Another word for acid reflux or heartburn is gastritis. Ultimately when over-the-counter (OTC) gimmicks like antacids and risky pharmaceutical drugs fail miserably, it?s never too late to embrace a more holistic approach.

I won?t claim that chemically treating gastritis is absolutely unnecessary, only because once you prescribe to the barbaric ways of Westernized medicine; you?re going to most likely end up having more extreme gastritis treatments like surgery.

I?m also not going to say that Western medicine?s gastritis treatments are absolutely necessary either.

Truth is it?s ever too late to consider the proven benefits of integrative and Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAM). Yet as you already know, the sooner you catch on and start using natural remedies, the sooner you will experience a total healing of your gastritis.

It goes unsaid that correct treatment of gastritis depends on the root cause.

According to the Mayo clinic, a sudden onset and short duration of gastritis caused from taking Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) like Ibuprofen or alcohol can be relieved by stopping use of those substances.

That should be a warning to you that prolonged of this class of drugs (NSAIDs) may lead to chronic gastritis.

In other words, you should know one of Ibuprofen?s many adverse side effects is gastritis. Other brand names of ibuprofen are Advil, Motrin, Nuprin and even Pediacare Fever.

7 Other brands of drugs that belong to the NSAID class are:

1. Aspirin (Bayer)

2. Naproxen (Aleve)

3. Indomethacin (Indocin)

4. Nabumetone (Relafen)

5. Celecoxib (Celebrex)

6. Flurbiprofen (Ansaid)

7. Rofecoxib (Vioxx)

Check with your pharmacist to see if you?re unknowingly taking any NSAID class drugs, because there are dozens of them out there. NSAIDs reduce the flow of blood to the kidneys and impair function of the kidneys which can be a factor in your gastritis problem, gastric acid production and many other associated digestive health problems.

Fact: ?it?s estimated that 35% to 80% of people with gastritis also suffer from asthma.

People suffering from asthma are more likely to experience allergic reactions to ibuprofen and other NSAIDs. Fluid retention (edema), blood clots, heart attacks, high blood pressure and outright heart failure have also been associated with the use of NSAIDs. Plus some products like Excedrin (acetaminophen, aspirin, and caffeine), are a combination of drugs.

Other Westernized medical treatments for gastritis are:

• Antacids: Over-the-counter antacids (Maalox, Mylanta, others) in liquid or tablet form are a common treatment for mild gastritis. Antacids neutralize stomach acid and can lead to gut flora imbalances often leading to bacterial infections.
• Acid blockers: When antacids don’t provide enough relief, your doctor may recommend more medication, such as cimetidine (Tagamet), ranitidine (Zantac), nizatidine (Axid) or famotidine (Pepcid), that helps reduce the amount of acid your stomach produces. These drugs only treat symptoms and do not cure your gastritis.
• Proton pump inhibitors: These drugs shut down your body?s natural ?acid pumps.? They chemically block the action of the acid-secreting cells of your stomach. This class of medications includes omeprazole (Prilosec), lansoprazole (Prevacid), rabeprazole (Aciphex) and esomeprazole (Nexium). ?Blocking natural digestive acid production can have many adverse consequences, be sure to know the risks.

When treating the symptoms of your gastritis with any drug, be absolutely sure your gastritis symptoms isn?t caused from a common gastric ?acid deficiency,? which is more common than you would first think.

Sometimes The Gastritis Treatment Is Worse Than The Disease

Doctors often end up treating people with gastritis for a bacterial infection (H.Pylori), known to be caused from antacids. The treatment for this antacid induced infection is usually antibiotics combined with proton pump inhibitor drugs.

Antibiotics kill the bad ?ulcer causing? H. Pylori bacteria as well as any healthy micro-organisms remaining in your digestive tract (probiotics).

There?s clearly a good reason to not use antacids to treat your gastritis in the first place. I?ve only pointed out ?a handful? of the consequences of mistreating gastritis with antacids and other drugs.

Do you really need me to show you more?

There are many evidence-based, scientifically proven, natural remedies that help your body heal itself from the symptoms of gastritis . . . start looking and you will find them.

Do ask your doctor to use Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAM) when treating gastritis, before resorting to risky experimental drugs.

Live well,

Todd M. Faass?

Health Ecologist

A Hiatal Hernia can often go overlooked or undiagnosed when doctors are treating patients because of the similar symptoms found with other common disorders. A Hiatal Hernia is the result of the stomach moving into the diaphragm and becoming stuck, adding pressure to other parts of the body including bones and other vital organs. Without the proper diagnosis the treatment is ineffective and at times can worsen the condition of the patient. Symptoms of a Hiatal Hernia can include back pain along with others including stress and digestive difficulties. These digestive problems appear as common problems like heart burn and bloating so they should be looked at carefully other common symptoms.

Though patients will not experience all or the same symptoms of a Hiatal Hernia as other sufferers do, but these are several things to look out for and people should be aware of. The vast majority of the people with this common problem do not know that they even have this particular Hernia, even if patients have been treated by a medical doctor for relief of similar or the same symptoms, because they were misdiagnosed or the doctor was not able to come to a conclusion of the problem. Though one of the main causes of the problem is from heavy lifting, or employing improper lifting techniques, and can be over looked as just common back pain that millions suffer from. In addition to back pain, sufferers should also look out for other symptoms of a Hiatal Hernia to connect the symptoms to one problem rather than separate ones.

If patient attempts to correct five different problems with five different medications they will obviously see no improvement in their condition. There are several solutions available to people suffering from this problem with the most obvious one being a doctor, however you should be informed when seeing your doctor and mention all the symptoms so a proper conclusion can be drawn from the known ailments. The most convenient way to solve the problem is doing it at home with a few simple procedures that have been proven to work from people that have tried the products themselves.

The previous users of the Reflux Remedy have seen tremendous improvement in condition and symptoms disappearing. The steps are so easy to follow and take little time and effort to complete that there is no reason that anyone would not be able to do it on their own without anyone?s help. Other users of the product have been completely satisfied with the product and are grateful the made the important step in taking action to correct their Hiatal Hernia before it is too late or becomes not able to easily be treated. Once you try the Reflux Remedy to correct the symptoms of a Hiatal Hernia you will look back or second guess your decision to try it as several others have done in the past that now have total confidence in their decision though they may have been skeptical about trying something new.

A modified diet for severe GERD is necessary when acids produced by the stomach begin entering the esophagus. The food that we eat travels through our mouth down the esophagus, and to the stomach. The stomach and esophagus are joined at the LES or lower esophageal sphincter. The LES opens up to enable food to enter the stomach. The sphincter normally closes to prevent stomach juices and food to move back to the esophagus.

The stomach produces certain digestive enzymes and juices that aid in digestion. The digestive track also possesses special mechanisms to protect it from damages caused by these enzymes and juices. However, the esophagus itself does not possess such defensive mechanisms and hence it is essential for the LES to close and prevent the juices from reaching the esophagus. Normally, some amounts of the stomach bile go back to the esophagus. However, if excess amounts of acid accumulate inside the esophagus it causes GERD. People suffering from GERD experience abnormal behavior of LES. Either it does not close properly or it opens up wrong moment. Severe GERD can result in ulcers, the narrowing and damaging of the esophagus, and even bleeding.

It is vital to have a proper diet for severe GERD. The diet should be combination of foods that are easily digestible and low in food which will help in weight reduction if you are obese. Avoid foods that worsen the condition including tomato, alcohol, caffeinated drinks, peppermint, chocolate and deep fried foods. These kinds of foods normally weaken the LES or fuel your stomach to produce more acid than necessary. Avoid mustard, garlic, spices, citrus fruits, vinegar and aerated beverages at any cost.

One of the best ways to end the severe effects of GERD is to eat in moderation while switching to highly nutritious and low fat foods. It is effective to eat in small proportions, consume less than 300 mg of cholesterol, restrict sodium intake to 2400 mg per day and count calories when you eat. Do not eat more than the daily caloric intake limit recommended for your body. Not every food will trigger GERD symptoms in your body. Mark the kind of food that specifically fuels GERD in your body and avoid them.

It is also important to eat timely and eat in small proportions instead of having large meals, and always leave a generous amount of time between meals and sleep. Acid travels easily into the esophagus when you are lying down, so try walking after you eat. For overweight people it is important to exercise every day to reduce weight.

Include poultry, whole grains, pears, bananas, fish, lean meat and low fat food in your diet for severe GERD, as well as skimmed milk and plenty of water. It is most important to eat the right combination food at the right time. Do not put pressure on your stomach by stuffing it with excess food, and avoid combining foods that require both the alkaline enzymes and stomach juices to work simultaneously. This leads to weak digestion and increased GERD symptoms.

Did you know that your asthma could be linked to your Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)?

Truth is everything is connected when it comes to your health and environment, only some things are more obvious than others.

So let?s take a closer look!

As you may already know asthma has been plaguing children ever since the industrial age started spewing pollutants high into out atmosphere and now more than a hundred and fifty years later, asthma has approached epidemic proportions.

Yet it may surprise you to learn these days our children are coming down with acid reflux, and what?s even more shocking is now they?re developing Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) too.

Now imagine suffering from both conditions . . . whether you?re a child or an adult you?re in some deep trouble.

In fact, the percentage of GERD in people with asthma is estimated to range between 34% and 80%.

The Good News Is . . .

Leading medical experts are finding that by treating the children?s GERD, they are also helping their asthma too.

So what is the hidden connection between asthma and GERD?

There are 2 ideas medical researchers suspect may explain the link:

1) Stimulation of the vagus nerve from bronchospasm

2) Inhaling micro-particles of gastric acid

The verdict is the most likely cause of asthma and GERD is because of the vagus nerve triggering a bronchospasm. The reason being after prolonged acid reflux attacks in the throat, gastric acid erodes the protective mucus layer, exposing the vagus nerve endings.

Let me explain further . . .

The vagus nerve runs from the brain, along the jugular veins, onto the carotid arteries deep inside your neck, then into your chest and deeper into your abdomen. Besides connecting all your organs together, the vagus nerve transmits sensory information of the health of these organs back to the Central Nervous System (CNS).

80-90% of the nerve cells in the vagus nerve system are sensory nerves that keep the brain informed.

It?s interesting to note that this deep running, all important vagus nerve is the main conduit for information from the gut to the brain. In fact, seeing how Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is a digestive disorder gone out-of-control, it?s clear to see how GERD and asthma are co-related.

Seriously, considering up to 80% of the time people suffer from both conditions there had to be a simple explanation.

The Brain of the Gut

The word is the gut has an elaborate brain of its own called the ?enteric nervous system? made of 100 million neurons.

Apparently the brain in your gut has vital nerve cells bathed and nurtured by the same neurotransmitters and proteins as the brain in your head.

So know that we all know the vagus nerve is reacting to the acid reflux burning through the flesh in the throat, it all makes a lot more sense, doesn?t it? Especially since learning the gut?s brain sends and receives electrical impulses, records experiences and even responds to emotions.

This whole discovery of the hidden connection between how children?s asthma attacks get better when the gastroesophageal and acid reflux disease are addressed is leading us into a new field of medicine called ?neurogastroenterology.?

Clearly when there is a gastrointestinal problem like acid reflux, or heartburn, it has an impact on the rest of your body and when stomach acid eats through the inside of your neck, the nerves are going to jump, triggering a constriction of the airways.

Now add to that the 2^nd theory above as a factor as well. If a child, or a person of any age has gastric acid splashing into their throat, mouth and sinus cavities, there?s no doubt the caustic gas and its micro-particles are going to get into the lungs.

Imagine how bad it feels to have something go down your wind pipe, but that wouldn?t hardly compare to having acid reflux droplets shower down your bronchial tubes now would it?

If you or someone you know if suffering from GERD and asthma, help them by educating yourself about Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAM), because that?s the new frontier, that?s where all the hidden connections are being made.

Live well,

Todd M. Faass?

Health Ecologist