The muscle located between the stomach and the esophagus is called the lower esophageal sphincter. If this muscle relaxes and does not close tightly after food passes through to the stomach, this can lead to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or gastro reflux disease. Typically, the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) only permits foods and beverages to flow downward into the stomach, not the other way around. A relaxed LES that permits food and stomach acid to travel backwards and reflux into the esophagus can cause tremendous pain, discomfort and injury.

CAUSES

Certain foods can promote gastro reflux disease. Your diet is an integral part of causing or preventing GERD. Foods and drinks with a heavy amount of garlic, caffeine and onion have the ability to increase reflux frequency. Each individual has specified foods that can trigger reflux and contribute to gastro esophageal reflux disease. Eating foods right before bed or meals that are high in fat are also dietary factors that can cause GERD.

Over the counter medications can also promote GERD. These include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) used to reduce pain. Common NSAIDs are ibuprofen, aspirin, and naproxen. Vitamins and other supplements may be risky too. Consuming potassium, calcium, and iron tablets can cause GERD.

Women who are pregnant risk contracting GERD. Due to the size and placement of the fetus growing inside of them, other organs usually shift in order to accommodate the baby. Depending on how the stomach position is naturally modified, this may force stomach acid to reflux. If acid reflux becomes excessive this could lead to GERD.

Some health conditions are directly related to the occurrence of gastro reflux disease. Obesity can lead to GERD because the stomach may not be able to withstand the pressure caused by excess weight. The extra weight can strain the abdominal area, causing reflux.

Unhealthy habits affect gastro reflux disease. Smoking and excessive alcohol consumption serves as triggers for the development of GERD. Lying down during and after meals can cause heartburn, a symptom of gastro reflux disease.

SYMPTOMS

Regurgitation happens when acid backs up into the throat and mouth. This may come with burping that produces a bitter taste and foul smelling breath.

Heartburn is normally felt after eating or lying down. A burning pain in the chest and throat are symptoms of heartburn.

Dysphagia is a sign of gastro reflux and is associated with having difficulty swallowing food, managing food in the mouth and controlling saliva.

MANAGEMENT

Treatment of gastro reflux disease can be done through simple changes to your lifestyle and diet. By taking note of the foods you eat when heartburn or another symptom occurs, you can determine what to eliminate from your diet. By quitting smoking, not eating before bed, and using other pain relieving medications, you can reduce your risk of gastro reflux disease.

If you want more information on gastro reflux disease, visit refluxremedy.com for the latest information on how you can treat GERD naturally.

Developing a digestive disease can take a toll on your body. Since digestion is needed to sustain life, any problems in this area can have an overwhelming impact. Gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD) is a common type of digestive disease. GERD should not be taken lightly. Contracting GERD directly correlates with the status of the lower esophageal sphincter. A malfunctioning LES greatly contributes to the development of GERD. The LES is an important part of the esophagus and can be found at the bottom near the stomach. The LES helps two digestive organs to link and work together, the stomach and esophagus. For food to get to the stomach for digestion, the LES has to open for passage. Normally, the LES will close tightly after the food has entered, but in some cases, it does not. This kind of LES can be classified as weak.

Having a weak LES is problematic because stomach acid has no barrier that stops it from getting into the esophagus. Stomach acid bounces around the stomach and is particularly mobile when you lie down and bend over. When you stand erect, the stomach acid will remain relatively in place even with a weakened LES. Once you become vertical or move about, this is when the acid can splash within the esophagus and even reach the mouth.

To prevent GERD, you should try to do three main things.

1) Regulate the development of gastric acids.

GERD may affect you because of the accumulation of a large quantity of gastric acid in your stomach. This makes it easier for acid to escape. There are things you can do to stop gastric acids from being excessively produced. To reduce production of acid, try to eat smaller meals more frequently. Larger meals require more acid. Papaya has an enzyme that is a natural digestive aid. Eating papaya can help the stomach to break down foods without need for as much acid. If you have diabetes, the way your body digests foods can complicate GERD. You may be able to rid yourself of diabetes with diet and exercise.

2) Keep the lower esophageal sphincter strong.

Lifestyle behaviors can weaken the LES. Smoking and drinking alcohol are not good for strengthening the LES. Smoking and drinking exposes the esophagus to toxins that make it weak. Don’t eat foods that trigger reflux. Fatty foods, garlic, onion and caffeine are common causes of reflux.

3) Help the lower esophageal sphincter.

Conditions like obesity and hiatal hernia contribute to GERD. Carrying abnormal fat deposits around the stomach puts pressure on this organ. The stomach may not be able to occupy its normal space because of obesity. A stomach under pressure will likely expel gastric acid to the esophagus. Do your part by eating right and working out. Hiatal hernia is what happens when the stomach and LES move above or beside the diaphragm. This awkward position makes GERD possible. Although hereditary for some, risk factors for hiatal hernia include lifting heavy items, smoking and drug use.

If you would like to learn more about GERD, visit www/refluxremedy.com for more information.

It’s important to know and be able to identify Hiatal Hernia symptoms so that the condition can be properly treated and prevented from escalating to a state of bleeding.

Symptoms of a Hiatal Hernia often closely resemble heartburn. They include a burning sensation in the chest, acid reflux (or stomach acids making their way up into your mouth), burping, hiccups and chest pain. However, this chest pain is different from the chest pain of a heart attack and it’s vital to differentiate between the two.

Hiatal Hernia chest pain is often the result of spasms due to the displaced stomach. The pain can be extreme, but it is often just pain, or pain accompanied by heartburn symptoms. The pain of a heart attack is often accompanied by shortness of breath and pain or numbness in an arm or hand. Knowing and understanding what these different symptoms indicate can be the difference between life and death. If you’re experiencing chest pain associated with shortness of breath, seek medical attention immediately.

Causes

A Hiatal Hernia happens when a portion of the stomach becomes displaced, and is forced through an opening in the diaphragm. Although it can be difficult to point to specific causes, some risk factors that may make you more susceptible to a Hiatal Hernia are smoking, obesity, and aging.

Hiatal Hernias that occur in younger children or infants are often a congenital condition that they were born with.

Solutions

Hiatal Hernias are rarely serious conditions, but shouldn’t be ignored. They can often be somewhat painful, and so should be dealt with promptly. Surgery is seldom necessary, as your body can often heal itself of a Hiatal Hernia. However, there are a number of things you can do to help speed the healing process up.

If you’ve been diagnosed with a Hiatal Hernia, eat smaller meals, but do so more often. That way you’re giving your body the same amount of nutrition, just over a longer period of time, so that it can better digest the food and extract nutrients from it without getting overly stressed. This helps reduce the impact of eating on your already strained digestive tract.

Also, don’t eat right before you lay down. This will help prevent food from gathering in your stomach, and moving back up into your esophagus where it can cause irritation. You really shouldn’t eat less than two hours before bed if you are battling heartburn or a Hiatal Hernia. That way you won’t have any food or acid lying in wait when you do decide to go to bed.

Additionally, quit smoking. Smoking is very detrimental to your health, including your digestive system. Quitting will help your body heal at a more natural rate, and will help prevent a future Hiatal Hernia from occurring.

You can also reduce stress in your life to help your hernia heal. Although stress can’t be directly blamed as a cause for Hiatal Hernias, it can certainly hinder your body’s ability to heal from one. It tends to cause an overproduction of stomach acid, which can irritate your esophagus and stomach, slowing the healing process. So, do things to help yourself relax, like getting a massage or adding regular exercise to your routine. These things will help you tom maintain a healthy mind and body.

For more information on Hiatal Hernia symptoms, visit refluxremedy.com today!

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) happens your throat becomes irritated and inflamed from gastric acid rebounding up where it doesn’t belong.

Here are some factors that can contribute to acid reflux disease. By NOT doing these things you will effectively treat your GERD without drugs or surgery:

• Alcohol
• Cigarettes,
• Obesity,
• Poor posture
• Calcium channel blockers
• Theophylline (Tedral, Hydrophed, Marax, Bronchial, Quibron)
• Nitrates
• Antihistamines
• Fatty and fried foods
• Milk chocolate
• Garlic and onions
• Drinks with caffeine
• Acid forming foods (sweet fruits)
• Spicy foods,
• Mint flavorings
• Eating large meals
• Eating soon before bedtime
• Hiatal hernia
• Pregnancy
• Diabetes
• Rapid weight gain
• Mixing fruit and protein
• Gluten

Normally ,the Lower Esophageal Sphincter ?(LES) acts as a lid on your stomach only letting food and liquids down and keeping everything there.

The problem with Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is that for one of two main reasons the Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES) is allowing gastric acid to rise up ward into the throat, middle ear and sinus areas.

It shocked me to learn that more often than not acid reflux sufferer’s experience symptoms of Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) because their stomach acid isn’t strong enough, or there simply isn’t enough of it to digest the food down. This creates your classic acid reflux symptoms and makes it feels as if there is too much stomach acid, when in fact there is too little.

That’s another reason why antacids have been scientifically proven not to cure acid reflux diseases. In reality antacids trigger increased acid rebound events, literally ruining quality of life for millions of heartburn sufferers.

Rarely someone actually over produces stomach acid because of a bacterial infection, imbalance of stomach pH or from drug effects.

The acid reflux diseases come from not addressing the real cause of the acid indigestion in the first place.

First you need to restore proper nutrients, friendly flora and essential mineral balance. Nothing upsets all of these factors quicker than antacid drugs, not to mention drugs in general.

This lack of digestive acid also explains why hiatal hernia is also linked to acid reflux disease. When food piles up undigested in your gut, it ferments with bad bacteria and other harmful micro-organisms. After a while the bulk of the food piles up further pushing pressure against not only your Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES), but you diaphragm muscles as well.

Eventually when you bend over and the food in your gut has nowhere to go, you tighten up and literally push your upper stomach and esophagus above your diaphragm.

So you should be able to imagine, as the little stomach acid you have left is dumped on top of this fermenting pile of food stuff, and that it has only one place to go . . . upwards.

This erodes the esophagus causing a complicated case of Gastro-Esophageal-Reflux Disease (GERD) and a hiatal hernia.

Your risk of surgery and throat cancer just went up again.

All this can be prevented, naturally treated and even reversed- but you must address the root cause, NOT just hide the symptoms with drug products that make things worse.

You were born to heal,

Todd M. Faass?

Health Ecologist