Acid reflux disease is a condition that plagues thousands of people every day. The awful thing about the condition is that it can take all the fun out of eating. Who wants to eat if the after affects are heartburn, belching, hiccups, regurgitation, coughing and sometimes nausea? It just doesn’t seem like the price you pay for good eating measures up to the benefit of eating at all. It’s true that the affects of acid reflux can vary from person to person ranging from mild discomfort in some to completely debilitating pain in others. All those suffering from acid reflux, no matter the extremity, can agree that if they could get rid of the condition altogether, it wouldn’t be too soon.

Acid reflux is a condition that if not properly tended to can lead to more serious conditions that can ultimately be life threatening. What happens with acid reflux is the acids found in the stomach that are used to break down foods for digestive purposes aren’t properly concealed in the stomach causing the acids to travel upward from the stomach into the esophagus resulting in acid reflux. The lower esophageal sphincter, LES, is a circular muscle valve that is located at the entrance of the stomach in the lower part of the esophagus. This valve’s job is to allow food and drinks to pass through from the esophagus to the stomach. Immediately after food and drinks pass through this valve, the valve is to close sealing off the stomach and the esophagus. This way, the acids that are rapidly at work digesting the food that has reached the stomach remain in the stomach so that there is no irritation caused to the esophagus.

A great way to control the hyperactivity of your stomach acids so that they are less likely to reach the esophagus resulting in acid reflux would be to prevent acid reflux triggers. There are several ways to prevent acid reflux. Below you will find a few:

• Eat smaller meals more times a day. The smaller your meals the more likely your stomach acids will be able to take on breaking down and digesting these meals without producing too much acid that may result in acid hyperactivity.
• Avoid foods that contain chocolate, citrus, caffeine, mint, garlic, onions and other foods that are high in fat. These foods have been known to weaken the LES muscle.
• Avoid sodas and alcoholic beverages, opt instead for water. Water is great at stabilizing stomach acids and aids in the digestive process.
• Try not to eat too close to bedtime. Give yourself at least two hours between the last meal of the day and the time you retire. This allows your body adequate time to fully and properly digest your foods.
• Relieve your stress. Stress is linked to many ailments and acid reflux is no exception. Stress can directly affect the digestive system so do your part to relieve stress through exercise, mediation, and rest.

Preventing acid reflux can be better for your body than taming it after it starts. If you are seeking more preventative methods feel free to visit refluxremedy.com

Stomach acid reflux is a pain, plain and simple. Yes, there are worse things that can happen but there is ultimately little that offers greater distaste than having a negative reaction from your body simply because you eat or drink. It seems unfair, to say the very least. You have to eat to live. That you learn in Life 101. Food is essential. So, how is it that something so essential can send the body into such a burning rage that it turns you off from eating altogether? It just doesn’t make any sense. It appears that you’ve stumbled upon a situation where winning is impossible. You have acid reflux.

Stomach acid reflux disease is a condition that arises when the enzymes and acids of the stomach become hyperactivity, leave the stomach and make their way into the esophagus. The lower esophageal sphincter (LES) is a round muscular valve that is located in the lower portion of the esophagus, upper portion of the stomach. The main purpose of this valve is to allow food and drink access from the esophagus to the stomach while protecting the esophagus. The valve does this by opening to allow food and drink to pass through to the stomach then closing immediately after so that the acids which grow active when food hits the stomach don’t escape to the esophagus.

Often time there is a stomach abnormality that is known as a hiatal hernia. This abnormality occurs when the LES and the upper part of the stomach find its way above the diaphragm which is suppose to separate the stomach from the chest. The diaphragm usually does an excellent job at keeping stomach acids in the stomach but if there is irritation the diaphragm neglects to properly do its job resulting in stomach acid reflux.

There are triggers that can cause the irritation that would facilitate stomach acid reflux. Avoiding these triggers could mean eliminating acid reflux and enjoying eating all over again. Here are a few things that could possibly be triggering your acid reflux:

• If you are eating larger meals or you are lying down right after you eat, this could certainly be a trigger. Try eating smaller meals several times a day. Smaller meals are easier on the digestive system. The energy it takes for your acids to break down smaller meals is far less than it would take to break down meals that are larger. Also, try eating 2 hours before bedtime.
• If you are one that loves a good carbonated drink or an alcoholic beverage, you may want to consider switching up and trying water. Water is great as it aids in the digestive process and soothes the esophagus. Water has also been known to stabilize stomach acids.
• Eliminate citrus, garlic and spicy foods from your diet. There are ways to enjoy flavorful foods that aren’t a strain on your digestive system. Opt for alternatives. Try hearty fruits, vegetables and salads. Not only will your acid reflux be at ease, your overall health will benefit.

You don’t have to suffer from stomach acid reflux forever. Try altering your lifestyle–the benefits will be well worth it.

The best treatment for hiatal hernia is to cure your chronic heartburn, acid indigestion or gastro-esophageal acid reflux (GERD), which is what causes your hiatal hernia to flare up in the first place.

Think about what a hiatal hernia actually is . . . it’s your stomach stuffed with partially digested food pushing up further and further until it shoves your stomach up into your throat area.

Sounds gruesome doesn’t it?

Hiatal hernia isn’t fun, but you probably already know that or you wouldn’t be here reading this, would you? The hiatal opening is at the top of your diaphragm where your esophagus goes through. Once your stomach slips up through there the treatment of the symptoms of hiatal hernia isn’t going to reverse the problem.

Once your stomach bulges upward through this opening the only way to get your stomach back into your abdominal area is to help your digestive system to relax as a whole, which means you need to help your digestive system finish digesting the contents of your stomach.

For immediate treatment you can do heel drops, deep breathing and stretching.

A heel drop works by standing on the tip of your toes, hands to your sides and drop down to your heels, repeatedly. Jumping on a trampoline may help as well. The idea is to help the gut relax and by using gravity to jar your stomach back down into the abdominal cavity where it belongs.

The only treatment I am aware of for hiatal hernia is physical treatment or nutritional treatment. Another thing you can try is to use one of those big yoga balls. They are around a 2.5 to 3 foot diameter rubber ball used for exercise and stretching.

First make sure you have room to tumble in case you roll off the yoga ball. Here’s what you do . . . squat – as low as you can, preferably resting on your heels, with your back on the ball and using your hands to stabilize it, or else get help if you aren’t that flexible, and slowly lean back against it. Gradually lifting your behind off your heels and gently rolling backward, allowing the yoga ball to support your body. If you’re successful you will be arched parallel to the floor with your head hanging over. Now carefully bounce with your leg action until the stretch is complete.

This treatment should drop your hernia back out of your hiatal opening. Deep breathing treatment is recommended to help you focus and relax, this also helps expand your abdominal or chest cavity as well, giving more space for your stomach to drop down.

So treatment for hiatal hernia depends on if it’s an emergency of not, if not then treatment should be based on preventative and maintenance measures by supplementing with ionic minerals, probiotics and enzymes, which will also help you improve you immune, enteric and digestive systems.

You were born to heal,

Todd M. Faass

Health Advocate

The Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES) is a muscular ring around the bottom part of the esophagus.? The function of the LES is crucial to the digestion process. As part of the job, the LES opens the door for consumed foods to access the stomach from the esophagus and effectively closes the door behind it. If the LES fails to close the door tightly or at the right time, food and acid in the stomach can gain entry into the esophagus. When the LES malfunctions, this creates several problems for your digestive system.

A lower esophageal sphincter that isn’t performing at the optimal level can lead to acid reflux disease. Acid reflux disease occurs when the acid and food reflux into the esophagus. Unfortunately, there are several symptoms of acid reflux ranging from heartburn to dysphagia. These symptoms have different effects on the body and don’t necessarily have to take place at the same time. Experiencing one or more of the following symptoms can indicate that you have reflux acid symptoms.

Heartburn: The most recognizable reflux acid symptom is heartburn. Heartburn can be identified by a burning feeling in the chest, neck and throat. The burning feeling stems from the location of acid in the esophagus that has travelled from the stomach. Heartburn usually occurs after a meal and when lying down due to the lack of gravity needed to keep the acid trapped within the stomach.

Nausea: Another reflux acid symptom is nausea. Nausea is a feeling that can be uncomfortable. Nausea has different effects on everyone but primarily causes you to feel like vomiting. People who are nauseated usually lose their appetite and can only ingest light, neutralizing foods. Feeling like you have a buildup of gas is also a sign that you are nauseated.

Burping: While burping is a normal method that the body employs to expel gas, burping can be a sign of acid reflux. Usually, the gastric acid that takes the journey up the esophagus causes you to belch. Burping forces the gastric acid out of the esophagus and into your mouth, causes burning and leaves behind an awful taste.

Chest Pain: The burning sensation prompted by heartburn normally affects the chest in addition to other chest pain. This chest pain is caused by an esophagus that has been inflamed by stomach acid that has refluxed. An inflamed esophagus radiates pain to the surrounding areas of the torso, especially the chest.

Dysphagia: If you have difficulty swallowing your food, this could be as a result of dysphagia, a reflux acid symptom. Dysphagia causes you to have an uncomfortable feeling during and after meals. People experiencing dysphagia often feel like food has lodged in their neck or throat.

Reflux acid symptoms should be taken very seriously. Determining if you suffer from acid reflux will help you to treat the disease and its symptoms. To find out more about reflux acid symptoms and what you can do about them, visit refluxremedy.com today for more information.