Diet to Prevent Acid Reflux

Acid reflux is the condition when the acid from the stomach travels back into the esophagus. This condition can be very harmful to the throat and esophagus if left untreated. It can be very troublesome too because acid reflux causes symptoms like heartburn. One reason why acid reflux occurs is the malfunction of LES or lower esophageal sphincter. Normally, it closes to prevent food or acid from traveling back into the esophagus but when it acts abnormally, it leads to acid reflux and heartburn.

It is well known that diet or the food that we eat plays an important role in our health and overall well-being. People who suffer from acid reflux can relieve their symptoms by changing their diet. It may not be easy for some people to avoid certain foods but if you don’t want your acid reflux to get worse, avoiding certain foods can be very helpful.

Following a specific diet to prevent acid reflux can be very helpful to manage your symptoms.  Avoid or decease the intake of these foods:

Fatty foods. Fatty foods can worsen one’s acid reflux because it relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter resulting to more acid to travel back into the esophagus. Reducing your daily intake of fatty foods can help prevent acid reflux. Foods with high content of fats include fried foods, oily or greasy foods, french fries, bacon, ice cream, potato chips, butter, whole milk and chocolates.

Tomatoes and tomato products. Lycopene is the healthy nutrients we can get from tomatoes but while tomatoes are generally good for our health, it is highly acidic and can worsen or trigger acid reflux attacks. Avoid tomatoes from your diet to prevent acid reflux. There are other red fruits and vegetables as your alternative source of lycopene.

Citrus fruits. As mentioned above, highly acidic foods can worsen one’s acid reflux. If you are suffering from frequent acid reflux attacks it is best to avoid highly acidic foods like grapes, oranges, limes, lemons and pineapple.

Spicy foods. Not everyone with acid reflux experience attacks when eating spicy foods but some people with acid reflux do not do well with spicy foods including garlic and onions. It is best to observe yourself and keep a list of foods triggering your acid reflux attacks.

While the food mentioned above are common triggers, your acid reflux may have different triggers. It is important to take note of them or keep a food log to help you track the foods triggering your acid reflux. Aside from keeping or following a specific diet to prevent acid reflux, you can manage your symptoms by changing your lifestyle. Changes like avoid overeating, eat frequent meals instead of three big meals, avoid eating 3-4 hours before bedtime and stop smoking and drinking alcohol can be very helpful. It is also best to consult your doctor.

To know more about acid reflux and heartburn visit Heartburn No More 


Source: HealthandBeautyLink

3 Common Chronic GERD Symptoms- What You Need to know

What is GERD?

GERD or Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease is a chronic digestive disease that occurs when the stomach acid travels back into the esophagus causing irritation to the lining of the esophagus. The acid reflux is caused by the abnormal function of lower esophageal sphincter muscles or valve which fails to close properly causing the acid from the stomach to travel back to the esophagus.
Some people experience GERD a few times a week but some suffer from it daily. It is more prevalent in pregnant women and elderly people are more prone to complications. Some people can tolerate the discomfort but chronic GERD if not treated can cause damage to the esophagus leading to bleeding, inflammation, ulceration and esophageal stricture or narrowing of the esophagus.

What are the common chronic GERD symptoms?

Heartburn. One of the chronic GERD symptoms that is really disturbing is heartburn. It is a burning pain in the chest and throat ranging from mild to severe that usually occur after eating a meal. Although it is called heartburn, the pain has nothing to do with the heart. It is a pain from the esophagus and chest or under the sternum due to the malfunction in the digestive system. Lying down or bending make it more painful.

Regurgitation. Another chronic GERD symptom is regurgitation or the reflux or moving up and down of the stomach acid in the chest and the throat and sometimes as far as the mouth causing sour taste or vomit-like taste.

Dysphagia. This is the difficulty of swallowing which is a sign that there is a problem with the throat or esophagus. Frequent or chronic acid reflux can cause ulcers and scars in the esophagus making it narrower thus resulting to difficulty in swallowing. Dysphagia is one of the common chronic GERD symptoms that most sufferers have to watch out for.

Many people suffering from GERD do not seek medical attention but just self-diagnose and self-treat. It is important to seek medical attention once you’ve experienced chronic GERD symptoms. Over the counter medications may work for a while but for chronic symptoms, it is best to seek medical attention before it’s too late. Severe GERD could lead to more serious esophageal damage from erosive to ulcerative esophagitis. It is best to seek treatment before it becomes too late.

5 Acid Reflux Self-Care That You Must Know

Acid reflux is commonly known as heartburn because it causes a burning sensation on the chest. It is normal for some people to experience heartburn and many people experience acid reflux from time to time. It is normal to have occasional episodes of acid reflux because people usually experience it when they burp after eating but there are people who experience acid reflux episodes 2-3 times a day and this could be really alarming. If this is happening to you, it may not be an ordinary acid reflux anymore and you might be having GERD, gastroesophageal reflux disease.

GERD should not be taken lightly because it is a condition where the gastric acid meant to digest food goes upwards to the esophagus causing chest pain. The esophagus is not designed to tolerate gastric acid and in the long run, acid reflux may cause problems to the esophagus. If you have GERD it is important to see your doctor because you may need medications or medical intervention. Aside from medical treatment, there are also acid reflux self-care that you must know. Here are some GERD self-care tips:

Acid reflux self-care no.1: Avoid foods triggering acid reflux episodes. Managing acid reflux includes being mindful with what you eat. The foods you intake can trigger acid reflux attacks. Foods that are spicy, fatty and acidic can trigger acid reflux so avoid them. Alcoholic, carbonated and caffeinated drinks can also trigger reflux. It is necessary to modify your diet if you want to lessen or get rid of your acid reflux episodes.

Acid reflux self-care no.2: Change your eating habits. Do not eat too much, it is better to eat small frequent meals. Avoid going to bed with a full stomach so eat 3-4 hours before bedtime. Avoid heavy activities or exercising after eating.

Acid reflux self-care no.3: Avoid putting pressure on your stomach. Do not wear clothing that are tight in the waist and avoid wearing tight belt because they can squeeze the stomach and may force food to reflux. Wear comfortable clothing to prevent putting pressure on your stomach.

Acid reflux self-care no.4: Reduce stress. Stress can lead to a number of health issues including upset stomach or digestive disorder. To reduce or eliminate your reflux episodes, you must learn to reduce your stress. Try relaxation techniques like yoga to relieve stress and to achieve psychological and physical balance.

Acid reflux self-care no.5: Lose weight. If you are on the heavy side, consider losing weight if you want to stop acid reflux attacks. Obese people usually have excess fats on the waist and stomach area. Too much fats on those areas put more pressure on the stomach and could cause stomach contents to be pushed upwards to the esophagus resulting to heartburn.

Medical treatment is necessary but you also have to take the initiative to personally take care of your health. Acid reflux is a manageable digestive disorder and practicing the above mentioned acid reflux self-care can help you manage your heartburn successfully.

Natural treatment is another option that you could explore. To know more visit Heartburn No More

Tips to Relieve Disturbing Acid Reflux and Heartburn

If you often have heartburn, you probably have GERD. Heartburn is a common symptom of acid reflux or GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease). It is a painful or burning feeling on the chest or underneath the breastbone. GERD or acid reflux is a condition where there are abnormalities in the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), the muscle at the lower end of the esophagus that opens to allow food to enter the stomach and closes to prevent the stomach acid to flow back up in the esophagus.

For people with GERD, this muscle does not close properly causing the stomach acid and food to travel back up into the esophagus resulting to painful burning feeling or heartburn. This condition should not be taken lightly because the lining of the esophagus cannot tolerate stomach acid and frequent heartburn could result to scarring and bleeding. Untreated GERD or delayed treatment could damage the lining of the esophagus. It is important to consult your doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment. It is important to know how to relieve disturbing acid reflux to get rid of disturbing heartburn or the painful burning feeling in your chest area to feel better. The following tips can be very helpful:

Medications. Your doctor may recommend medicines to ease your disturbing acid reflux and heartburn. Your doctor may recommend antacids to deal with the acid in your stomach, this can be bought over the counter but it is best to see your doctor before starting the medications.  It is important to take medications under the supervision of your doctor and stick with the treatment plan religiously to prevent your condition from getting worse. Disturbing acid reflux could result to more serious esophagus health problems that could be life-threatening.

Elevated sleeping position. Heartburn becomes more painful when you lie down flat and one way to ease up disturbing acid reflux is to sleep in elevated position. This cannot be achieved by just using stack of pillows but the best way is to elevate the head of your bed by putting 6-8 inches woodblocks or bricks under your bedpost. If your head is higher than your stomach, acid on your stomach can be prevented from traveling back up to your esophagus.

Food avoidance. To relieve disturbing acid reflux you have to modify your diet. There are certain foods that aggravate or trigger acid reflux like fatty foods, deep fried foods, spicy foods, curry, chocolates, coffee or caffeinated drinks, alcoholic drinks, carbonated beverages, citrus fruits, juices, tomatoes or tomato-based products and pepper so you must avoid them to stop suffering from disturbing acid reflux.  Heartburn caused by acid reflux becomes more painful after eating so it is best to modify your eating habits. Eat foods in small portion and eat slowly. Instead of eating big meals, eat frequent small meals. Avoid eating dinner 3-4 hours before bedtime because acid reflux may happen if you lie down with a full stomach.

Lifestyle change. There are certain habits that could trigger acid reflux like smoking so it is best to stop smoking if you want to relieve your disturbing acid reflux. Smoking contributes to a number of diseases including digestive health problems. Nicotine weakens the lower esophageal sphincter or LES. When this muscle weakens, it could work abnormally or may fail to close causing the stomach acid to escape upwards in the esophagus. Smoking is not a healthy habit, starting to quit now will not only save you from acid reflux but it will make your overall health better.

Lose weight. Obesity increases a person’s risk of acid reflux attacks. Increased weight increases the pressure in the stomach and this increased pressure causes the stomach contents and acid to be pushed back up in the esophagus. Losing weight could remedy this problem. Getting rid of your excess weight will not only relieve you from disturbing acid reflux but it can also improve your overall health and self-image.

Mind what you wear.  Avoid clothes and belts that are too tight on the stomach area. Tight-fitting clothes could add pressure on the stomach and could trigger acid reflux. Wear comfortable loose-fitting clothes. If you are worried about your self-image and you want to look sexy, squeezing your stomach with tight-fitting clothes is not the answer. There are a lot of comfortable clothing styles that can make you look good without putting too much pressure on your stomach.

Surgery is an option when medications and lifestyle modifications failed to ease disturbing acid reflux and heartburn. If you are hesitant to go under the knife, natural treatments are another option that you could explore. To know more visit Heartburn No More

Acid Reflux – Foods to Avoid

What acid reflux food should I avoid? This is a question most gastroesophageal reflux disease sufferers struggle upon. Promoting healthy nutrition that is based on avoiding certain foods while increasing the intake of others has the potential to confer significant long-term health benefits among acid reflux sufferers. Lifestyle and dietary alterations are considered to be an integral and inseparable part of any long-term holistic GERD treatment.

The foods we consume play an important role when it comes to keeping our body’s delicate natural inner balance. Since certain foods and dietary habits have been found to directly and indirectly promote the aggravation of acid reflux, avoiding those foods and adopting specific dietary habits for optimal digestion while suffering from acid reflux could have a tremendously positive effect on your existing medical condition. The following are examples of these types of foods:

1. Coffee and other caffeine containing beverages lead to increased acidity, so avoid large amounts of coffee. Try to limit your daily coffee consumption to two cups or less. It possible, split your coffee cup into two half cups, and reduce coffee drinking before the bedtime.

2. Alcohol can irritate the stomach and relax the LES muscle, leading to increased acidity and reflux.

3. High-fat foods are among the biggest culprits behind GERD symptoms. They take longer to digest and not easily eliminated out of body, thus increasing the chances acid will splash up into your esophagus. The only exceptions are omega-3 fatty acids from fish and fish oil, which are in fact powerful anti-inflammatory agents.

4. Chocolate contains a great deal of caffeine and fat. This may increase acidity and worsen digestion and hence should be avoided. If you are a devoted chocolate enthusiast, go for dark, organic varieties, and eat no more then two to three tiny squares two to three times per week.

5. Milk and milk-based products that contain a big proportion of calcium should also be avoided before bedtime.

6. Peppermint, spearmint and other mints can worsen acid reflux symptoms. Avoid foods that contain strong mints, including mint-based herbal teas.

7. Acidic foods (such as oranges and tomatoes) and cruciferous vegetables (onions, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, spinach, brussels sprouts) promote the opening of the esophageal sphincter, thus increasing acid reflux.

So what acid reflux food should you avoid? With these dietary changes and a healthy motivation to alter your lifestyle, you can be on your way to overcoming gastroesophageal reflux disease and improving the quality of your life and well-being. Whatever your medical condition is, when you finally decide to improve your quality of life, you can literally choose to cure GERD and prevent its recurrence, by adopting the holistic approach. You will have the power to make it happen

This article is based on the book, “Heartburn No More” by Jeff Martin. Jeff is an author, researcher, nutritionist and health consultant who dedicated his life to creating the ultimate acid reflux solution guaranteed to permanently reverse the root cause of heartburn and acid reflux and naturally and dramatically improve the overall quality of your life,  without the use prescription medication and without any surgical procedures. Learn more by visiting Heartburn No More  

Causes of Acid Reflux

Acid reflux disease, also known as gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD), occurs due to the coexistence of several medical and lifestyle conditions. Physiological factors that trigger GERD include lower esophageal sphincter (LES) hypotonia (the gradual weakening of the LES), along with retrograde flow of stomach contents into the esophagus, and the level of sensitivity of the esophageal mucus to the reflux content.

The food that you swallow travels down your throat and is pushed by contractions of the muscular esophagus. In the area where the esophagus joins the stomach a valve-like mechanism, known as lower esophageal sphincter (LES), is located. The closure of this muscle prevents stomach acid from backing up, or refluxing, into the esophagus.

LES malfunction is the first factor that causes and contributes to gastro-esophageal reflux disease. In a healthy individual, the LES relaxes only when food passes from the esophagus into the stomach. After the food passes into the stomach, the valve shuts off, keeping the stomach content and acid inside. However, when the LES is weak and doesn’t close properly, acid can splash up into your throat causing painful burning sensation, called heartburn.

There are several factors/conditions, which can prevent the LES from being closed properly. These factors/conditions include genetic weakness, obesity and excessive fat ingestion. In addition to that, all muscles in the human body tend to sag as part of the aging process, including the LES.

The second factor, or rather the group of factors that causes gastro-esophageal reflux disease, are behavioral and lifestyle related. As mentioned above, a weakened LES is one of the direct physiological causes of acid reflux disease. Various food ingredients, drugs and nervous system processes can weaken this muscle, thus contributing to GERD. Foods that may contribute to acid reflux include orange juice, lemons and lemonade, grapefruit juice, tomatoes and tomato juice, French fries, sour cream, coffee and tea.

Acid reflux can also be the result of fungal yeast infection that builds up in the colon. When Candida albicans turn from yeast to fungi, they depress the immune system and produce more than 79 distinct toxins that may be responsible for many of the symptoms that Candida sufferers have including heartburn.

When Candida gets out of control, it breaks through the intestinal walls and travels throughout the body. It can attach itself to the genital areas, the mouth and the esophagus among many other parts of the body. When Candida goes out of control, it begins to ferment and reflux the contents of the stomach upward through the small intestines, through the stomach and then through the esophagus, causing infection, burning and damage to the esophagus.

This article is based on the book, “Heartburn No More” by Jeff Martin. Jeff is an author, researcher, nutritionist and health consultant who dedicated his life to creating the ultimate acid reflux solution guaranteed to permanently reverse the root cause of heartburn and acid reflux and naturally and dramatically improve the overall quality of your life,  without the use prescription medication and without any surgical procedures. Learn more by visiting Heartburn No More 

What Are The Symptoms of Acid Reflux?

It is widely agreed among physicians and medical paraprofessionals, that initial diagnosis, mostly by using a typical acid reflux symptoms questionnaire, is necessary to ensure the most effective and quick treatment for this condition. Approx 70% of the acid reflux diagnostics that are based on the presence of typical symptoms are accurate. Since acid reflux, also called GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), can cause patients a great deal of discomfort and result in severe complications, it is highly important to know how to identify its symptoms in order to quickly diagnose and treat it.
The most common symptom of GERD is persistent heartburn. Heartburn is experienced as an unpleasant and painful burning sensation in the esophageal area. Other typical symptoms are as follows:

1. Gastric regurgitation, which means an unrestricted reversed flow of gastric or esophageal contents into the throat. This gastric fluid can cause respiratory complications under certain conditions.

2. Odynophagia, which means pain when swallowing.

3. Dysphagia, which means difficulty swallowing, or the feeling of food stuck in the throat.
In addition to the above, about 50% of all gastroesophageal reflux disease sufferers report the co-occurrence of sinonasal symptoms (i. e. symptoms pertaining to the nose and sinuses).
Abnormal GERD symptoms include chronic wheezing and coughing (sometimes referred to as acid reflux related asthma, and are caused by the aspiration of gastric contents into the lungs area), spasmodic noncardiac chest pain and damage to the lungs, often followed by respiratory diseases such as pneumonia and asthma. Intense chest pain may closely resemble that of myocardial infarction that it has often been incorrectly interpreted as a heart attack. However, unlike the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease, cardiovascular chest pain is usually aggravated during physical exercise.

Finally, acid reflux can also harm the vocal cords (hoarseness, laryngitis, cancer), ears (otitis media), and teeth (enamel decay). Being able to identify those symptoms as GERD related is of great importance to your health and general well being and for the prevention of potential complications. Acid reflux symptoms might serve as evidence to severe overall internal imbalance. In addition to that, neglected gastroesophageal reflux disease can lead to significant physical discomfort and sometimes can results in chronic and even dangerous health conditions, such as esophageal cancer and pneumonia.

This article is based on the book, “Heartburn No More” by Jeff Martin. Jeff is an author, researcher, nutritionist and health consultant who dedicated his life to creating the ultimate acid reflux solution guaranteed to permanently reverse the root cause of heartburn and acid reflux and naturally and dramatically improve the overall quality of your life,  without the use prescription medication and without any surgical procedures. Learn more by visiting Heartburn No More