Stress can be very hard on your body, and your digestive tract is no exception. A huge stress related digestive problem is heartburn.

When you are stressed out, it sends your body into flight or fight mode. This results in blood and oxygen being diverted away from your stomach to more important organs, like your heart, brain and muscles. That will help you to make a good decision about staying and fighting, or running.

Chronic stress results in a similar reaction from your body, although less extreme. It makes food difficult to digest because your body is spending time keeping itself running and keeps food low on the priority list. This causes pressure and acid to build up, resulting in painful heartburn and acid reflux.

Heartburn happens when acid is allowed to become too prevalent in the stomach, and seeps up into the esophagus, causing irritation and pain. Chronic stress can lead to frequent heartburn, which damages the esophagus.

Symptoms of stress related heartburn can include a burning sensation in the stomach that radiates up to the chest, hiccups, belching and indigestion.

Stress related heartburn can be caused by any number of things. Emotional stress can be very difficult to deal with. Things like a death in the family, a recent break up, illness and other things can make relaxing difficult. Other things like work, relationships, family, holidays, finances and striving to meet certain goals can compound these stressors.

So, what can you do to relieve stress related heartburn? First of all, chill out. It may seem difficult to relax with so much turmoil going on, but that’s life. You’ll need to adjust the way you deal with it in order to live a longer, healthier and happier life.

• Meditate or learn yoga and practice it regularly. Yoga focuses on your body’s inner peace and learning the principles of it can help to prevent stress from building.
• See someone. Visiting a psychologist or therapist can help you talk through some of your problems and come to a resolution. You can also learn techniques for how to deal with future problems so that stress doesn’t become such an issue down the line. Although you may think that finding the time and money to pay for such a luxury will add to your stress, it can provide priceless help to some people and it’s worth exploring if you’re having trouble dealing with the stresses in your life.
• Add exercise to your routine. Exercise helps to burn off excess energy, maintain a healthy body and helps you to relax much easier. People who exercise regularly are not only healthier than those who don’t, but are also less susceptible to stress related illnesses. So, do a bit of walking every morning, join a gym, or take a spinning class. Do whatever you need to in order to keep it fun, interesting and engaging.

Stress related digestive problems are a common issue that plagues thousands of people. However, you don’t need to suffer in silence. Pick up a copy of The Reflux Remedy Report for more tips and tricks on relieving stress related heartburn and other digestive problems. For more information, visit refluxremedy.com today!

If you experience pain in your stomach after eating, you may have an ulcer. If your pain is intense, or has been going on for quite some time, you should seek the advice of a physician.

Generally, stomach ulcers are caused by bacteria called H. Pylori, not by stress or spicy foods as was once thought. H. Pylori is a corkscrew shaped bacteria that is fairly common among all people, regardless of age, sex or health condition. What causes it to run rampant in some people and not others is still a mystery, but if your ulcer is blamed on H. Pylori, you’ll likely be prescribed a series of medications and tests to make sure the bacteria is eradicated.

Regardless of the cause of your stomach pain after you eat, there are a number of things you can do to help prevent or relieve it.

• First, modify how much food you take in at once. By limiting your intake, but increasing the number of times you eat during the day, you can help your stomach to better deal with the digestion process, and reduce stress on your body.
• Second, make sure you’re not eating foods that will aggravate a stomach ulcer or other digestive disorder. Things like fatty foods, dairy products, garlic, acidic fruits like citrus, caffeine and onions should be avoided. Breads and products that contain whole grains, fish and lean meats and fruit containing antioxidants (like the ‘superfruit’ blueberries) should be targeted if you suspect an ulcer.
• Third, although you may be trying to target certain foods and avoid others, a balanced diet is crucial to maintaining a healthy body. Everything in moderation is vital. Make sure your body gets the nutrients it needs to heal by providing it with essential vitamins found in all types of food.
• Fourth, exercise regularly to keep oxygen rich blood flowing throughout your body. This will help your body heal, and prevent future injuries and traumas like ulcers.
• Fifth, don’t take pain killers if you’re experiencing pain in your stomach after you eat. Although pain killers may be your first instinct when you’re having pain, just don’t do it. Pain killers can often exacerbate an ulcer and take your situation from bad to worse. Even over the counter pain medications have been shown to cause ulcers, so if you already have one, don’t aggravate it by taking additional pain medications.
• Sixth, if you’re a smoker, quit. Smoking has been scientifically shown to cause a host of health problems, including death, so quitting will help your case. It actually increases acid production in your stomach, which can irritate an existing ulcer. So just quit it.
• Lastly, make sure you’re keeping your stress levels down to a healthy amount. Too much stress causes the body to create excess stomach acid, which irritates the esophagus and stomach lining, making it difficult for an ulcer to heal. So, meditate, take deep breaths, listen to music, take up a hobby, or anything else that helps you stay calm in a stressful situation.

Pain in the stomach after eating can be a debilitating symptom of a potentially serious problem. For more information on this disorder and how you can help your body heal from it, visit refluxremedy.com today.