Author?s Biography: Paul Courtney contributes articles to various publications pertaining to alternative and Herbal Medicine, for more information please visit .
Archive for October, 2009
How to tell if you have acid reflux disease?
I’m a firm believer that the world is over-prescribed. I think that pharmaceutical companies just want to give you a pill for everything under the sun. So with that in mind I never thought I would get acid reflux disease. I always thought that I could just live with general acid reflux, because so many people have in the past and they got along just fine.
So my question is: how can you tell if you have acid reflux? What are the symptoms and if I have it, how can I reduce it without medication.
Thanks in advance.
Natural Alternatives to Nexium, Maalox, Tagamet, Prilosec & Other Acid Blockers: What to Use to Relieve Acid Reflux, Heartburn, and Gastric Ailments
- ISBN13: 9780757002106
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
The Hours / Heartburn
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Understanding and Treating Heart Burn
Understanding and Treating Heart Burn
The human body is a marvelous machine and all the systems are designed to work in harmony. However, when we introduce excessive, hard to digest foods into our stomachs the digestive system may over react and cause you what is known as heartburn.
Iit is important to understand exactly what happens in your body to create this painful sensation after a meal. At the base of your esophagus, there is a ring-like muscle that is called the lower esophageal sphincter, or LES. Normally, this muscle relaxes to allow food to move from your esophagus into your stomach, where it is digested by your stomach acids. The LES then closes, so that the food and acid inside your stomach cannot creep back up the digestive tract into your esophagus. If this muscle does not work properly for one reason or another, substances in the stomach can indeed come back up, resulting in burning as the stomach acids reach the esophageal lining and a bitter taste as they make their way to your throat and mouth. This is heart burn.
It happens to nearly all of us at one time or another. You enjoy a delicious meal, settle in for some relaxation afterward, and then it hits. The burning sensation in your chest and the bitter taste in your mouth. For some, the burning gets so intense that it feels as though your chest is on fire. This is where the term “heart burn” comes from, even though the pain has absolutely nothing to do with your heart. In some severe cases, heart burn can even be mistaken for a heart attack or vice versa – making this condition more serious than it really is. For most, the pain of heart burn is enough to leave us running for relief from our medicine cabinet. And the good news is that this solution is usually sufficient to put that burning sensation to rest once and for all.
Effective Heart Burn Treatments
Most people who suffer from heart burn on occasion will benefit from an over the counter remedy when the condition strikes. This might include an antacid, like Rolaids that will neutralize the stomach acids quickly, giving you relief from the painful burning. Another good over the counter treatment for heart burn is an H-2-receptor blocker, such as Tagamet HB or Pepcid AC.
These medicines work differently from the antacids, because they actually reduce the production of acid rather than neutralizing it. And while they are not as speedy as their antacid counterparts, they do tend to bring relief for a longer period of time. Some heart burn sufferers will find that a 1-2 punch will work the best on this condition, with an antacid bringing immediate help while the H-2-receptor blocker will offer relief over the long term.
If you continue to suffer from bouts of heartburn, it is probably a good idea to visit your doctor to discuss your problem as there may be other causes working that are influencing your problem. These may include reactions from medication through to the occurance of ulcers. Naturally the doctor will carry out tests to determine the exact problem and act occordingly.
Author’s Biography: Paul Courtney contributes articles to various publications pertaining to alternative and Herbal Medicine, for more information please visit http://www.heartburncurer.com .
Tips To Stop Heartburn
There are several ways to stop heartburn with the use of natural and pharmaceutical products. The ultimate goal to stop heartburn should be from temporary episodes to permanent relief. Natural methods to stop heartburn include making dietary and lifestyle changes and taking natural products to relieve the symptoms. The most common method today is to pop a couple of antacid tablets to quickly dilute the acids regurgitated from the stomach. Antacids have been found to work best for stress-related heartburns.
For people who suffer from frequent heartburn, they need to transition their treatment from using antacids and other medications to making the necessary changes to eventually stop heartburn. Ninety percent of heartburn episodes are triggered by the foods and drinks one consumes during a meal; especially the last meal before bedtime.
The first dietary step to stop heartburn is to control the amount of food consumed. The intake of fats in large meals is high. These remain in the bloated stomach for a long time to be digested. The stomach is unable to contain its acidic contents and some escape as acid reflux. This acid burns the sensitive inside walls of the esophagus resulting in the heartburn symptoms. Since these symptoms are felt in the chest area, many people are frightened that they may be feeling the onset of a heart attack. In summary, take smaller sized meals up to five times a day, rather than the traditional three larger ones.
Foods To Avoid To Stop Heartburn
Knowing which foods and drinks to avoid help one from future episodes of heartburn. If this is done consistently, it may be possible to completely stop heartburn.
The common foods and drinks to avoid include the following:
1. Spicy dishes like those found in Indian and Mexican diets
2. Tomato rich dishes like those found in Italian pastas and pizzas
3. Chocolates, Donuts, Creamy desserts
4. Citrus based fruits and desserts; containing oranges and lemons
5. Certain forms of potatoes: mashed potatoes and French fries
6. Raw Onions
7. Caffeinated drinks, Alcoholic beverages
8. Some dairy products: sour cream, ice cream and cottage cheese
Smoking has been found to weaken the esophageal sphincter muscle that keeps a lid on the stomach’s caustic contents. Smoking is key risk factor that causes acid reflux.
There are several steps that can be taken to put a stop to heartburn. Sensible lifestyle and dietary changes can be made to reduce heartburn symptoms. Some medications like antacids can bring about quick heartburn relief. A consistent treatment plan will help the sufferer put a stop to heartburn.
Vitamins For Heartburn
There are certain vitamins and minerals if taken may help the body recover from heartburn. However, the use of vitamins for heartburn treatment would only be effective if other essential lifestyle and dietary changes are made.
Seek Medical Advice Before Using Vitamins for Heartburn
In general, taking vitamins to supplement heartburn treatments should not require prior medical advice. However, to ensure that the right vitamins are being considered in the right doses, discuss these with your doctor. In rare cases, some vitamins taken in the wrong doses may result in adverse reactions and aggravate heartburn.
If one is looking for a vitamin for heartburn, then Vitamin C is a good candidate. Vitamin C taken twice daily of between 250 milligrams to 500 milligrams each time has been found to keep stomach acidity in check and therefore heartburn.
The body’s ability to maintain optimum pH levels in the stomach allows the effective digestion of food consumed and readily releases vitamins from food sources. Vitamins like B-12 prevent and remove bacterial outbreaks in the stomach. The optimum pH level of 3.0 or less stimulates the release of vitamins for heartburn relief.
If a health supplement containing vitamin B, choline, thiamin and pantothenic acid is taken regularly, heartburn may be cured within a month and the painful symptoms are likely to disappear gradually.
If 500 milligrams of vitamin B1, known also as thiamin, is taken in the morning before breakfast, heartburn symptoms may be relieved. For chronic cases, the combination of vitamins B1, B5 and choline will aid in heartburn relief. In summary, there are vitamins for heartburn that can be taken to rid of the painful and discomforting symptoms.
Cindy Heller is a professional writer. Visit herbal heartburn remedies to learn more about heartburn indigestion symptom and other homeopathic heartburn cures.
Planning Your Acid Reflux Diet
Acid reflux is a medical condition that affects people of all ages. Acid reflux happens when the stomach produces acid to digest food and that acid regurgitates into the esophagus. Heartburn is the most common symptom of acid reflux. Heartburn is typically uncomfortable, but can be very painful as well. No cure has been found for acid reflux, but the symptoms can be controlled with a good acid reflux diet.
The following is a short list of foods that are high risk for causing acid reflux symptoms. These foods may bother some people with acid reflux and not others because everybody’s system is different. These foods are common foods that are avoided in an acid reflux diet.
Fatty meats
Dairy foods high in fat
Coffee and tea (both caffeinated and decaf)
Alcohol (beer is especially bad)
Most citrus or acidic fruits and vegetables
French fried and mashed potatoes
Reducing these high risk foods in your acid reflux diet can potentially reduce acid reflux symptoms.
Some low risk foods that should be included in your acid reflux diet are:
Extra lean beef
Lean chicken or turkey breasts
Fish
Breads and grains
Low citrus fruits such as bananas and apples
Green vegetables, carrots and cabbage
Low or non-fat dairy foods
This is certainly not a complete list of foods considered safe for an acid reflux diet. It is a general compilation that should be enough to get your first menu planned. Even though these are considered low risk for causing acid reflux symptoms, some people may be sensitive to certain foods and have problems from them regardless of which list they are on.
Overeating can cause symptoms of acid reflux. This happens because when you overeat your stomach has to produce more acid in order to digest the extra food. When there is more acid in the stomach, there can be more symptoms as a result. The best acid reflux diet consists of three small meals per day and two healthy snacks to prevent overeating.
Keeping a diary of the foods you eat and when you have symptoms for at least two weeks. Once you have determined which foods are causing your symptoms you can eliminate them from your acid reflux diet.
Acid reflux symptoms can be especially problematic for babies and older adults. Bleeding ulcers, difficulty breathing, gagging, and the feeling of choking are other symptoms of acid reflux. A baby with acid reflux can experience coughing and vomiting. Babies are unable to express their symptoms and they should be discussed with a pediatrician. Older adults should chew and eat slowly to avoid choking and regurgitation from acid reflux.
Acid reflux disease should be taken seriously as it can be dangerous. Some treatments for acid reflux include antacid tablets, foam tablets, and exercise. Surgery is a last resort acid reflux treatment when other treatments fail. A lifestyle change, including the implementation of a good acid reflux diet, is a step in the right direction toward fighting acid reflux.
Ryan has a complete guide on acid reflux symptoms and how you can improve your acid reflux diet.
Understanding Acid Reflux Disease (Health Tip)
You know about heartburn, of course. But did you know that persistent bouts may point to a disease called GERD?