWhat is acid reflux disease?

Acid reflux disease can and often is mistaken for heartburn. But the heartburn symptoms of acid reflux disease usually occur 2 or more days a week for at least 3 months and can damage your esophagus. At the top of your stomach is a muscle called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), which normally opens and closes allowing food to enter. It also prevents the acid in your stomach from backing up into your esophagus. The trouble begins when the LES opens at inappropriate times, allowing acid from the stomach to get into the esophagus, where it doesn't belong. Acid reflux disease can also lead to more serious medical conditions that may require hospitalization. Acid reflux in the throat can cause sore throat. If acid reaches the mouth, it can dissolve the enamel of the teeth. Millions of people have the disease and suffer from its most common symptom - frequent and persistent heartburn. Acid reflux disease can be treated and controlled.


How do you get Acid Reflux?

Factors contributing to acid reflux include fatty foods, cigarettes, chocolate, caffeine, alcohol, obesity, pregnancy and delayed stomach emptying. Obesity and pregnancy increase pressures within the abdomen (body trunk), pushing the stomach contents back into the esophagus. Some patients have stomachs that empty their contents into the intestines very slowly.



How serious is Acid Reflux?

The lining of the esophagus may become ulcerated and can result in narrowing, making swallowing of food and, sometimes, liquids, painful and difficult. In people with esophagitis, there may also be an increased risk of cancer of the esophagus.


How long does Acid Reflux last?

Acid reflux can last several months or longer if not treated.

How is Acid Reflux treated?
Antacids are medicines that are commonly used to treat acid-related symptoms, like heartburn or indigestion, and work by neutralizing acid in the stomach. However, they are not usually recommended to treat the frequent heartburn suffered by people with GERD.


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