February 22, 2011
Holistic Remedies for Acid Reflux
Acid reflux is a condition that can cause severe discomfort and harm to your body. When the corrosive acid in your stomach gets into your esophagus and goes up towards your mouth, this can have damaging effects. Stomach acid is designed to chemically deconstruct foods to expose useful nutrients for your body. When stomach acid makes contact with your esophagus and throat, it can essentially break down these parts of your anatomy. A problem with your lower esophageal sphincter could be the reason that you are suffering from acid reflux. If you continuously experience acid reflux, it is likely that you could develop gastroesophageal reflux disease.
Modifying Your Lifestyle
There are certain activities that can encourage or suppress acid reflux. You should use holistic remedies for acid reflux as a first resort.
- Don’t eat right before bed. Eating before sleeping in a flat position makes it easier for food and acid to spill from the stomach. Each time you eat, your body naturally produces gastric acids to digest the foods. Lying down only allows the acid to escape.
- Eating smaller meals that are low in fat will help to treat your acid reflux. Larger meals promote the production of more stomach acid that can end up in your esophagus.
- Investigating your food choices is of utmost importance in remedying acid reflux. Everything that enters your body will have a positive or negative effect. Some foods may trigger your acid reflux more than others. Keep a daily food log to discover what foods may promote acid reflux and eliminate those foods from your diet.
- Leave bad habits behind if you want to reduce your risk of acid reflux. Smoking is unhealthy for your respiratory and digestive systems. When you smoke, the lower esophageal sphincter loses strength and will permit gastric acids to escape from the stomach to the esophagus.
Natural Treatment
You should use holistic remedies for acid reflux as a first resort in combating this disease.
- Aloe Juice can minimize the symptoms of acid reflux. Heartburn, a major symptom of acid reflux will decrease when aloe juice is incorporated in your diet. Aloe, in juice form only, acts as a neutralizer, and counteracts the effects of acid in the esophagus.
- Ginger, candied or in your tea, is great for relieving acid reflux and other digestive problems. Ginger can have a calming and settling effect on your stomach. Although ginger has a very strong flavor, it will not leave your mouth with an awful odor.
- Drinking water is one of the easiest and least expensive holistic remedies for acid reflux. When large amounts of water contact your stomach acid, it has a diluting effect that soothes the esophagus.
- Papaya in your diet will aid daily digestion and discourage the body from producing as much stomach acid. Papaya consists of an enzyme that is well suited for breaking down foods, preventing the presence of unneeded gastric acid.
There are many other options for treating acid reflux. Seeking out holistic remedies for acid reflux is the safest way to bring this disease under control. For more information on acid reflux and other natural remedies, visit reflexremedy.com.
Filed under Acid Reflux Remedy by admin
February 21, 2011
Acid Reflux Disorder
Acid reflux disorder is a condition that can occur when you have a lower esophageal sphincter (LES) that does not operate as it should. The LES is a crucial component of the digestive system. Food that is headed to your stomach when you eat has to pass the LES to enter the stomach for digestion. The LES serves as a muscular ring at the end of the esophagus, right next to the diaphragm and stomach opening. For food morsels to get to the stomach, the LES has to open. Usually, the LES closes after each portion of food goes to the stomach. If your LES is weak, it does not close tightly enough to prevent stomach acids from getting into your esophagus.
Stomach acid is the last thing you want near your esophagus. Stomach acid is used to digest foods. The digestive process may begin in your mouth, but it is in the stomach that most of the work takes place. Gastric acids help to break down foods into smaller particles so that the intestines can absorb and distribute the proteins and minerals that are essential for your body. The acidity of stomach acid is very high and it can only be tolerated in the stomach. The stomach wall and lining is equipped to handle the corrosive nature of stomach acid.
Once stomach acid gains access to your esophagus there can be a problem. The esophagus doesn’t have the same protective lining that the stomach has. When acid that comes from the stomach backs up into the esophagus, this is called acid reflux disorder. Acid reflux disorder can be a challenge for many people. By being more aware of acid reflux you will be able to identify the causes, signs and treatment options.
Causes: The cause of acid reflux may stem from other conditions. Being pregnant, obese, having a hiatal hernia or diabetes can contribute to acid reflux disorder. These conditions change the dynamics of the body, especially the stomach. When pressure is added to the stomach, there is a shift of the stomach. When food is digested irregularly, this can trigger acid reflux. Food is a big factor. Eating foods just before bed, lifting heavy objects or eating fatty foods can put you at risk for acid reflux disorder.
Signs: Symptoms of acid reflux disorder include heartburn, nausea, regurgitating food, chest pain, dysphagia, burping and an awful bitter taste in the mouth. Heartburn is the most common symptom of acid reflux disorder and can cause you to experience a burning feeling in your chest and throat. Signs in children may include respiratory problems that include a chronic cough, wheezing and asthma-like symptoms.
Treatment: Holistic remedies for acid reflux are highly suggested as a method of controlling symptoms. Drinking aloe juice, lots of water, and eating papaya will reduce the production of gastric acid in the stomach. Lifestyle changes like quitting smoking, eating less fattening meals and reducing alcohol intake are great techniques. Remember that effective treatment varies for each individual.
For more information on acid reflux disorder, review The Reflux Remedy Report to get all of your questions answered.
Filed under Acid Reflux by admin
Reflux happens when the lower esophageal sphincter does not do its job well. This muscle is supposed to block stomach acid from going where it does not belong, in the esophagus. The LES should allow food to leave the esophagus by contracting to open, and then contract to close tightly right after. Acid in your esophagus can be damaging. The esophagus will become inflamed and irritated. Constant reflux can lead to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and even cancer of the esophagus.
Heartburn is a likely symptom that you will have if you have reflux. Dysphaia, or difficulty swallowing, will make eating foods unpleasant because of the feeling that food is stuck in your throat. Another symptom of reflux is regurgitation. This happens when food and acid is brought up to the mouth from the stomach, giving your mouth a nasty sour taste. Other symptoms like nausea and chest pain can occur but are less common.
If you have reflux there are several steps you can take to treat this disease. Some holistic remedies can discourage reflux from occurring or treat symptoms that have already been experienced. Natural remedies are the safest line of defense against reflux, GERD, and many other physical ailments.
- Aloe has many healing properties. When juiced and consumed, liquid aloe can reduce reflux symptoms. Aloe juice is a neutralizing force in the stomach and decreases irritation in the esophagus.
- Water can neutralize stomach acid too. Water dilutes gastric acid and makes it less acidic and corrosive. Drinking water before and after a meal is a great way to minimize the acidity of acid produced to digest that specific meal.
- Papaya enzymes are great for digestion. These enzymes assist the body with digesting foods naturally, therefore telling the body that a smaller amount of gastric acid should be generated to digest that meal.
- Ginger has multiple purposes and is a great remedy for reflux. Drink ginger tea or eat ginger root to calm your stomach when you have dysphagia or nausea. A settled stomach will reduce your discomfort.
- Eat meals several hours before you plan to go to sleep. Eating before bed is a bad idea. When you put food in your mouth and chew, the body begins to make gastric acid in preparation for digestion. Eating, then lying down for bed encourages the newly produced acid to slip by the loosened LES.
- Try eating smaller meals. Instead of eating three large meals per day, eat five smaller meals. Large amounts of food put stress on the stomach and increases stomach acid production. The presence of a lot of stomach acid can contribute to reflux.
- Eat foods that are right for you. Your body may react negatively to certain foods and cause acid to reflux. The most common food triggers for reflux are caffeine, garlic and onion. Reducing the amount of alcohol you digest can reduce reflux too.
These are just a few of the ways that you can treat reflux. For more information on these and other treatments and remedies, visit www.refluxremedy.com.
Filed under Acid Reflux Treatment by admin
February 15, 2011
Burning In the Chest
Feeling a burning sensation in the chest is alarming! You may panic because this feeling can be very painful and sharp. Depending on your tolerance for pain, burning in the chest can be incapacitating. It is possible that the burning you feel is derived from heartburn. Heartburn can create a radiating pain in your chest region that may be unbearable for you. Heartburn is a symptom of acid reflux and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and is caused when the stomach acid goes into the esophagus by way of a weak lower esophageal sphincter. Heartburn that occurs more than twice per week is used to diagnose acid reflux and GERD.
Heartburn is what causes a burning feeling in the chest. Due to the acid that has entered the esophagus, the esophagus can’t help but be damaged. The acidity of the gastric acid is too high for the esophagus to handle and defend against. An esophagus is not capable of resisting the damage induced by gastric acid, unlike the stomach. When the acid comes into contact with the esophagus, the lining of the esophagus becomes bruised and irritated. This irritation can cause you to feel like you are burning up on the inside.
Since the esophagus is positioned in the torso, adjacent to the breast bone, this occurrence can be referred to as heartburn or burning in the chest. The intense feeling is enough to make you weak. When you lie down, lift heavy items or bend over after a heavy meal, the burning feeling can escalate. Eating and drinking while you feel the burning sensation may worsen the pain level.
Burning of the chest could mean that you are having a cardiovascular problem. You may think that you are having a heart attack. Symptoms of a heart attack and heartburn can be extremely similar so you should always err on the side of caution. Don’t assume that you are having one problem over the other. Contact a medical professional if you feel severe burning in the chest. A heart attack can be fatal so always seek appropriate help.
Other symptoms of heartburn are burning of the throat, hoarseness, chest pain, chronic coughing, difficulty swallowing and a bitter taste in the mouth. Holistic remedies for heartburn are having aloe juice, drinking water, eating papaya and ginger root. If these remedies don’t stop the burning in your chest, try changing your habits. Quit smoking and drink limited amounts of alcohol. Eat healthier meals with lots of vegetables. Exercise and maintain a healthy weight to prevent obesity and diabetes, both causes of acid reflux and heartburn. Eating lighter meals can reduce acid production and reflux. Make sure that you understand which foods cause your body to react. Review your eating habits to ascertain the foods that are making you reflux and have heartburn.
If you have questions or are looking for more information about the causes and treatments for the burning feeling in your chest, read The Reflux Remedy Report today.
Filed under Heartburn Treatment by admin