There is a muscle that is located above the stomach and just below the esophagus. It is called the lower esophageal sphincter or LES. This muscle acts as a link between the esophagus and stomach, allowing food to pass from one to the other during the process of digestion. Some people have or develop a weak LES, which can be harmful. A dysfunctional LES sometimes allows stomach acid to leave the stomach and travel up the esophagus and even to your throat. This is harmful because stomach acid is corrosive and irritating to areas that are not naturally protected against it. When stomach acid and food is regurgitated or brought up to the esophagus, this is called acid reflux. Frequent acid reflux— acid reflux that occurs more than a few times per week is commonly classified as gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD. Stomach acid in the esophagus can cause a burning sensation, commonly known as heartburn.

Causes

• Unhealthy behaviors can promote acid reflux and GERD. Habits like smoking and drinking excessive amounts of alcohol can encourage the development of GERD. You should also practice eating lighter meals. Don’t eat a meal right before going to bed because this promotes gastric acid production.
• Some foods can cause acid reflux. Try to avoid foods that have a lot of caffeine, garlic and onions. You should also eat meals that are low in fat, because this is easier for the stomach to break down. Fatty foods require more gastric acid to digest.
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can cause acid reflux. These over the counter drugs include aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen, all found in many readily available pain killers. Vitamin supplements that have too much potassium, calcium and iron can contribute to GERD.
• Medical conditions can also increase your chances of developing GERD. People that are pregnant, have diabetes, obese or have respiratory problems are more likely to develop GERD.

Symptoms

• The main symptom of GERD and acid reflux is heartburn. Heartburn is experienced by about 40 percent of the population. The occurrence of heartburn doesn’t necessarily mean that GERD is present. If you have persistent heartburn, then you may be suffering from GERD.
• Regurgitation is another symptom of GERD. When acid and/or food back up into the throat, this is called regurgitation. This may be joined with burping and a bitter taste. Regurgitation causes painful irritation in the esophagus and throat.
• Other less common symptoms of acid reflex and GERD include nausea, chest pain and abdominal pain. Atypical symptoms include having asthma, laryngitis, a persistent cough and sinusitis.

Management and Treatment

• Diet is a contributing factor for acid reflux and GERD. Eliminate fattening foods and alcohol from your diet. You should eat a balance of acid and alkaline forming foods. Meals should not be eaten right before bed. Make sure that you drink a lot of water along with aloe juice, papaya and ginger. For more treatment methods and information visit www.refluxremedy.com today.

Acute indigestion is one thing, that’s short term and unpleasant as it is, it isn’t a real big deal. However chronic indigestion is like acute indigestion, accept it lasts much longer and if allowed can consume your whole life.

Also called dyspepsia, chronic indigestion leaves you feeling full, gassy and nauseated . . . not a good place to be.

There are only a few things associated with causing chronic indigestion, so it shouldn’t be difficult to stop it, reverse it and cure it if need be.

Inflammation is a natural immune response that can be triggered by many things. When your throat of stomach is inflamed for long periods of time you will need to reassess everything you do. Is it something you eat on a regular basis, something you smoke or drink, maybe an adverse reaction to a prescriptive drug?

One of the most common causes of inflammation and chronic indigestion is acid reflux, but then again, perhaps the cause of your chronic indigestion is also causing your acid reflux and heart burn symptoms.

Too often people confuse cause for effects . . . remember treating the symptoms of your chronic indigestion isn’t the same as curing your chronic indigestion. Symptoms of chronic indigestion are the effect of whatever is causing your chronic indigestion.

Peptic ulcers are often blamed for causing chronic indigestion, however once again you have to wonder, is your chronic indigestion possibly causing your peptic ulcers? In which case whatever is causing your chronic pain and indigestion is also the cause of your peptic ulcers.

Taking medication, especially pain killers will kill your digestive health.

One more myth I have to bust here is that spicy foods cause chronic indigestion . . . it’s just untrue.

Spicy food doesn’t cause chronic indigestion- eating meals based on the Western pattern diet does.

The Western diet is full of animal protein and fats in large quantities. The ticket to curing your chronic indigestion is to eat smaller portions more often, rather than 2 or 3 large meals a day.

It will take less stomach acid to digest your food. Plus eating more diverse foods will offer a more diverse nutritional profile, feeding your organs more natural sources of enzymes, vitamins and their co-factors.

Animal protein and fats stay in the stomach longer to break down. They also create extra waste your body has to deal with. Eating too much sugar, fat and animal protein will slow down your metabolism and these foods demand your pancreas make the enzymes to break them down. All this places stress on your digestive system.

Chronic indigestion is a result of chronically eating wrong . . . change the way you eat and claim your health back again.

You were born to heal,

Todd M. Faass

Health Advocate

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.

If you have a gastric ulcer, you might be wondering, what can I eat with a stomach ulcer?

A stomach ulcer happens when the lining of the stomach becomes traumatized or injured in some way. This can be a result of a bacterial infection called H. pylori, stress, smoking, pain killers, or alcohol.

Eating and certain types of food can exacerbate a stomach ulcer and cause additional pain. Some people may find it helpful to watch what they eat if they have an ulcer.

Foods to eat

Certain foods are easier for your stomach to digest and may help make the eating process slightly less painful where an ulcer is involved. Focus on:

• Whole grain, seedless breads
• Low acid fruits and vegetables
• Lean, unseasoned meats like pork, beef and poultry
• Fish
• Low fat dairy products in moderation

Foods to avoid

Other foods won’t necessarily cause a stomach ulcer, but they can certainly worsen it, or delay the healing process. Stay away from these types of foods:

• Fatty breads like croissants
• Fruits and vegetables that are high in acids, like tomatoes and all types of citrus including grapefruit, oranges and lemons
• Heavily seasoned foods like beef, pork, poultry and fish
• Whole milk and dairy products high in fat content

These are difficult to digest and cause the body to produce additional stomach acids to accommodate the digestion process, which can irritate an ulcer

• Fried foods, like fast food
• Fatty desserts like cake and ice cream

Things that might help

In addition to what to eat, there are methods you might practice to keep pain at bay when trying to let a stomach ulcer heal.

For example, eat smaller portions more frequently. This keeps your stomach from being bombarded by a huge amount of food, which creates pressure in the stomach and can result in a buildup of acid. This will aggravate your ulcer and cause more pain. Smaller amounts of food helps the stomach?s digestion processes go more smoothly, and can keep pain at bay.

Additionally, try to avoid pain killers. A stomach ulcer can be pretty painful, but taking a pain killer can majorly worsen the condition. Whether it’s an NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) like Ibuprofen or Aleve, Aspirin, or a prescription pain medication, these drugs can inhibit the body’s production of protective enzymes in the stomach, making the lining terribly vulnerable to harmful acids. If you have an ulcer, seriously restrict your intake of pain killers in order to allow your body to heal.

Another way to help an ulcer heal is to reduce your stress levels. While stress hasn’t been proven to cause an ulcer, it is thought to worsen one, by subjecting the already irritated stomach lining to additional acids. If you feel like you’re getting too stressed out, take a walk, add regular exercise to your routine, take a few deep breaths, or enroll in a course on meditation. Practicing a few simple strategies now can help you have a healthier mind and body in the future.

Hopefully by now you understand better what you can eat with a stomach ulcer. If you’d like more information, head over to refluxremedy.com to find out what can cause a stomach ulcer and additional treatment options.