Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease – or GERD – and Hiatal Hernia are two gastrointestinal disorders with very similar symptoms, and very different causes, which can occur separately or concurrently.

GERD is a result of frequent heart burn and acid reflux irritating the esophagus.? This can be caused by external factors, such as diet, medications, and health issues.? It can also be caused by an abnormal muscle called the lower esophageal sphincter – the muscle that allows food to pass into the stomach.? An abnormal sphincter is relaxed and allows passage of acid into the esophagus.

A Hiatal Hernia occurs when a portion of the stomach is displaced and either forced through the diaphragm – referred to as a Sliding Hiatal Hernia, or next to the esophagus – commonly known as a Para-Esophageal Hiatal Hernia.

Symptoms behind the Sliding Hiatal Hernia and GERD are strikingly similar.? They include heartburn and acid reflux, nausea and regurgitation.

Though there appears to be a link between the two conditions, it’s difficult to say one causes the other.? Not everyone who has a Hiatal Hernia has GERD and vice versa.

However, there are things that can be pointed to.? When a Hiatal Hernia occurs, it’s usually a result of the lower esophageal sphincter becoming very relaxed or loose (the same contributing factor to GERD), allowing the diaphragm to become displaced and the stomach to protrude.? Two things happen when this occurs:

1.?? The relationship between the sphincter and the diaphragm is altered, allowing acid to move in the opposite direction.

2.?? The junction between the esophagus and the stomach is pulled up, causing the muscles to become even more relaxed and cause reflux.

Treatments of a Sliding Hiatal Hernia and GERD are also very similar, as a Sliding Hiatial Hernia often isn’t serious and simply causes acid reflux.? Options include over the counter antacids or prescription drugs, diet changes, stress management, and if the problem is severe enough surgery for both issues is an option.

Medications and diet changes can help both conditions reduce the occurrence of acid reflux. ?Antacids and prescription drugs help neutralize stomach acid, thus reducing discomfort and damage.? Diet changes can help prevent production of too much stomach acid.

Stress management can also help reduce stomach acids for both conditions.? Excess stomach acids are produced during stressful situations.? People with Hiatal Hernia or GERD under high stress may benefit from simple de-stressing techniques such as deep breaths and counting to ten.

Surgery for a hernia involves pulling the stomach back to its normal position and making the junction between the esophagus and the stomach smaller, preventing recurrence and repairing the cause of the hernia.? Surgery for GERD can be done laparoscopically – a minimally invasive procedure, and involves attaching the stomach around the esophagus, and tightening that junction – preventing acid from entering the esophagus.

The two conditions clearly share several similarities, but science has yet to find a definitive cause and effect relationship between the two.? However, those with one, the other, or both conditions are facing nearly identical roads of treatment and healing.

If you have heartburn more than twice a week, you may have Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, or GERD.? The chronic heartburn condition is caused when the lower esophageal sphincter malfunctions.? When operating normally, the sphincter only allows food and liquids to flow one direction – into the stomach.? GERD occurs when stomach acid is allowed to flow the opposite way, and up into the lower esophagus. ?This results in pain and irritation of the esophagus.

What causes GERD?

GERD has several causes ranging from health and hormonal abnormalities, to daily habits.

• Medicines: Certain medications can be pointed to as causes for, and irritants of, GERD. Over the counter pain medicines called NSAIDS like aspirin and ibuprofen, as well as vitamin supplements like iron, potassium and calcium.
• Health: Hormones help control the contractions of the lower esophageal sphincter, so pregnant women often find they suffer from frequent heartburn. Additionally, a small percentage of people with Type 1 Diabetes have a digestive disorder (called gastroparesis). It delays food passage out of the stomach, causing pressure to build and leading to GERD. There is also a condition called Hiatal Hernia that is thought to worsen the symptoms of GERD. This happens when a part of the stomach is displaced and either forced into the lower esophagus, or beside it.
• Foods: It’s difficult to point to one certain food that causes heartburn, but some foods can cause it more frequently than others. Things like garlic, citrus, caffeine, alcohol and onions can make heartburn worse. But, everyone has their own triggers – something that may cause heartburn in one person, someone else with GERD may not react to at all.
• Habits: Daily routines can also cause GERD. Things like wearing clothes that are too tight and smoking can cause acid build up. Even if you’re just a little overweight, that added pressure on your abdomen can trigger heartburn.

What are the symptoms?

GERD presents with a few symptoms.? They include:

• Frequent heartburn
• Regurgitation
• Difficulty swallowing

These symptoms can be exacerbated if you lay down to soon after eating, eat a large meal, or even bend down to lift something heavy.

What can you do?

If you have GERD, there are many options for treatment.? If you’re a smoker, quit.? If you’re overweight, loose a few pounds.? You should also use caution with medicines known to aggravate GERD.

Even a change in diet can have a profound effect.? Try keeping a food journal and track what foods set off your heartburn, then avoid them.? Also, wait 2 to 3 hours after eating to go to bed, and eat smaller, more frequent meals to avoid pressure build up in the stomach.

Over the counter antacids or prescription medications can also be helpful.

If all else fails, your doctor may recommend surgery.? The procedure involves attaching the stomach around the lower esophagus, tightening the muscles there and blocking acid from making its way up.? However, this is generally a last resort.

For more on this condition and coping with its symptoms without surgery, read our Reflux Remedy Report.

Do you have questions about your hiatal hernia and exercise? If you don’t, you should have. The whole problem with hiatal hernia is the physical stress placed upon your entire torso. A hiatal hernia, as you may well know, creates so much discomfort that it’s almost impossible to even bend over or lie down.

So thinking about exercise isn’t going get you anywhere, chances are that’s the last thing you feel like doing. The catch is . . . ?exercise really is of the utmost importance to reversing and curing your hiatal hernia pain.

So let’s find an exercise you can practice.

As you may already know exercising while lying down isn’t an option. In fact exercising on your back, side or stomach will only force more acid reflux up past your esophagus flap. This flap or Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES) is really the main problem you’re dealing with.

It’s a mistake to think all hiatal hernias are caused from an acid reflux disease. In fact it’s usually the opposite case. Because there’s so much pressure in your stomach from eating too much of the wrong foods, it piles up and pushes against your esophagus flap.

Lack of exercise makes a hiatal hernia worse and may be one of the root causes in the first place.

Nothing beats going for a walk in the park after eating a meal. If you suffer from hiatal hernia, you really would benefit from exercising more after eating any amount.

So forget about lifting dumbbells, doing sit-ups and somersault, those types of exercise will make your hiatal hernia symptoms even worse than before.

Whatever you do while exercising, avoid putting any pressure on your hiatal hernia area.

Drugs for acid reflux should only be used by a small minority of hiatal hernia cases, and if used, use them only for a short time.

Covering up symptoms is counter-productive for most people, especially if you are capable of doing some simple exercises.

I suggest getting one of those big yoga exercise balls. I personally found this helps stretch the stomach area. You can exercise your abdomen by using the giant ball to arch your back, head over heels.

Another exercise which helps relieve hiatal hernia pressure is jumping up and down. In fact I would suggest a few tools, or toys. Pick up a small trampoline. This works great for people who can’t walk outside for one reason or another.

Living in the Snow Belt makes it hard to get out and having a little trampoline to walk and jump upon is a great way to invigorate digestion.

If you suffer from hiatal hernia, you’ve got to focus on whatever it takes to increase proper digestion.

If you’re really determined to exercise, buy a jump rope. I can’t think of a better exercise for a hiatal hernia.

Probably the easiest exercise for hiatal hernia is walking and there are many other benefits to walking, such as increasing circulation, moving food away from your esophagus, promoting movement of lymph fluid and it also encourages deep breathing. . . plus it keeps you away from raiding the refrigerator-which is the worst exercise you can be caught doing. I know it’s hard to even breathe with hiatal hernia, but when you can, use deep breathing exercises to.

Anything that stretches, creates downward movement and invigorates digestion is highly encouraged.

You were born to heal,

Todd M. Faass?

Health Ecologis

So you finally figured out what was ailing you.

Having a hiatal hernia isn?t as bad as it feels if you know what to do to reverse it.

The most important thing about being diagnosed with a hiatal hernia is staying optimistic. In other words the first step to curing your hiatal hernia is in actually believing it can be cured.

Otherwise you?re typically stuck with watching your underlying hiatal hernia symptoms get worse as you treat those symptoms. The absolute worst thing you can do is ignore the root cause of your hiatal hernia symptoms by ignoring it.

The root cause of your hiatal hernia is, simply put, your diet.

The best diet for hiatal hernia is a diet that gives back to your body, rather than take away. Basically that?s the key to unlocking your body?s own inner hiatal hernia cure . . . stop taking and start giving back.

Through the years you?ve eaten things you shouldn?t have eaten and as a direct result you triggered critical deficiencies of nutrients, including enzymes, minerals and their cofactors.

The big problem is there are a lot of mixed messages out there concerning hiatal hernia and the best diet. Perhaps knowing the worst diet for hiatal hernia will help you by process of elimination to learn what the best diet is for you.

Too often I hear people with hiatal hernia come back from the hospital, or doctor?s office, saying they can?t have any acid foods.

Avoiding entire food groups is more than unrealistic, it?s incorrect.

You see some foods are acidic, but they produce a non-acidic or alkaline environment in your body.

For example if you eliminate all citrus foods, you?ll not only create more nutritional deficiencies, you may even make your hiatal hernia and acid reflux issues worse than before.

Vitamin C is necessary for optimum cellular health. One of the easiest sources of vitamin C is from citrus fruits. Many leading health experts insist vitamin C is necessary to help prevent heart disease, oxygenate blood and promote healthy digestion.

Besides, the best diet for hiatal hernia is not necessarily creating less gastric acid. The key is to enjoy a diet that helps create a non-acidic or alkaline pH, in your blood, saliva and tissue. You need stomach acid to digest your food to take pressure away from your hiatal hernia. The acid reflux effect is usually caused from a gastric acid deficiency triggered from eating a diet that was high in bad fats and low in minerals and enzymes.

The best diet to reverse hiatal hernia is to eliminate foods that take away nutritional factors like enzymes, minerals and their various co-factors.

Here?s the best diet for hiatal hernia menu:

? Eat slowly and chew your food extra well

? Eat until your 75% full, stay a little hungry.

? Eat your raw fruits an hour in between meals.

? Don?t mix nuts with fruits.

? Don?t mix protein with fruits.

? Drink half your weight in water ounces daily

? Drink your water in between meals and snack, don?t dilute gastric acid.

? Avoid alcohol, tobacco and caffeine; they relax your esophageal seals.

? Eat raw vegetables like avocado, broccoli and spinach after you?ve eaten your protein.

? Avoid artificial sweeteners and MSG.

? Avoid pharmaceuticals if you can.

? Eat steamed yams, potatoes and brown rice sparingly.

? Avoid refine salts and sugars.

? If you eat grains, use sprouted grain sources.

? Eat your salad last.

? Use Celtic or Himalayan sea salts.

These are a few tips for the worst diet and the best diet for hiatal hernia. You?ll have to make adjustments for your lifestyle and tastes.

You were born to heal,

Todd M. Faass?

Health Ecologist