I’ve been successfully helping people with gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) for going on 4 years now and the natural remedies I suggest have been helping everyone I know of who has tried them.

Lately I’ve noticed there are a lot of people who are interested in any kind of exercise to help rejuvenate and strengthen their Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES), which is the flap in your throat that’s supposed to keep stomach acid down below.

Unfortunately once acid reflux becomes chronic GERD, that esophageal sphincter has been quite damaged by all the gastric acid pushed up against it and through it.

In spite of the fact that natural remedies and lifestyle changes do help people and do promote their own healing processes, once this flap has been burned by GERD, it needs special nurturing.

So I started studying how people who have been on feeding tubes are rehabilitated, I thought this might give us some clues. Fact is feeding tubes are very helpful for people who have difficulty swallowing, but sometimes after a long treatment they have to relearn how to switch back to eating orally, like normal.

It was here I found some exercises that may help people recovering from Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD).

There is a study that proved swallowing pudding helped patients who had difficulty with the upper esophageal sphincter (UES), which is the flap that keeps air from getting into the stomach. Something about the simple act of swallowing seems to have natural strengthening benefits.

The difference with the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) is its designed to keep the gastric acid away from the throat. It only makes sense to consider any advancement in this area because there isn’t a whole ton of info on the subject.

Additional exercises for GERD would be to walk after eating, chew food for extremely long periods of time and learn to breathe deeply while in any position.

Another suggestion would be to swallow tablespoons of pure aloe vera gel. You can’t really exercise the lower esophageal sphincter, but strengthening the upper flap is a start and the aloe vera will accelerate the healing of chemical burns that have inflicted the lower flap.

That’s what GERD does, it attacks that lower flap and because it can’t be exercised per se, like the upper flap, it can be nurtured in several other ways.

So keeping the digestive system at an optimum level will be the best exercise you can do to help rehabilitate this lower flap.

Keep eating less than what fills you up, supplement with living enzymes and probiotics and I suggest juicing celery, cucumbers and apples will also help. The trick with apples when you juice them is to peel the skin and eat that first. The apple skin contains natural enzymes that digest the malic acid and sugars in the apple. If you just juice the apple, most juicers will discard the skin, which is unfortunate if you don’t know to eat it first.

You can also get expensive cold-pressing juicers that don’t separate the fibers necessary for proper health and digestion.

So exercises for GERD would be stretching, deep breathing and walking. A good therapy is to swallow healthy food sources with a dense or gelatinous quality, such as clear gelatin, pudding and aloe vera gel.

You were born to heal,

Todd M. Faass?

Health Ecologist

Severe chronic heartburn can be diagnosed as a condition called Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease. It happens when the lower esophageal sphincter – the muscle at the junction between the esophagus and the stomach – becomes too relaxed.? Normally, the sphincter only allows things like food and liquids to flow one direction – into the stomach.? A sphincter that isn’t functioning properly allows stomach acids to enter into the esophagus causing damage and pain.

Symptoms

Symptoms of GERD generally occur when lying down after eating, when lifting or bending over to get an object, or after consuming a large meal.? Symptoms include:

• Heartburn: A burning pain in your chest or throat
• Regurgitation: Acid backing up into your throat or mouth. Often accompanied by burping and a bitter taste.

Causes

Medications: Certain medications can aggravate GERD.? They include:

• NSAID pain relievers (ibuprofen and aspirin)
• Dietary supplements (potassium, calcium, iron tablets)

Hormonal Changes: Often, pregnant women suffer from heart burn as a result of changes in the balance of hormones.? The sphincter is partially controlled by hormones, and when there is a change it can disrupt the contraction of the muscle.

Foods: ?Though no one food can be pointed to as a definitive cause of GERD or heartburn, certain foods have a higher occurrence rate than others.? Things like caffeine, alcohol, garlic, onion and mint cause reflux frequently.? However everyone has their own specific food triggers and should avoid those that cause heartburn or contribute to GERD.

Health Issues: Some diabetes sufferers have been known to also have GERD.? It comes as a result of a condition called gastroparesis, in which the stomach delays in emptying itself causing a pressure build up, which results in reflux.? Obesity can also lead to GERD as extra weight puts added pressure on the abdomen, causing reflux.? Also, a condition called Hiatal Hernia is known to worsen the symptoms of GERD, but is not directly connected to causing GERD.? It occurs when a portion of the stomach becomes displaced, either forced into the esophagus or up next to it.

Habits:? Certain day to day habits can cause or exacerbate GERD.? Smoking slows the lower esophageal sphincter down, causing acid to back up from the stomach.? Wearing tight fitting clothes can place too much pressure on the stomach, causing reflux.? Even eating or lying down too close to bed time can cause heartburn.

Treatments

The majority of GERD sufferers can manage the condition with medication and simple diet changes.? Over the counter antacids or prescription drugs can help diminish the symptoms of GERD.? Keeping a food journal and eliminating foods that cause heartburn can also help.? Even changing daily habits like quitting smoking can change the condition dramatically.

In severe cases where none of these approaches are successful surgery can be beneficial.? Most people can do the procedure laparoscopically, which is minimally invasive.? It involves suturing a portion of the stomach around the esophagus, tightening around the sphincter and preventing acid from backing up.? However, not everyone with GERD is a candidate for laparoscopic surgery.? Some will require a laparotomy, which involves opening the abdomen, and others will need a thoracotomy, which involves opening the chest.

For more on GERD and some holisitic solutions, please read our Reflux Remedy Report.

Acid Reflux Disease happens when the sufferer has heartburn more than twice a week, or chronically.? There are a number of ways to approach finding relief for this painful problem.? Most people will immediately go for medication, be it over the counter antacids or prescription medications.? However, there are a surprising amount of natural remedies that can prevent ever needing to reach for a bottle of pills.

• Changing your eating habits can be the first step, and easiest way, to alleviate heart burn. Eating smaller more frequent meals can prevent overloading the stomach all at once and causing a buildup of pressure and acid. Also, eating 2 to 3 hours before bed can help prevent that night time heartburn from creeping up.
• Smokers should quit smoking, as it has been shown to worsen acid reflux.
• People who are overweight can try losing a few pounds. The extra weight puts added pressure on the chest and abdomen, causing reflux.
• Tight clothing should also be avoided. Similarly to extra weight, it puts pressure on the abdomen.
• Drinking a glass of chamomile or fennel tea can help soothe an irritated esophagus when sipped slowly at a warm temperature.
• A few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar can help during heartburn, and when diluted in a cup of water before meals can help prevent future reflux.
• Aloe Vera juice can help when consumed before meals. However, the gel from an aloe plant will not. It’s a powerful laxative and shouldn’t be consumed to relieve heart burn. Only drink Aloe Vera juice.
• Ginger has been found to help with many stomach problems, including acid reflux. It can be taken in pill form, drank in tea, or consumed in candied form. When taken before meals it acts as a preventative, and can help soothe when taken during heartburn.
• Almonds contain natural oils found to help alleviate heartburn. A handful is all it takes to calm an upset stomach.
• Papaya contains an enzyme that has a digestive enzyme to help break down foods and prevent pressure build up. When taken before meals it can help prevent the onset of acid reflux.
• For long term prevention and healing damage done to the esophagus by chronic heart burn, the amino acid glutamine can help. It promotes healing and eliminates damaged cells in the esophagus.
• Unflavored yogurt has helpful bacteria that promote healing in the esophagus and tightening of the muscles, preventing future onsets.
• Some people have even found eating an apple helps rid them of heartburn.
• Drinking a glass of milk – some recommend skim, some recommend whole – may help relieve acid reflux.
• Something as simple as drinking a glass of water can help. By diluting the stomach acids and flushing the system faster it can be an excellent way to soothe heart burn.

The Reflux Remedy Report contains even more ideas for getting rid of acid reflux disease.? Check it out!

Whether your acid reflux problems are triggered from too much or too little stomach acid, you need to find the best diet to promote proper digestive balance.

There?s an old saying that variety is the spice of life. So the worst thing you can do if you want to cure your acid reflux would be to eat the same thing all the time.

Truth is millions of people crave one kind of food and what?s worse is when they eat one brand of one kind of food.

In fact that may be the best thing you can do for your acid reflux symptoms; eat foods that are different in some way. It could be the monosodium glutamate (MSG) content, or the aspartame (a.k.a. NutraSweet) content, maybe it?s nitrates or one of the hundreds of other processed food additives and preservatives.

Besides all this chemicals are bad for you in other ways than triggering acid reflux or heart burn.

Acid indigestion is a very serious health problem, especially in first world countries. Mainly because eating microwaved, fried and processed foods leaves your body empty of any nutrients.

Your body will live long and well by simply eating more raw fruits and vegetables and less animal sourced protein. You see, eating foods that are processed with chemicals, foods that are over cooked and basically anything dead, is bad for you.

It may not show ill effects for years, but the bottom-line is raw fruits, vegetables and herbs and spices contain their own enzymes and minerals for one.

Your body can?t digest everything with stomach acid; your body needs these vital enzymes and cofactors to help them digest.

Indigestion is what happens when there isn?t anything to help your body breakdown food into nutrition.

After all the reason we eat is to provide nutrition.

The Standard American Diet (SAD) takes nutrition away from your muscles and tissues, leaving you with acid indigestion, acid reflux and heartburn.

There?s an old saying, ?It?s not so much what you eat, it?s what?s eating you.? This also applies to acid reflux problems. In other words, there?s a reason people in America eat too fast. The reason is that they are ?preoccupied.?

It is important to eat right, yet just as important, is that you enjoy eating the right foods. Acid reflux and all indigestive issues are inflamed from eating on the run, or not taking the time to chew your food.

You should set aside 20 minutes to chew your steak, rest 5 minutes and take another 20 minutes to enjoy your salad, etc . . .

Notice your eating the salad after eating the steak. American?s get this backwards. In Europe it has been tradition to eat the salad after the main course. Europeans also take 2 to 3 hour lunches in most countries as well.

It?s best to eat your protein first, then your carbs . . . try it, you?ll lose weight too!

In America everyone is wolfing don?t everything while standing up, driving or talking on the phone while on the way to something else.

Look at your acid reflux as a blessing- it?s trying to tell you to slow down and select the right foods. It?s asking you to take the time to taste your food and learn to eat things separately instead of piling everything on top of the same plate.

No wonder Americans have so many health issues- we all need to be grateful for our humble portions and learn to enjoy the benefit of eating the right diet . . .then acid reflux, heartburn and esophageal acid reflux disease (GERD) will become a thing of the dark past, a past of a faster less health conscious age.

You were born to heal,

Todd M. Faass?

Health Ecologist