While bad breath may be, unfortunately, commonplace for adults, and can often have no malignant cause, an infant with bad breath is not only rare, but possibly indicative of an underlying health concern. Parents of infants with halitosis should follow a process to determine the cause of their baby’s bad breath, as failing to identify this as a health concern can do much worse than simply bad breath, it can also result in health compromising infections that could have easily been avoided.

Check Noses First

A simple examination of your infant’s nose can quickly ascertain whether they have stuffed their nasal passages with something that may be causing bad breath. This should be an initial priority, as the possibility of choking or rapid infection is very real, and can occur quickly if the object is not removed.

Determine Prevalence

Acute halitosis occurs when a baby only rarely has bad breath, and is often something that a parent can overlook. This is especially true if the halitosis can be tied to a baby’s eating habits, for instance, when a pungent food is consumed, like garlic or a strong smelling cheese.

If your infant’s bad breath continues for more than 3 days at a time, with no common cause that is identifiable, a quick process of elimination should then begin.

Your Baby’s Mouth

Infants often suck on a variety of objects, whether they be pacifiers, blankets, stuffed toys, or even their own fingers, and the bacteria that is present on any one of these can lead to the presence of bad breath.

It is important to thoroughly wash objects that your infant places in his or her mouth multiple times a day using soap and water, as this stymies the levels of bacteria present. Be sure to not use bleach to sterilize objects, or any other substances that leave harmful residues your child may ingest when sucking.

Properly cleaning your baby’s favorite sucking objects should result in rapid cessation of bad breath, and if foul odors continue past one day of cleaning, it is important to move on to the next step.

Check For Infections

If your child is sick, then the odds are that he or she will be breathing through their mouth more than normal, which can quickly dry infant breathing passages and the mouth itself. This will rapidly result in bad breath, and clearing up the infection should quickly restore normal, fresh breath odor.

GERD (acronymn for Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) can also cause bad breath in infants. Though, in most instances children grow out of GERD by age 1. Acid reflux and GERD have been known to cause infant halitosis. Try burping the infant several time during the feeding to lower the risk of reflux.

If you, or your baby’s doctor, cannot determine whether an upper respiratory or mouth infection is present, consider the possibility of an imbalance in stomach bacteria caused by a lack of immune system in the gut. When a child is not breastfed, or fed formula or food that causes a reduction in intestinal flora, the immune system function that is enabled by the presence of beneficial bacteria in the gut is compromised.

If your infant is also experiencing stomach distress of any kind while also experiencing halitosis, it would be in your best interest to discontinue any foods other than breast milk, especially formula. There are also certain formulas that provide pro-biotic cultures in approximately the same manner as breast milk, if breast milk is not available. For more ways to address and cure infant halitosis be sure to visit Reflux Remedy at refluxremedy.com today!

Hiatal hernia is a fairly common condition that is unpleasant at best, and miserable at worst. In some cases, they cause such severe symptoms that you may find yourself unable to even get a decent night of sleep, leaving you feeling exhausted, depressed, incapable of concentrating and unable to enjoy much of anything. For some, these problems go on for months or years. Many people who have a Hiatal hernia may not even be aware of it, and may spend masses of time and money going from one doctor to another to try to find out why they feel so awful. Many of these people may never realize that Hiatal hernia is treatable, and can be prevented from worsening.

There is evidence that Hiatal hernia may be caused, in part or in whole, by weakness of the core abdominal muscles, allowing the stomach to be forced up through the diaphragm. These muscles can be strengthened by certain types of exercise. Try lying on your back with your knees up and your feet flat on the floor. Using your shoulders and feet to support your weight, lift your buttocks and lower back off of the floor, lowering again slowly and gently. Do this about 10 times per day. Walking is also good, since it improves digestion and encourages the stomach to go back into its proper place.

Many sufferers of Hiatal hernia also suffer from chronic acid reflux, which is aggravated by certain foods such as refined sugars and flours, raw onions and peppers and cold beverages. Any liquids should be consumed no less than 30 minutes before a meal, or an hour after. Avoid carbonated drinks, as these fill the stomach with air and make the stomach more susceptible to being forced through the hiatus. Mint should be consumed with caution, as it relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter, allowing acid to back up into the esophagus.

Just as there are foods that hurt, there are also foods that help. Numerous common spices help to improve digestion such as cumin, cinnamon, ginger fennel and turmeric. These spices make an excellent after-meal tea, especially when used together. Fresh fruits and vegetables are rich in enzymes and fiber that assist proper digestion. Fresh pineapple and papaya are particularly helpful because they contain potent natural enzymes that rapidly break down protein in the stomach.

Along with changes in diet, changes to your lifestyle and behaviors can help to remedy your Hiatal hernia. When lifting, bend at the knees, keeping your back straight. If the object is very heavy, get someone to help you. May Hiatal hernias are caused by improper lifting, or lifting too heavy an object. Also, work to improve your posture. Sit up straight, keeping your feet on the floor. Make an effort to reduce your stress and anger, as they cause tension in the muscles, impair proper digestion and cause labored breathing. Finally, avoid overeating. An overly full stomach is not only a recipe for acid reflux, but it may cause worsening of a Hiatal hernia. Cure your Hiatal hernia by visiting Reflux Remedy at refluxremedy.com today!

Acid Reflux Disease or gastro-esophageal reflux is where the lower esophageal sphincter, located at the entrance of your stomach, does not close all the way, or it opens too often. This can cause the acid from your stomach to move up into your esophagus causing damage and heartburn.

Symptoms of acid reflux disease include:

• heartburn
• bloating
• dysphagia or narrowing of the esophagus
• bloody vomit or stool
• unexplained weight loss.

Frequent heartburn is a good indicator that you may have acid reflux. It is important to talk to your doctor if you experience any of these symptoms for more than two weeks.

Some of the contributing factors to reflux include: being obese or overweight, eating large meals before bed, pregnancy, drinking alcohol, coffee, tea, or eating foods like tomato, chocolate, mint, garlic, onions, spicy or fatty foods, smoking, and some medications can even be the cause of your acid reflux symptoms. Understanding what contributes too, and what the symptoms are will help you manage your disease.

Along with education, natural remedies also exist to help you with reflux, some of these include:

• Milk and 7-up: The alkaline nature of the milk neutralizes the acid in the stomach and the carbonation of the 7-up helps release excess gas build-up. You would drink this tonic as often as necessary for immediate relief.
• Baking Soda and water: Three teaspoons combined in a half-glass of water will help keep the acid already in your esophagus to a minimum. Secondly, they provide a great cleansing action to help coat and protect the lining of your stomach, gut, and intestinal tracts. Persons who suffer not only from reflux, but upset stomach will also receive relief from this remedy.

Maintenance is also a critical factor in controlling your acid reflux disease:

• Herbal Teas: Teas not including caffeine or citrus will help regulate the amount of water, nutrients and natural antibiotics in your body. This is one of the first steps to long term maintenance of acid reflux disease.
• Apple Cider Vinegar: This cider is used for long term maintenance of acid reflux disease, and shouldn?t be taken if you are currently experiencing an episode of reflux. Cider should be drank pure, or mixed with water to tolerate, and should be consumed before bed, before meals, or anytime in which you are not having an episode In the long run, the apple cider can help reduce the level of hydrochloric acid in your stomach, and will also help it breakdown foods and foodstuffs you consume.

Acid reflux disease is quite painful and often disrupts your life. The natural remedies mentioned above are only a temporary relief and should be discussed with your doctor prior to use. One should consider other mundane and physical conditions that can also prompt acid reflux, such as trigger foods, high stress environments, and eating proper portions of food. Acid reflux, like any other disease requires a maintenance plan, and is something that your doctor, dietitian or naturopath consultant should go over with you. For more information on ways to remedy your indigestion be sure to visit Reflux Remedy at refluxremedy.com today!

For the millions of people that suffer from Gastroesophegeal Reflux Disease, or GERD, eating can be a very painful experience. Heartburn, indigestion and acid reflux are often unfortunate consequences that occur after these people have had a meal. Anything that produces excess stomach acid will bring on a painful attack. While there are medicines that can help neutralize stomach acid, this may be a short term solution. Therefore, it is highly recommended that people with GERD make changes in their diet which can often prevent problems before they begin.

GERD sufferers should avoid certain foods that have been known to trigger acid flair-ups. For example, citrus fruits such as grapefruit, lemons and oranges are all highly acidic, and therefore, will increase the amount of acid in the stomach. The same goes for orange juice, grapefruit juice and even lemonade. Other fruits that can cause problems are strawberries, pineapples, cranberries and peaches. Tomatoes, including tomato sauce, salsa and ketchup need to be avoided as well. Also, spicy food, especially anything that contains a lot of pepper, such as certain Mexican and Asian dishes, can irritate the stomach lining.

When choosing a beverage, anything with caffeine, such as coffee, tea and soft drinks should be consumed in small amounts, if at all, since caffeine tends to irritate the stomachs of heartburn sufferers.

There are certain foods that need to be avoided because they can relax the lower esophagal sphincter, which is the muscle between the stomach and esophagus, thus triggering acid reflux.

These foods include: peppermint (which ironically was once prescribed to soothe upset stomachs) spearmint, chocolate and any type of alcoholic beverage. Red wine is especially bad to drink because it not only relaxes the sphincter, but is also highly acidic. Carbonated drinks, such as soda pop also fall into this category, as does beer, which is fermented.

Foods with a high fat content, such as steak, cheese, butter, ice cream, and even peanuts, are not necessarily irritating to the stomach, but can actually slow down the digestive process. This causes food to stay in the stomach longer and triggers bloating which can then push stomach acid back up into the esophagus. Also, foods that are high in sugar, as well as some sugar substitutes, are suspect. Any kind of greasy, fried foods, especially those which fall into the “fast food” category will tend to have the same effect. Consuming garlic and onions tends to cause a build up of gas and bloating in some people and therefore will trigger reflux as well. Other well-known gas producers include: beans, cabbage, peas, cauliflower and broccoli.

In addition to avoiding certain types of foods, GERD sufferers need to pay attention to the quantity of the food they take in as well. It helps to have smaller portions more frequently and avoid over-eating at all costs. Also, food should be eaten at least three to four hours before bedtime to allow the stomach to empty completely and stomach acids to become neutralized as well. To find out more about GERD foods to avoid be sure to visit Reflux Remedy at refluxremedy.com today!