Sleeping elevated with a pillow on your left side has been clinically proven to reduce acid reflux.

Using a pillow to help reduce acid reflux really works well, in fact I know of one company that has designed an acid reflux pillow called the Medslant Wedge Pillow.

Not only does this pillow help reduce acid reflux attacks, it’s also been shown to help with sleep apnea and more . . .

If you are suffering from acid reflux, heartburn Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), acid indigestion elevated left side sleeping can really help.

Studies have also shown that stopping the habits that trigger acid reflux will cause acid reflux to go away too. So until you’re able to stop eating animal fat, refined sugar, smoking, taking caffeine and alcohol, using an acid reflux pillow and sleeping on your left side will help.

The worst thing you can do is eat late and lie on your stomach, then you’re sure to be asking for an upsurge of acid reflux.

People who are unwilling to actually cure their acid reflux may end up taking Proton Pump Inhibitor drugs (PPIs). These dangerous drugs block the cells in your stomach from making more acid.

Before you go there be absolutely sure that you are suffering from an ‘over production’ of stomach acid, because a stomach acid deficiency can also trigger the same exact acid reflux symptoms.

There is a well documented danger to taking PPIs. PPIs are drugs that can cause another man-made disease called acid rebound.

Plus a Denmark study recently found patients who have already had a heart attack increase the risk of having another heart attack by 30% more when taking PPIs, acid reflux pillow or not.

These proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are scary. Health experts have shown them to make the heart more prone to palpitations and inflammation because by blocking nutritional cofactors they can lower available oxygen to dangerous levels.

These PPIs block nutrient absorption, interfere with liver function and increase risk of bacteria infestations of the gut.

Clearly making a few lifestyle and dietary changes and sleeping with an acid reflux pillow are the best options . . .

You were born to heal,

Todd M. Faass

Health Advocate

If you have an ulcer, eating can often be a bit of a challenge. Ulcers can cause meal time to be painful if it’s a gastric ulcer, or can result in pain hours after eating if it’s an ulcer located in the duodenum. If you have one, you may be wondering what to eat when you have an ulcer. Here are a few tips and tricks that may make meal time a little less painful while your ulcer heals.

1. No matter what you eat, make sure you do so in small portions. Large meals will overwhelm your already sensitive stomach, and can even result in an overproduction of acid, which will exacerbate an existing ulcer. So, rather than eating a few large meals every day go for smaller more frequent ones. That helps your body’s digestive system and makes the healing process go more smoothly.

2. Focus on easily digestible foods, like whole grain seedless breads, certain low acid fruits and vegetables, low fat dairy products (the fats found in milk and cheese can be hard to digest, causing excess acid in your stomach, so aim for low fat products), lean meats, fish and creamed nuts (like low fat peanut or almond butter).

3. Above all, focus on maintaining a balanced diet. Providing your body with the proper nutrition will help it heal much faster.

4. Avoid the following foods if you have an ulcer: Vegetables like onions and tomatoes, anything high in acid; breads that are high in fat like croissants; high acid fruits, like grapefruit, oranges, lemons, and citrus juices; whole milk products and creams; highly seasoned meats, poultry and fish; deli meats; sardines; fried foods; nuts; gravy; and high fat desserts, like cakes, cookies, pastries and donuts.

5. The important thing to remember when you’re trying to let your ulcer heal is to avoid foods that upset your stomach regularly, or can cause heartburn. Things like spicy foods, alcohol, caffeine and garlic can all irritate the stomach and result in additional stomach acid your ulcer doesn?t need.

Here are a few things to add to your new dietary habits that may help your ulcer improve:

1. Reduce your stress level. If you know a meal is going to be painful, try to relax about it. Stressing over it will only make the pain worse. Stress signals your body to produce more stomach acid, which will irritate your ulcer. So, if you feel stress coming on in any situation whether it’s the morning commute, something at work, or your kids at home stop and take a deep breath. Avoiding stress now can have a pretty major impact on pain later.

2. Stop smoking and focus on a healthy lifestyle. Smoking is known to increase stomach acid production. Smoking also slows the body’s ability to heal. Eating healthy and exercising regularly will help your body heal faster.

Practicing all these techniques should help your ulcer heal normally so you can move on with your life.

Still want to know more? Well, stop wondering what to eat when you have an ulcer and head over to refluxremedy.com for more tips and tricks.

Hiatal Hernia & bleeding tend to only go together if the hernia is severe, or has gone untreated for far too long. The bleeding occurs as a result of damages done to the esophagus. It?s important to catch a Hiatal Hernia before it reaches this point, and treat it accordingly.

Normal Symptoms

Normal symptoms of a Hiatal Hernia can mimic heartburn pretty closely. However, it would be a sudden onset of frequent heartburn for those who don?t normally suffer from the problem. These symptoms can include acid reflux (or burping up stomach acids), heartburn pain, general indigestion, burping and hiccups.

Additionally chest pain can sometimes accompany a Hiatal Hernia. However, it?s important to distinguish between Hiatal Hernia chest pain and chest pain from a heart attack. Hernia pain can be caused by spasms in the stomach and chest area due to the stomach being displaced. It is not generally accompanied by anything other than heartburn symptoms. Chest pain due to a heart attack will be accompanied by shortness of breath and numbness in one of your arms. If you experience these symptoms, seek medical treatment right away!

It?s important to be aware of the normal symptoms of a Hiatal Hernia if you suspect you might have one, so that you can keep it from escalating to a state of bleeding.

What can you do?

A Hiatal Hernia is rarely life threatening and, when caught in normal stages can be treated with simple lifestyle changes. It?s important to keep in mind when dealing with a Hiatal Hernia that your body just needs time to heal and de-stress. Therefore, making the digestive process easier for your stomach is often the best way to help a hernia, and keep it from coming back.

For example, eat smaller meals more often. That way you prevent the onslaught of food that your stomach has difficulty dealing with. If you eat too much, it causes pressure to build and excess stomach acids to accumulate. This causes irritation and can further aggravate your hernia. Eating smaller meals provides your stomach with a more steady flow of food, keeping it from getting too stressed out.

Additionally, try not to eat right before bed. In fact, you shouldn?t eat about 2 hours before you lie down, even if it?s just for a nap. You see, gravity naturally helps food progress down through your digestive tract, and if you lie down immediately after eating, gravity can?t do its job and food and acids can put pressure on an already upset stomach. So, while it may be tempting to lie down on the couch after that huge holiday feast, don?t do it! Relax by sitting up, and rest your head on a pillow. Stay upright for as long as you can, and your stomach will thank you.

Try doing things like quitting smoking and removing stress from your life. This will prevent the overproduction of stomach acids, which can irritate your sensitive stomach. Plus, smoking slows the body?s natural ability to heal, so quitting will help your body heal that much faster.

With all these techniques in place, you should be able to prevent Hiatal Hernia & bleeding from becoming a problem.

For more tips and tricks for treating a Hiatal Hernia, visit www.refluxremedy.com today!