nutrition

January 21, 2011

Foods That Trigger Acid Reflux and Heartburn

There are a number of foods that trigger acid reflux and heartburn. Although everyone is different certain foods cause acid reflux more often, and more commonly, than others. Additionally, how much you eat, and when you eat can also trigger the effects of acid reflux.

Traditionally, onions, garlic, highly acidic fruits and juices (like citrus), caffeine and alcohol are all known to cause some type of heartburn (mild or severe) in a vast number of people. Additionally, foods that are difficult to digest like fatty foods (fast food), whole milk products, and ground beef can also cause some level of heart burn.

However, you may have your own triggers that upset your stomach a great deal, but don’t bother anyone else. To help you identify these causes, keep a food journal. That just means you should write down what you eat, when you eat, and how much you ate each time you sit down for a meal or a snack. That will help you to know exactly what you’ve eaten in the last few hours since your most recent bout of heartburn. If there are any trends, you’ll be able to easily point to them because you’ve been keeping track of your meals.

Regardless of what you’re eating, you can still get a mean case of heartburn if you eat too much of it. Have you ever heard of too much of a good thing? If you flood your stomach with food all at once, that sends it into acid production overdrive, and you may find that an upset stomach is the least of your problems. Keep this from happening by eating smaller meals more often. That way you’re still getting the same amount of nutrition, but you’re making it easier for your digestive system to process.

Additionally, when you eat can impact your heartburn pain. If you eat too close to bed time, or right before you lie down for a nap, that can be a sure fire way to trigger acid reflux, even if you just ate some whole grain toast, something that shouldn’t cause heartburn in the first place. This is because when you lay down, gravity can no longer help your body keep food down in the stomach. That allows acid and food to wander up into your esophagus, which results in pain and irritation. So, just try not to eat so close to bed time. Food should be consumed two hours or more prior to lying down to avoid an attack of acid indigestion. If this rule can’t be followed, then try propping yourself up with an extra pillow to provide your body with something resembling a more natural alignment of your digestive tracts, and attempt to keep foods down in your stomach where they belong.

If you’re looking for more information about foods that trigger acid reflux and heartburn, why they trigger those conditions, and how you can naturally relieve those symptoms, check out The Reflux Remedy Report. It contains a whole host of information about heartburn, as well as holistic tips and tricks for being heartburn free. Visit refluxremedy.com today to learn more.

Filed under Acid Reflux by

Permalink Print Comment

December 28, 2010

Natural Ulcer Cures

Ulcers happen when the lining of the stomach is damaged. Natural ulcer cures involve eliminating stomach irritants to allow the body to heal itself. However, if your ulcer is caused by the bacteria H. pylori, you will probably not be able to completely cure your ulcer naturally.

H. pylori is a fairly common bacteria spread by close contact and consumption of contaminated water and food. It grows in the stomach lining, which irritates it and makes it vulnerable to harmful acids meant to break down foods. Generally, it can only be resolved with antibiotics. However, using natural techniques in addition to antibiotics can help the healing process along.

If your ulcer isn’t caused by H. pylori there are a number of things you can do to help relieve pain and allow the body to heal. First, watch what you eat. Although a bland diet is no longer generally necessary when you suffer from an ulcer, eating smart can help. Fatty and spicy foods increase the production of stomach acids, which can be detrimental to the healing process. Additionally, highly acidic foods like citrus fruits and juices as well as tomatoes can have a harmful effect on a healing ulcer. Instead, go for whole grain breads, lean and lightly seasoned meats, low fat milks and dairy products, and other such easily digestible foods.

Also, watch how much you eat. Large meals can cause pressure build up in your stomach and cause pain and heartburn indigestion. That’s counterproductive when trying to let an ulcer heal. However, eating less doesn’t necessarily mean eating less. Just eat smaller meals more often, rather than a few large meals every day. That way your stomach receives tidbits of nutrition throughout the day, keeping your digestive system from getting overwhelmed.

Another thing that can majorly exacerbate an ulcer is pain killers. While ulcers can be terribly painful, and it is very tempting to reach for some Aleve, or even a prescription medication, resist! Pain killers can often cause ulcers and make the healing process virtually impossible. NSAIDs – or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs – like Ibuprofen restrict the body’s production of enzymes that protect the stomach lining from harmful acids. Without those enzymes damage occurs, resulting in ulcers and even worsening existing ulcers. The bottom line is: Resist pain killers when you have an ulcer. If you get a headache, try a massage or a dark room. If you have joint pain, try a hot or cold compress.

Stress is another element that can keep your ulcer from healing. Stress signals the body to produce extra stomach acid, which can stall the healing process. To prevent this, relax! Get a massage, add exercise to your routine, take a deep breath, anything that will help you stay cool, calm and collected. Stress is being blamed for a number of health problems ranging from heart diseases to gastrointestinal problems, so reducing stress in your life can help you have a healthier mind and body in addition to helping your ulcer heal.

Finding natural ulcer cures just takes a bit of patience and common sense. It doesn’t take much too simply give your body the time and space it needs to heal.

For more information on natural ulcer cures, visit www.refluxremedy.com.

Filed under Ulcers by

Permalink Print 1 Comment

December 22, 2010

Foods to Eat With a Stomach Ulcer

If you have a gastric ulcer, you may be searching for helpful foods to eat with a stomach ulcer. Often, a stomach ulcer can cause meal time to be terribly painful, and the thought of eating can be unappealing. However, eating the right foods in the right amounts can sometimes allow your body to heal and prevent pain that often results from eating.

What to eat

Certain foods are easier to digest than others, and when an ulcer is involved easy digestion is vital to helping it heal. Foods that are low in fat, whole grain breads, lean meats like pork or poultry, and fish are among the ideal things to eat when you’re trying to let an ulcer heal. The important thing to remember is to provide your body with balanced nutrition to give it the proper building blocks to heal. Vitamins and nutrients found naturally in foods are extremely beneficial to helping the body heal. Foods that are high in antioxidants like blueberries and cranberries can help the healing process along.

What not to eat

While a bland diet isn’t generally recommended for treatment of an ulcer, you may want to avoid foods that cause indigestion and heartburn. Things like citrus fruits and juices, tomatoes, and anything that is high in acid should be avoided. Spicy foods, onions and garlic are also known heartburn triggers and can be counterproductive to the healing process. Additionally certain drinks like anything containing caffeine and alcohol shouldn’t be consumed, as they stimulate acid production which can be harmful to particularly delicate stomach lining when there’s an ulcer involved.

Additionally, certain medications should be avoided if you have an ulcer, including pain killers. Pain killers have been known to cause ulcers. So when you’re trying to allow one to heal, resist the temptation to take any, as you may get another ulcer or worsen the one you have as a result. While ulcers can be particularly painful, pain killers will not help in this department. And, taking a pain killer for another problem like a headache or back ache while you have an ulcer can complicate things by worsening your ulcer. Regardless of whether they are prescription or over the counter, your intake of pain killers should be severely stemmed when you have an ulcer.

How much to eat

When it comes to healing an ulcer, the amount of food you take in can often be as important as what you take in. Eating large amounts of food at once can cause a pressure build up in your stomach, which results in pain and can seriously slow the healing process for your ulcer. So, eat smaller meals more often. That way you get the same amount of food, just stretched over a longer period of time. This keeps your stomach from being bombarded by a ton of food all at once, making it easier to manage and break down the smaller amounts. That keeps acids down to a minimum and creates a better healing environment for your stomach.

For more information on what foods to eat with a stomach ulcer, what to avoid, and natural ways to help relieve pain from an ulcer, visit refluxremedy.com today!

Filed under Ulcers by

Permalink Print Comment

December 5, 2010

Self Help for Sliding Hiatal Hernia

A sliding Hiatal Hernia is the more common form of Hiatal Hernia, and it happens when the stomach pushes through an opening in the diaphragm and encroaches on the esophagus. It can be rather painful and cause sudden, and severe, heartburn.

While most Hiatal Hernia?s are not severe, medication can be prescribed to assist with the symptoms. However, there are actually several things you can do as far as self help for a sliding Hiatal Hernia. But, please note, these techniques are not meant to replace medical treatment. Always consult with your physician if you suspect you have a Hiatal Hernia or other gastrointestinal disorder, and together you can decide on the best course of action.

Some things you can do to help your sliding Hiatal Hernia include simply maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Eating right and providing your body with proper nutrition helps it have the appropriate building blocks to heal. You can even focus on foods that are high in vitamins and antioxidants to try and speed the healing process ? things blueberries and other so called super foods should help.

Also, add things to your diet that will help with digestion. The fatty acids found in foods like Fish, or digestive enzymes found in papaya help to break down food and minimize stress on your stomach at meal time.

Eating smaller meals more often may also help with digestion and reducing heartburn and pain. If you flood your stomach with food all at once, it gets stressed out and overproduces stomach acids in order to break everything down in a timely fashion. However, this excess of acid irritates your stomach, and can prevent your hernia from healing. So, by presenting your stomach with smaller amounts of food over a longer period of time, it can better handle the digestive process.

Smoking is also very detrimental to all of your body?s health systems, including the gastrointestinal system. Smoking actually sends stomach acid production into overdrive, which irritates a hernia. It also slows the healing process, which means it will take all that much longer for your stomach to go back to where it belongs. Quitting will eliminate all these factors.

Believe it or not, a massage may help. Put your fingers just below your breast bone and rub downward. Do this a few times a day for one minute each time. It may be painful at first, so go easy, but ? like exercise ? over time it will become less sensitive. If you do it over the course of a week or two, it will help push the stomach back down where it belongs.

Reduce the stress levels in your life. This will help keep stomach acid production at a normal level, and will relax muscles around the affected area, allowing it to naturally fall back into place. Try practicing meditation, take deep breaths, if you feel stress coming on count to ten or put on some soothing music. This will help your body heal quickly and naturally.

For more self help for sliding Hiatal Hernia, read The Reflux Remedy Report at www.refluxremedy.com. It has a huge range of natural remedies for all kinds of causes of acid reflux, including Hiatal Hernias. So what are you waiting for? You could be on your way to healing right now!

Filed under Hiatal Hernia by

Permalink Print Comment

Privacy Policy - Terms of Service

©2016 Barton Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Email: support@bartonpublishing.com
Toll Free: 1.888.356.1146 Outside US: +1.617.603.0085
Phone Support is available between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM EST
PO Box 50, Brandon, SD 57005 USA