Did you know that your asthma could be linked to your Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)?

Truth is everything is connected when it comes to your health and environment, only some things are more obvious than others.

So let?s take a closer look!

As you may already know asthma has been plaguing children ever since the industrial age started spewing pollutants high into out atmosphere and now more than a hundred and fifty years later, asthma has approached epidemic proportions.

Yet it may surprise you to learn these days our children are coming down with acid reflux, and what?s even more shocking is now they?re developing Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) too.

Now imagine suffering from both conditions . . . whether you?re a child or an adult you?re in some deep trouble.

In fact, the percentage of GERD in people with asthma is estimated to range between 34% and 80%.

The Good News Is . . .

Leading medical experts are finding that by treating the children?s GERD, they are also helping their asthma too.

So what is the hidden connection between asthma and GERD?

There are 2 ideas medical researchers suspect may explain the link:

1) Stimulation of the vagus nerve from bronchospasm

2) Inhaling micro-particles of gastric acid

The verdict is the most likely cause of asthma and GERD is because of the vagus nerve triggering a bronchospasm. The reason being after prolonged acid reflux attacks in the throat, gastric acid erodes the protective mucus layer, exposing the vagus nerve endings.

Let me explain further . . .

The vagus nerve runs from the brain, along the jugular veins, onto the carotid arteries deep inside your neck, then into your chest and deeper into your abdomen. Besides connecting all your organs together, the vagus nerve transmits sensory information of the health of these organs back to the Central Nervous System (CNS).

80-90% of the nerve cells in the vagus nerve system are sensory nerves that keep the brain informed.

It?s interesting to note that this deep running, all important vagus nerve is the main conduit for information from the gut to the brain. In fact, seeing how Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is a digestive disorder gone out-of-control, it?s clear to see how GERD and asthma are co-related.

Seriously, considering up to 80% of the time people suffer from both conditions there had to be a simple explanation.

The Brain of the Gut

The word is the gut has an elaborate brain of its own called the ?enteric nervous system? made of 100 million neurons.

Apparently the brain in your gut has vital nerve cells bathed and nurtured by the same neurotransmitters and proteins as the brain in your head.

So know that we all know the vagus nerve is reacting to the acid reflux burning through the flesh in the throat, it all makes a lot more sense, doesn?t it? Especially since learning the gut?s brain sends and receives electrical impulses, records experiences and even responds to emotions.

This whole discovery of the hidden connection between how children?s asthma attacks get better when the gastroesophageal and acid reflux disease are addressed is leading us into a new field of medicine called ?neurogastroenterology.?

Clearly when there is a gastrointestinal problem like acid reflux, or heartburn, it has an impact on the rest of your body and when stomach acid eats through the inside of your neck, the nerves are going to jump, triggering a constriction of the airways.

Now add to that the 2^nd theory above as a factor as well. If a child, or a person of any age has gastric acid splashing into their throat, mouth and sinus cavities, there?s no doubt the caustic gas and its micro-particles are going to get into the lungs.

Imagine how bad it feels to have something go down your wind pipe, but that wouldn?t hardly compare to having acid reflux droplets shower down your bronchial tubes now would it?

If you or someone you know if suffering from GERD and asthma, help them by educating yourself about Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAM), because that?s the new frontier, that?s where all the hidden connections are being made.

Live well,

Todd M. Faass?

Health Ecologist

According the studies done by the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), more than 60 million Americans experience heartburn at least once a month, and about 15 million deal with it every day.

For all you statistic buffs out there, that breaks down to about 1 out of 18 people in the U.S. suffer from dreaded heartburn, also known as acid reflux disease.

The exact cause of acid reflux is still arguable, but most doctors will agree on one of two major causes.

1) Too much stomach acid

2) Too little stomach acid

It may surprise you but more people are suffering from a stomach acid deficiency than from an over production of stomach acid.

Regardless of the cause, acid reflux is one of the most unpleasant human sensations and taste experiences you?ll ever have.

Imagine a caustic acid so powerful it will ?etch glass,? erupting like chemical lava up into the most sensitive and delicate parts of your body . . . your throat, mouth and nose.

There?s a good reason acid reflux disease is commonly called heartburn . . . your stomach acid is a caustic acid that can seriously burn and scar you.

Your stomach has a triple layer of cells and inside the inner most layer are the ?parietal cells? which create the hydrochloric acid. This digestive acid is vital for the proper digestion of food. Your stomach acid doesn?t just dissolve your food . . . it chemically breaks it down all the way to the molecular level.

In fact one drop of your stomach acid will burn through wood.

Imagine this gastric acid being forced through your esophagus over and over again.

Industrial uses of hydrochloric acid include drain cleaners, leather processing and ?pickling? steel to remove rust.

This is why acid reflux disease and chronic heartburn can lead to worse conditions like Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) and even cancer. In the case of GERD, the throat becomes so chemically eroded by gastric acid that it actually mutates into a tough lining just like the stomach lining. Ignored this type of cellular mutation can change into throat cancer.

Now in case you?re still curious, let me explain how a lack of stomach acid can trigger a gastroesophageal reflux from acid indigestion.

Your digestive acids are made from fluids in your gall bladder, pancreas and bile ducts which require minerals, nutrients and enzymes for the cells inside your upper stomach to create the final gastric acid product.

After years of eating processed foods and foods high in animal fats, these minerals, nutrients and enzymes become depleted.

Now picture all the food you eat piling up inside your gut, causing that bloating, gassy feeling from being full all the time.

You see a lack of digestive stomach acid will slow down digestion causing flatulence, nausea and a gaseous stomach. All this food creates pressure and stress forcing your body to make sporadic bursts of gastric acid . . . causing the heartburn sensation.

Keep in mind these ?parietal cells? that make this caustic digestive juice are located near the top of your stomach, which means its right next to your esophagus.

So it?s easy to imagine them a little stressed out, and even in a biological state of emergency, to the point where they briefly secrete generous amounts of gastric acid, which then just sits on top of that gigantic heap of undigested food stuff.

That?s why antacids don?t cure heartburn, they only inflame it.

Whether you make too much digestive acid or not enough the worst thing you can do is eat and then lay down. This makes it even easier for the acid to reflux up into your throat and mouth, even discoloring your teeth and most definitely ruin your once baby-sweet breath for the rest of the day.

Live well,

Todd M. Faass?

Health Ecologist