December 28, 2010
Gallbladder Heartburn
Gallbladder disease can have very similar symptoms to heartburn, and although the gallbladder is connected to the digestive system, no genuine link has been found yet between the gallbladder and heartburn.
The Gallbladder
The reason people think they’re experiencing heartburn when they have a gallbladder issue is the pain is extremely similar and located in the same place that heartburn would be. The symptoms of gallstones and gallbladder disease include pain in the upper abdomen, belching, indigestion and nausea.
The gallbladder is used to store bile that then helps aid in the digestive process. After eating, the body signals the gallbladder to release the bile to help break down food in the small intestine.
For people who have problems with their gallbladder, antibiotics and surgery are generally the best options.
Heartburn
Heartburn is the result of too much acid in the stomach. This acid is then allowed to escape the stomach into the esophagus, resulting in pain that often radiates through the chest and into the neck as a burning sensation. Like a gallbladder problem, heartburn can also result in belching, indigestion and hiccups.
Heartburn has a number of causes. Food is one main cause. Things like spicy foods, onions, garlic, alcohol, caffeine and acidic citrus fruits can all cause heartburn, although many people have their own unique food triggers.
A person’s lifestyle can also stir up trouble in the heartburn department. For example, eating large meals can lead to heartburn. The influx of food in the stomach causes pressure to build and excess acid to be produced which irritates the esophagus. To solve this problem eat smaller meals more often. That helps the stomach digest foods more easily and keeps heartburn at bay.
Additionally, don’t eat right before bed, no matter how small the meal is. If you remain upright after eating, gravity helps keep food and acids down in your stomach, but if you lie down they can easily creep into your esophagus and cause pain and irritation.
Smoking can also cause heartburn, so if you smoke, don’t. It’s thought to increase the body’s acid production, leading to heartburn. It also slows the body’s ability to heal, so any damage done from excess acid takes much longer to be repaired.
Similarly, stress causes an influx of acid production in the stomach. So, try to keep stress out of your life as much as possible. Meditate, take deep breaths, count to 10, put on some soothing music, or even add a light exercise routine to your day. All these things can help you achieve a calmer mindset and prevent heartburn pain.
Heartburn pain can be relieved in a number of ways. Drinking a large glass of water is one simple way to reduce toxins in the stomach and wash acids through the system, relieving pain. Antacids can also help, although you should avoid becoming a pill popper if you have frequent heartburn. For more natural relief, try ginger. Whether candied or taken in tea form, it can help with all kinds of stomach indigestion problems.
For more natural tips and tricks for relieving heartburn, visit refluxremedy.com.
Although it’s easy to mistake a gallbladder issue with heartburn, the two so far have not been connected. Make sure you stay in tune with your body so that you can distinguish between the two health problems.
Filed under Heartburn Remedies by admin
November 17, 2010
Home Cures for Heartburn
Nearly everyone has experienced heartburn at some time or another and has sought relief through one of the home cures for heartburn. Heartburn is often the result of either over-eating or indulging in too many rich and spicy foods as we tend to do during holiday meals. A mild case can involve some stomach discomfort such as feeling over full, bloating, and belching accompanied by a mild pain. People with more severe cases experience a burning pain in the abdomen or lower chest that travels up to the neck area. While people refer to this as heartburn, it really has nothing to do with the heart.
Heartburn is the layman’s term for acid reflux pain. When you swallow food, it travels down a tube-like structure called the esophagus and then into your stomach. Your stomach contains strong acids that help digest the food. At the bottom of your esophagus there is a muscle known as a sphincter. This muscle will open and allow food to pass from the esophagus into the stomach. Once this has occurred, the muscle contracts and tightens. This action prevents the food from backing up or the stomach acid from escaping into the esophagus. But if this muscle does not contract and tighten after the food has passed, the food and acid will back up (known as reflux). The end result: heartburn pain.
Since most people experience this from time to time, nearly everyone has a home remedy that they try before calling a doctor or buying an over the counter medication. Contrary to what many people think, home cures for heartburn can be very effective. However, like many other health problems, there is no magic bullet. People are individuals and what works for one, may not work for another.
The effectiveness of the cure can be related to the cause of the problem. With some people the heartburn is triggered by a particular food. If the person can identify the food that is causing the problem, avoiding the food is the simplest way to stop reflux at its source.? Everyone is unique, but some common food triggers are alcohol, citrus, onions and garlic.
Another effective home remedy is one containing an alkali ingredient to neutralize the acid that has escaped from the stomach. What might be one of the most common home cures for heartburn that many people try is adding one teaspoon of baking soda to a glass of water and then drinking the mixture.
Something else that may help is a simple adjustment in the way you eat.? If you tend to eat a few large meals every day, try breaking it up into several smaller ones.? This prevents tremendous amounts of food from reaching the stomach at once, which causes pressure to build, and reflux to ensue.
On his website www.refluxremedy.com Bob Barton mentions eating a red apple as one of the most successful home cures for heartburn. And according to Barton, you don’t even have to eat the entire apple. A couple of slices can do the trick.
Barton?s book, The Reflux Remedy Report also suggests trying techniques like elevating your head during sleep.? This helps keep your head in the appropriate position and alignment with your stomach, keeping acids where they belong.
For more home cures for acid reflux, visit www.refluxremedy.com and read The Reflux Remedy Report today!
Filed under Heartburn Remedies by admin
November 12, 2010
Acid Reflux and Pain
There are a few fortunate people who have never experienced acid reflux pain, but others suffer constantly. When food is swallowed, it passes down through the esophagus and into the stomach. At the bottom of the esophagus there is a muscle known as a sphincter. This muscle allows food to pass into the stomach. The stomach contains acid and other chemicals that process the food. But if the sphincter happens to relax for whatever reason, the food and stomach acid can back up into the esophagus, and the result is acid reflux pain.
Acid reflux pain is commonly called heartburn but it has nothing to do with the heart. The pain is a burning feeling in the abdomen which extends up toward the neck. Other symptoms include nausea, bloating, and belching. Nearly everyone suffers a mild attack of acid reflux pain now and then, especially after a holiday dinner.
There are many methods of dealing with acid reflux pain. Antacids in liquid or tablet form are available over the counter. These all contain an alkali which acts to neutralize the stomach acids. There are other drugs that suppress the acid and are available on prescription. However these are not always a permanent solution for chronic sufferers as the drugs are not designed for long term use and soon become ineffective.? They can also be a costly solution that involves frequent trips to the doctor and? pharmacy.
Some people with acid reflux pain have found certain lifestyle changes to be effective in reducing or eliminating the pain. Chronic sufferers have been advised not to eat close to their bedtime. It is easier for the acid and food to back up when one is in a prone position than when one is sitting or standing. And because of that, the majority of people suffering from acid reflux pain experience their symptoms during the night. They are also advised to consume mini meals. That is, eat more often during the day but consume smaller meals.
However, everyone is unique and acid reflux pain doesn’t affect everybody in the same way. While some foods do trigger acid reflux pain, there are different food triggers for different people. So they need to observe how their bodies react to the various foods and learn to avoid those that stimulate an attack.? Common triggers include garlic, caffeine, alcohol, citrus and onions.
What many people find most effective for dealing with acid reflux pain are natural remedies. Natural remedies are not likely to interact with other medications a person may need as drugs may. And since natural remedies do not contain harmful chemicals, they are not likely to cause allergic reactions in people who are prone to various allergies. Also, pregnant women are very prone to acid reflux pain and they can’t take many pain relievers, either over-the-counter or prescribed because of the adverse effect on the unborn fetus. For pregnant women, natural remedies and lifestyle changes are the only alternative.
Some natural alternatives include eating an apple to help neutralize the acid.? Also, ginger has been found to help with all kinds of stomach acids, including heart burn.? Even something as simple as drinking a glass of water can help flush acid out of your digestive system.
For people seeking natural remedies for acid reflux pain, Bob Barton has published a guide entitled Reflux Remedy Report that is available at www.refluxremedy.com.
Filed under Acid Reflux Cure by admin
November 8, 2010
Natural Heartburn Cures
Just about everyone has experienced heartburn at some time or another during their life and many have sought out natural heartburn cures. Heartburn is a common name for acid reflux. People usually feel a burning pain in their chest that spreads upward to their neck. They may also experience bloating, belching and nausea. Heartburn can be an occasional incident after a heavy meal or extremely spicy one, or a frequent occurrence that is disruptive to daily life.
When you swallow food, it passes through your esophagus and into your stomach.? The stomach contains acids which digest the food. There is a muscle between your stomach and esophagus that opens to allow the food into the stomach and closes after the food has passed through. If this muscle doesn’t operate properly, the food and stomach acid can back up into your esophagus causing pain and discomfort in the form of acid reflux or heartburn.
There are as many remedies for heartburn as there are sufferers. Unfortunately, there is no one cure that works for every one. People need to learn their bodies and figure out what triggers their attacks. Sometimes it is a particular food. Caffiene is a common culprit.? Onions and citrus are others.? So if a person can determine their personal food trigger, they can easily solve their problem by avoiding that food.
However, when a change in diet isn?t an option, people sometimes reach forhome remedies. Drinking a bit of apple cider vinegar and water prior to a meal can help prevent the onset of heartburn. ?Also, eating a smaller meal can help prevent too much acid and pressure from building in the stomach.? Refraining from eating less than two hours before bed can also help keep stomach acids out of the esophagus and in the stomach where they belong.
If heartburn is already in full force, there are a number of natural things you can try.? Eating an apple has been found to be surprisingly successful in relieving heartburn pain.? Also, all forms of ginger, including candied and teas help to settle an upset stomach.? Papaya contains an enzyme that helps the body?s digestion process, which prevents uncomfortable pressure from building in the stomach.? Something as simple as drinking a glass of water can also eliminate heartburn pain, as it flushes unwanted acids through the digestive system.? Also, sitting up, or if heartburn is happening at night, sleeping on an extra pillow helps keep the head aligned properly with the stomach, making sure acids stay down.
Natural remedies are often preferable to over the counter medications or prescription drugs because of their low cost and convince.? Most people don?t need to run to the drug store to get a glass of water, and things like apples and ginger are significantly less expensive than a daily prescription routine.
For more natural heartburn cures, visit www.refluxremedy.com and read The Reflux Remedy Report.? The natural cure that will work for you could be there, so don?t wait!
Filed under Heartburn Remedies by admin