Heartburn occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter does not completely close, allowing stomach acid to travel up and into the esophagus. If this occurs more than twice a week, you are considered to have acid reflux disease (ARD). Fortunately, there are many things you can do to alleviate or even prevent the symptoms of acid reflux that you can incorporate into your lifestyle.

Medications

Antacids such as popular over-the-counter drugs like Maalox, Tums, Mylanta and Rolaids have been known to ease the symptoms of acid reflux. These medications neutralize your stomach acids and provide fast-acting relief in instances when acid reflux is mild or an isolated incidence. Many antacids come in liquid form and coat the lining of the esophagus. This helps to reduce the amount of acid in the stomach.

Diet

With a bit of trial and error, acid reflux sufferers can figure out their dietary triggers. Common foods that cause acid reflux are:

• Dairy
• Carbonated beverages
• Citrus fruits
• Chocolate
• Snack foods like potato chips and corn chips
• Tomatoes and tomato sauces
• Ground beef, chicken nuggets and chicken wings
• Some pasta dishes

Keep a dietary journal for a couple of weeks. See if you can figure out what foods are causing your symptoms and comprise a list of foods you should avoid. Because large meals stay in the stomach for a longer period of time, eating smaller, more frequent meals can also be beneficial.

Sleep

Many sufferers find that sleeping with their head higher than their torso can alleviate night time symptoms of ARD. You can do this by either elevating the head of your bed or sleeping with several pillows under your head, neck and shoulders. Other night time tips include wearing loose fitting pajamas, sleeping on your left side and eating your last meal no later than at least two hours before you lay down for the night.

General Tips

• Smoking can exacerbate symptoms, if you smoke, try to quit.
• Stress can be a trigger for ARD, try to relax with deep breathing exercises.
• People that are heavier tend to suffer with ARD more than others. If you are overweight, try shedding a few pounds.
• Exercise can help. Not only will it help you lose weight but it will help you relax and unwind.
• Avoid aspirin which can irritate the stomach and cause reflux.

Many people with ARD have found that with just a bit of persistence and a few lifestyle changes, they can easily manage their symptoms.

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Acid reflux disease is very much connected to what you eat. Food is one of the major contributors to acid reflux disease. Acid reflux disease has the ability to cause long-term harmful effects. If you have acid reflux you may be experiencing heartburn, regurgitation, chest pain, difficulty swallowing, sore throat, nausea and hoarseness. The term ‘You are what you eat‘ couldn’t be more true when it comes to acid reflux. Your diet has a lot to do with how you feel. There are foods that are great for preventing and treating acid reflux. There are also eating habits that are known to decrease the chances of developing acid reflux disease.

Finding the Right Balance

The body needs the right balance of foods in order to perform properly. Many people think that foods that have an acidic taste are foods that cause acid reflux. This isn’t always the case. Citrus fruits have an acidic taste but are more neutral when they are digested. You need a balance of acid forming and alkaline forming foods to have good nutrition. A diet that is heavy in either acidic or alkaline foods can cause an imbalance. Too much acid forming foods in the body causes an increase in hydrogen levels. An abundance of hydrogen can increase your chances of developing acid reflux.

Types of Foods

The kind of food you eat is directly related to acid reflux disease. You should be eating a wide variety of healthy foods. Fatty foods are not good for acid reflux. The higher the fat content of the foods you eat, the more your body will need to produce stomach acid to break it down. Fat molecules are more difficult to digest and therefore cause the stomach to create more acid. If you have a weak lower esophageal sphincter (LES), the presence of more acid can be dangerous because the acid may seep into the esophagus. You should focus on eating low fat protein, fruits and vegetables. Drinking water, aloe juice and eating ginger and papaya are great for acid reflux prevention and treatment. You should avoid alcohol, caffeine, sodas, onions and garlic.

Eating Habits and Lifestyle

Acid reflux may be triggered by a variety of foods. The food that triggers your acid reflux may not be what triggers someone else’s. To find out what is causing you to reflux you should keep a daily food journal. When you feel acid reflux, look to see what may have caused it to occur. Try to remove that item from your diet, but be sure to find an equally nutritious replacement. Your eating habits can contribute to acid reflux disease. You should avoid eating right before bed as this can cause the production of excess stomach acid at a time when you are in a laying down. This may permit stomach acid to enter the esophagus.

If you would like to find out more information about the types of food and eating habits that can help you to prevent acid reflux, review The Reflux Remedy Report today.

Causes of Acid Reflux

There are many different factors that can contribute to the development of acid reflux disease. If you have this disease, it was probably caused by a combination of issues surrounding your digestive system. Digestion is one of the most important processes of the body. Whenever you eat food, the process begins. Food that is swallowed goes down your esophagus, past the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) and into the stomach. The LES opens and closes to allow food to enter the stomach. If you have a LES that is weak, you may develop acid reflux. A weakened or dysfunctional LES will not close normally. If it remains open, this can permit stomach or gastric acids to go up the esophagus. Other causes of acid reflux disease include pregnancy, hiatal hernia, obesity, diet, behaviors and certain medications like diabetes. Respiratory diseases can also contribute to acid reflux.

Symptoms of Acid Reflux

Heartburn is the major symptom of acid reflux. When stomach acid reaches the esophagus and throat, this causes irritation. Stomach acid is used to break down foods for the extraction of nutrients. This acid is too corrosive for other parts of the body. When stomach acid travels to other areas, this can cause you to feel a painful, burning sensation in your chest area.

Dysphagia is another symptom of acid reflux. This is when you have the feeling that food is stuck in your throat. You may also have difficulty with swallowing.

Regurgitation is also a sign of acid reflux. Food can also escape from the stomach through the LES and into the esophagus, causing discomfort. People with acid reflux disease may feel nauseated and uncomfortable. Nausea is related to another symptom which is excessive burping and vomiting. Wet burps also allow gastric acid to reach the esophagus and throat.

Bloating is yet another symptom. Bloating will cause you to feel pain and fullness in your abdomen. Bloating can trigger chest pain and hiccups as well.

Treatment for Acid Reflux

There are several treatment options for acid reflux. Some treatments are preventative while others offer a solution for acid reflux that is already present. These measures can help to prevent you from developing acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The easiest ways to combat acid reflux is to have lifestyle changes. You should try not to eat meals right before you go to bed because this increases gastric acid production at a time when your body will be horizontal. In this position, the acid can easily escape through a weak LES and get into the esophagus. Eating smaller meals is best for preventing acid reflux. Larger meals encourage acid production. You should also be careful about the kinds of food you eat. Fattening foods are not ideal. Stay away from caffeine, garlic, onions and alcohol. Aloe juice, water, ginger and papaya enzymes have been known to neutralize stomach acid, promote digestion and reduce the discomfort caused by acid reflux disease.

Hiatal hernias happen when a section of the stomach abnormally shifts to another area. The new location could be in the chest area or adjacent to the esophagus. There are also two kinds of hiatal hernias: sliding and rolling. The difference between the two is determined based on the new location of the stomach. Hiatal hernias occur because of a weak diaphragm? When your diaphragm isn’t as strong as it should be, it may open wider than normal and allow the stomach to move up, beyond the diaphragm. It is important for you to become knowledgeable about the warning signs and symptoms of a hiatal hernia. This will allow you to familiarize yourself with this condition so that you can’t try to detect whether or not you are suffering from it. Early detection will enable you and your doctor to get you back to good health.

Hiatal hernia is not something that can be totally diagnosed based on how you feel. Self diagnosis is very hard to do because the symptoms of hiatal hernia may reflect another disease or condition. Often times, signs of a hiatal hernia are very similar to the symptoms of GERD or gastroesophageal reflux disease. Symptoms of GERD may include a burning pain in the throat, chest, regurgitation, hoarseness, and a sore throat. Common physical issues that are associated with a hiatal hernia are pain in the stomach and chest.

Heartburn and chest pain are two of the major signs of hiatal hernia. When stomach acid goes up into the esophagus, this causes irritation. Stomach acid is meant to be used to break down and digest food particles within the stomach. If stomach acid goes outside of the stomach, it essentially will have the same properties and effects. Stomach acid in the esophagus is harmful and corrosive because of the level of acidity. Heartburn doesn’t actually affect your heart. When the stomach acid enters your esophagus and travels upward, you can feel pain in your entire chest and heart area. That is why it is called heart burn.

There are a number of things that you can do to reduce your risk of developing a hiatal hernia.

Lifestyle changes are probably the best way to combat the symptoms of hiatal hernia.

• You can eliminate eating meals a few hours before going to bed.
• You can also eat smaller meals, which causes your stomach to produce lower quantities of stomach acid.
• The type of meals that you eat is also very important when it comes to relieving symptoms.
• Cut back on spicy and high fat foods.
• Reducing your alcohol consumption and cutting out smoking can lower the chances of having a hiatal hernia.
• You should also practice lifting objects with the proper technique and avoid lifting heavy objects in general.

If you think that you may be suffering from a hiatal hernia due to your persistent heartburn, you need to consult with a medical professional. To find out more about hiatal hernia symptoms and what you can do about them, visit www.refluxremedy.com today for more information.