November 1, 2011
Living with Severe Heartburn
Severe heartburn, also called Acid Reflux disease, occurs when acid from your stomach regurgitates into your esophagus and essentially leaves you with a burning sensation in your throat and chest and a sour taste in your mouth. Heartburn that is severe and chronic is not only painful but it can be dangerous to your health as well. If left untreated or under-treated, severe heartburn can cause ulcers in your stomach and esophagus, a Hiatal Herrera, damage to the esophagus’ tissue and can even lead to cancer in the esophagus.
Living with severe heartburn can be overwhelming at times and can be debilitating as well. The pain and discomfort can prevent you from normal day to day activities and cause sleepless nights. When you are having an episode of severe heartburn, the pain can be very intense and can last for several hours. Antacids such as Tums or Maalox can help alleviate the immediate pain and discomfort but these medicines will not cure heartburn or help to heal the damage it causes. Many times, laying down in bed causes the stomach acid to regurgitate and triggers heartburn, especially after a large or spicy meal. Placing several pillows under your head to prop you up can help relieve some of the symptoms but will not do anything to actually heal the condition.
Adjusting your diet can help ward off severe heartburn attacks. Eating several smaller meals each day instead of three large meals will help to ward off heartburn attacks. Your body can more easily digest smaller meals than a big, heavy meal. Cutting down on alcohol, coffee, tea and spicy foods will also help cut down on the amount of severe heartburn attacks and the severity of them. However, no matter how healthy your diet, or how strict you are at cutting out these trigger foods, you will not be able to heal the damage that is done to your stomach and esophagus.
Adjusting your lifestyle can also help reduce the amount of heartburn attacks you suffer as well as the severity of those attacks. Moderate exercise, especially focusing on your core muscles, will build strong healthy tissue and muscles in your stomach and surrounding area. A stronger core will likely reduce the frequency of your heartburn. Also, if you are a smoker, quit. There have been numerous studies done on the adverse affects of smoking and heartburn is included. Smoking has a direct affect on your stomach regurgitating partially digested food back into the esophagus, causing severe heartburn and further damage to your body. Again, adjusting your lifestyle will not cure your heartburn but may help in reliving your symptoms temporarily.
There is some good news for heartburn suffers. The good news is, you do not have to live with severe heartburn for the rest of your life. In fact, you can naturally manage your heartburn symptoms with one very simple food. Beyond that, you can actually cure your heartburn for good without expensive drugs. Visit Reflux Remedy at refluxremedy.com for more information on relieving heartburn today.
Filed under Heartburn Treatment by admin
Almost everyone has had the unpleasant condition commonly called “heartburn” at some time or other. Of course when you have heartburn your heart is not really on fire, although the burning sensation you feel in the chest when heartburn strikes may make you feel as though it was! Heartburn sensations can also be felt in the throat and quite often strike at inconvenient times, like at night when you are trying to sleep.
Taking a common antacid medication is usually an effective remedy for the occasional mild attack. But regular use of antacids can result in unpleasant side effects such as upset stomach, high blood pressure and even ulcers. Therefore the best way to deal with heartburn is to try to avoid getting it in the first place, or if that fails, to try treating it by using more natural means.
Our lifestyle choices can have a major impact on the degree to which one suffers from heartburn. People who are overweight have a higher tendency for heartburn, so modifying your diet to lose weight can make a real difference. There are things we eat and drink which can generate excess acid in the stomach, so reducing or eliminating them from your diet can be very helpful. Citrus fruits in small amounts do not pose much of a problem, but fried foods containing saturated fats should be avoided. Food that is very spicy, like chillies and curries as well as sugary foods all tend to produce excess acid. Eating a lot of food at one time can also encourage heartburn, so smaller, more frequent meals are advised. To avoid nighttime heartburn stop eating at least two hours before going to bed. Drinking alcohol and caffeine are also not helpful.
But what if you take these measures but you still end up with heartburn anyway? Before resorting to antacids, try some simple natural cures first. As soon as you begin experiencing symptoms, drink a large glass of water. This will immediately dilute some of the acid in your stomach. Then follow that up with some ginger and cinnamon tea with honey. Equally effective may be two tablespoons of cider vinegar in a glass of water. Apples appear to be the fruit most helpful in avoiding heartburn. Ripe bananas are also effective, but green ones are not and can even make it worse. Artichokes, peppermint oils and licorice extract have also been known to be helpful.
Heartburn is a condition you can learn to control with the right lifestyle choices and with the help of natural remedies. What works best for you can be determined over time and with the help of those who are experienced with relieving heartburn. We at Reflux Remedy are ready to offer you our expertise in guiding you towards the techniques that will help to avoid and relieve this annoying condition. So don’t spend anymore sleepless nights suffering from heartburn, by visiting us today at refluxremedy.com to find out the safe and natural way to control heartburn.
Filed under Heartburn Treatment by admin
September 16, 2011
Relieving Heartburn
Heartburn is a painful feeling millions of people experience. Some of these people will experience it more often than others, and some of these people may suffer from severe heartburn. It is not a pleasant feeling, so ways to relief heartburn are always in need, and what may work for one person may not work for another.
What Causes Heartburn
Heartburn occurs when acid in the stomach comes back up through the esophagus, causing chest pain and nausea. This condition is also known as acid reflux. While it may be called heartburn, the burning sensation felt has nothing to do with the heart. A sour taste is also felt inside the mouth, and the heartburn may last for a few minutes or hours if not treated. Someone who experiences these symptoms once a month suffers from mild heartburn, but someone who experiences it every day has a severe case of heartburn.
Certain foods also can cause heartburn. They include anything fatty, spicy, oily or acidic. Coffee, soda, alcohol and chocolate are a few examples. People should avoid eating two hours before bedtime to avoid heartburn symptoms during the night.
Some people suffer from Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), a condition that can cause heartburn. This is when the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) weakens or relaxes, allowing acids to leave the stomach and into the esophagus.
Ways to Relieve Heartburn
Many pharmacy products can help relieve heartburn. Antacids neutralize stomach acids and can be bought at any pharmacy or gas station. They usually take about an hour to take effect. There are also proton pump inhibitors and H-2 receptor blockers, but they take longer to work and are taken to prevent heartburn, not relieve it. However, antacids cause side effects like headaches, nausea, diarrhea and constipation. That is why it is recommended that people try more natural ways of relieving their heartburn.
One way to relieve heartburn is with baking soda. By adding one spoon of baking soda to a glass of water, the acids in the stomach neutralize. The same can go with apple cider vinegar. Mixed with some water and taken during or after a meal can reduce the chance of heartburn occurring. Chewing bubble gum after a meal will produce saliva to keep the acids down in the stomach area. Papaya, pineapple and bananas are great foods to eat to help digestion and treat indigestion.
Changes in Lifestyle
A lifestyle change can help to decrease the chances of heartburn occurring after meals. A change in diet, like eating less chocolate, coffee, sugary drinks and fried foods can make a large difference. Also, someone who is obese is more likely to suffer from heartburn than someone with a healthy weight. Smokers should quit because it too can trigger heartburn. People should eat their food slowly and not eat heavy meals before bed. It is also recommend that people not wear tight clothing because they can put pressure on the stomach area, causing acid to go back up the stomach valve. For more information on the many ways to relieve heartburn be sure to contact Reflux Remedy at www.refluxremedy.com today!
Filed under Heartburn Treatment by admin
September 9, 2011
Curing Heartburn
Heartburn is an unfortunate and painful condition that many people live with day in and day out, and while there are many medications and remedies for the onset of heartburn, the best results come through preventing heartburn before it starts. Eating and drinking habits, stress and activity levels can all contribute to the severity and frequency of onsets, but when recognized and addressed, these aspects can be much more effective than most medications or even diet changes.
Heartburn is the result of stomach acids backing up into the esophagus, resulting in the familiar burning sensation; in reality, this is more than just a sensation, the stomach acids are actually irritating and burning the wall of the esophagus. In severe and long-term cases, scarring and extensive burning can result, which is the condition known as acid reflux. Acid reflux requires prescription medication, often to reduce acid production, however, most cases of common heartburn can be actively prevented from reaching the severe stage.
Watching What you eat and Drink
Watching what you eat and drink is quite obvious, and while avoiding certain foods and drinks is recommended, it is the quantities of these foods and beverages that is typically the ultimate cause of heartburn. Two of the biggest culprits are coffee and soda, both of which are not terrible in small servings, but when over-indulged, can be lasting sources of heartburn. Reducing intake to one cup of coffee or one can of soda a day will have dramatic, nearly immediate, effects.
Foods, particularly spicy ones, are also the bane of those suffering from recurring heartburn; spicy foods themselves, in small servings, can be moderated and offset by taking an oral antacid before eating. Another handy tip is to drink more water with meals, as this not only helps with proper digestion, but avoids adding further sources of irritation.
Timing is Everything
Another commonly overlooked aspect that contributes to heartburn is the particular time you eat, and eating just before laying down is almost guaranteed to bring on a painful attack. Those suffering from heartburn often have a condition that allows stomach acids to leak into the esophagus, such as a relaxation of the sphincter muscle at the entrance to the stomach. Eating causes the stomach to increase production of digestive materials, and if you lay down too soon after eating, much of this leak out to burn the esophagus.
Taking a simple, over-the-counter antacid in the mornings, before eating and before bed, in conjunction with the above-mentioned strategies, can make a significant difference in heartburn occurrences. Taking an active stance against the causes of heartburn is not only the best way to reduce instances of it, but it can also help you to decide if prescription medication is necessary. If these particular steps are taken and frequent heartburn continues, medical attention may be the only option available, but it is much more likely that paying attention to what you eat and drink, as well as when you do, will be enough to substantially relieve most cases of recurring heartburn. For more information on curing heartburn be sure to contact Reflux Remedy at www.refluxremedy.com today!
Filed under Heartburn Treatment by admin