Acid reflux is a disease that is caused by an irregularly functioning lower esophageal sphincter (LES). The LES serves as a gateway for foods that have been chewed and swallowed into the stomach. Ideally, the LES closes after food passes through to the stomach. If the LES malfunctions and does not close completely or at all, this allows stomach acids to enter into the esophagus, causing acid reflux. Acid reflux affects many people and can be caused by several things. If you experience acid reflux symptoms more than twice in one week, you may have contracted acid reflux disease or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Signs and Symptoms

• Heartburn is the leading symptom of acid reflux and is also referred to as acid indigestion. If you feel a burning sensation in the chest, abdomen or throat, this could be a sign of heartburn. Heartburn can trigger chest pain as well.

• Dysphagia is characterized as a symptom of acid reflux. It creates the feeling of food being trapped in the throat or neck. Trouble swallowing is a signature effect of dysphagia and prevents people from enjoying meals normally.

• Bloating causes the abdomen to feel uncomfortably full. Painful bloating is associated with chest pains and hiccups. Stomach bloating that is a result of acid reflux will not subside until the food has been completely digested.

• Nausea involuntarily prompts you to vomit or burp. A sign of acid reflux, nausea makes you feel discomfort in the stomach, and throat. This feeling can cause stress, especially when driving or walking.

• Regurgitating food is a dangerous symptom of acid reflux. Food that has passed through the esophagus and is now imbued with stomach acid has the opportunity to damage the esophagus when refluxed. Food and acid that has been regurgitated causes a burning sensation.

• Chest Pain can be severe and uncomfortable. Chest pain can cause difficulty breathing. Be careful not to assume that chest pain is related to acid reflux and not a heart attack.

• Excessive Burping is an effect of acid reflux. Belching and burping usually brings up the wet gastric acid from the stomach. Burping up acid can cause bad breath.

Causes and Treatment

Acid reflux may be caused by other health conditions. Hiatal hernias, pregnancy, obesity and diabetes can ignite symptoms. People that have respiratory diseases are more likely to be affected by acid reflux.

Eating heavy meals right before you go to sleep, lying down after a meal and not lifting heavy objects are preventative measures. Lifestyle modification can go a long way in treating acid reflux. Preventative measures can be taken to reduce your chances of suffering from the symptoms of acid reflux and can ward off GERD. Adjusting your diet and habits are also beneficial. Diets that are low in fat are excellent for decreasing the frequency of symptoms.

For more information on the symptoms of acid reflux and possible treatment options, visit refluxremedy.com today and find out more.

Digestive diseases run the gamut between appendicitis and liver failure. A digestive disease comprises any condition that is directly related to an organ in the digestive tract. These organs include the stomach, liver, esophagus, pancreas and the large and small intestine. Gastroesophageal reflux diseases (GERDs) are common types of digestive diseases. The esophagus is a long tube like organ located between your neck and stomach. Food goes down this organ and into the stomach. To reach the stomach, the muscle ring at the bottom of the esophagus must open. This ring is called the lower esophageal sphincter. A strong LES functions well, allowing food to access the stomach for digestion and blocking acid from spewing into the esophagus. A weakened LES does the opposite and allows stomach acid to come in contact with the esophagus. This causes GERD which is injurious to the body and uncomfortable.

Food

The cause of GERD is not standard for everyone. Specific foods can promote GERD so your diet is a main factor in treatment. Eating foods with large quantities of fat, garlic, onion and caffeine can contribute to acid reflux, when acid and food goes backwards up the esophagus. Eating large meals can promote GERD. When eating, make sure that you sit up and have good posture so that the acid in your stomach does not flow above the LES. You should never eat before bed because this puts your esophagus in a horizontal position that is perfect for letting stomach acid in.

Habits

Bad habits are unhealthy and help GERD to develop. When you smoke, this makes the LES weak and prone to dysfunction. A weakened LES will not stop acid from going to the esophagus. Drinking alcohol can also trigger acid reflux and GERD. If you eat while lying down, you may experience heartburn, one of the main symptoms of GERD.

Health Conditions

Being pregnant puts many women at risk for GERD. When you are pregnant your body undergoes considerable physical changes. The body instinctively will make space for the baby by condensing in other areas. When the stomach moves and condenses, this can cause acid to reflux. People who are significantly overweight increase their risk for GERD. The additional weight that is carried by an obese person inflicts pressure on the stomach and abdominal area, thus pushing acid where it does not belong.

Signs

The signs of GERD include regurgitation, heartburn, dysphagia or difficulty swallowing, nausea, chest pain, excessive burping, a bitter taste in the mouth, sore throat and hoarseness. Symptoms vary from person to person and are less severe in children. Heartburn is the most common of all the symptoms. If you have persistent heartburn, occurring more than twice per week, you may have GERD.

There are natural treatments for GERD. Changing your diet and lifestyle are the main ways you can control or reduce the symptoms of GERD. If you would like to learn more about the causes, symptoms and treatment of gastroesophageal reflux diseases, review the Reflux Remedy Report or visit www.refluxremedy.com for more information.

If you suffer from occasional heartburn, you might be a good candidate for trying natural cures for acid reflux. After you have seen your doctor and ruled out more serious conditions such as esophagitis, hernias, or even cancer, you can talk to your physician about homeopathic remedies, which have helped millions of people.

The problem occurs when your stomach produces more acid than your esophagus and esophageal sphincter can handle, allowing acid to creep up into your throat, and causing burning sensations. You might experience upset stomach, excessive burping, a bad taste in your mouth, tightness in your chest, or feelings like you have a piece of food stuck in your throat. If it is just an occasional occurrence, say after an especially heavy meal, you might be able to get away with a one-time treatment.

If it is more frequent however, diet changes and lifestyle modification may be necessary to completely take care of this problem. Fatty foods and processed, fast food can be a big cause for your stomach?s overproduction of acid. Avoid alcohol, caffeine, tomato-based products, and citrus as they are common acid reflux triggers.? Try tracking what you eat to discover what causes reflux for you most consistently, and then react accordingly.

Natural cures for acid reflux may include supplements from your local natural food store.? These include chamomile tea, slippery Elm, fennel, catnip, and ginger root. Adding chopped ginger to a dish or a tea before a meal can help with an upset stomach, and can give your overtaxed acid pumps a chance to calm down.

Simply changing your daily eating habits may result in relief from acid reflux. Several small meals over the course of the day are much easier for your stomach to process than are large, heavy, fat-laden meals. Your stomach does not have to produce nearly as much acid to take care of the digestion of these smaller meals; therefore, less acid is likely to come up to the top of your esophagus.

Also, try giving yourself a few hours after your last meal before going to bed, so that your stomach has a chance to digest the food at least partially, and it is not working overtime right when you are going to lay down flat.

Another homeopathic remedy involves elevating the head of your bed slightly, or adding a pillow under your head, to bring your head above your stomach. Gravity works here, to keep stomach acid down where it belongs, and give your esophagus and esophageal sphincter a break from the bombardment of acid that occurs when you lay completely flat.

Natural cures for acid reflux can also include actual weight loss. Heavier people tend to get heartburn more often, simply because of the added weight on their abdomens causing pressure on their stomachs. It may help that one of the suggestions is to avoid fatty foods; the dual benefit being reduced acid and weight loss.

Whichever cures you try, check with your doctor first and get his or her advice, then check with the folks at Reflux Remedy. The natural cure you need may be waiting for you at www.refluxremedy.com.

Acid reflux and GERD (gastro-esophageal reflux disease) are common ailments that cause the esophageal sphincter, which is responsible for stopping excess acid from coming up from your stomach, fails. It can be healed to work normally again with treatment, but until that happens, symptoms such as heartburn, pain in the chest, overactive salivary glands, acid regurgitation, sore throat, excessive burping and a burning sensation in the stomach may occur. Often, patients are advised to go on a course of prescription medication, with little or no further information given, especially in relation to natural alternatives to heal GERD.

Although doctors may be quick to prescribe a long-term solution to these symptoms, there are indeed many tried and true natural combatants against GERD. Giving your esophagus a break from acid will allow it to heal, and ensure its ability to perform its job within the digestive process. With a functioning esophageal sphincter you will no longer suffer from the very uncomfortable and disconcerting symptoms of GERD or acid reflux.

The list of natural alternatives to heal GERD includes several cheap, easy-to-follow changes in your diet and lifestyle; natural aids for helping the healing. Red apples are at the top of the recent list of possible aids. Numerous research studies have been published that indicate that one red apple a day can greatly reduce your stomach acid. Other natural healing avenues include drinking a glass of water after every meal to help keep the seal on your esophagus more firmly closed. This assists your esophageal sphincter in doing its job to keep acid in your stomach, and not in your throat. The gel from an Aloe Vera plant, either diluted or alone, has been shown to act as an effective soothing device to combat stomach acid. Also, honey has been related with esophageal sphincter repair and has been shown to be a natural alternative to heal GERD.

Stay away from caffeine, alcohol and nicotine while trying to heal GERD. Natural alternatives often work better when you abstain from these substances as well. Salt can aggravate the condition, as can many fatty foods. Also, try to limit your food intake to smaller portions at a time, eating several small meals over the course of the day instead two or three big meals. Your stomach does not have to work as hard at producing the acid needed to break down a big meal; therefore, your stomach acid pumps get a break if you throw smaller meals at it over a the course of a day. Consider ingesting stomach enzymes with each meal to help your stomach digest food without additional treatments.

Calcium carbonate is a natural, short-term remedy for heartburn, as is licorice, which can help soothe the mucous membranes in your stomach that protect it from acid. Try a cup of peppermint or chamomile tea after meals instead of coffee, as they are caffeine-free and can help soothe your stomach. Chewing gum can also be effective for soothing heartburn symptoms by stimulating saliva production, which can dilute your stomach acid. Try sleeping with your head slightly elevated at night to reduce the ability of stomach acid to creep up your esophagus and throat. These natural alternatives to heal GERD will reduce your cost of prescription medicines, and restore your body?s ability to digest foods without over-producing acid.