Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Prevent acid reflux with the acid reflux diet

Acid reflux occurs when the acids that can be found in the stomach get into the esophagus because the valve that separates the esophagus from the stomach cannot close properly. These acids are very strong, and they can severely damage the esophagus' walls. They do not damage the stomach's walls because it is protected by a special membrane.

Acid reflux is pretty serious, it can cause pain in the chest area, and if it is left untreated the esophagus will become very erroded and gastric acid will also reach the lungs, where is can cause coughing and asthma, and the mouth, where it corrodes the teeth.

Diet has an important role in both treating and preventing acid reflux, and an acid reflux diet is not expensive or hard to follow. The idea is to reduce the acids inside the stomach and to keep it from filling, which can cause the food and acid inside it to reach the esophagus.

Here is what you can eat and what you should avoid:

You can eat all the cereals and vegetables you want. They contain a lot of vitamins and nutrients that help the body fight not only acid reflux, but other illnesses too.

You should definitely stop smoking, because tobacco smoke damages the esophagus' walls and weakens it. You should also avoid chewing gum, because when you chew the stomach starts to produce acids that it won't use and that can get into the esophagus.

If you are overweight you should try to loose some of your weight, and avoid fatty food, because at overweight people the levels of gastric acid are higher.

The foods that are know to help acid reflux advance by stimulating the acid production are: chocolate, milk, chewing gum, fatty foods, spicy foods, alcohol and garlic. Coffee can irritate the esophagus so try not to drink any.

Also try to avoid wearing tight clothing that can press the stomach, because this way the acid inside it is almost forced to leave the stomach. Furthermore, if you lie down right after you eat you help the content of your stomach came back, so try sitting on a chair for a few minutes, depending on how damaged the valve that separates the stomach from the esophagus is.

If you follow the advises mentioned above you can prevent acid reflux, and your treatment will be more effective, but also consult your doctor and take the medication that he prescribes you if you want to be fully cured.

For more resources about many acid reflux subjects like acid reflux symptoms, acid reflux treatment or many more please visit us at http://www.acid-reflux-info-guide.com

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Wednesday, February 27, 2008

acid reflux relief

If you're a sufferer of acid reflux, then you're probably one of the tens of thousands of people who try their best to find an acid reflux relief for their poor beleaguered bodies. There are many methods available for you if you're looking for acid reflux relief and curative medicines.

If you've let yourself go, and haven't actually started a proper treatment for your acid reflux relief is the last thing you'll find. You need to consult your physician as soon as possible, and find the treatment that will work for you. You should also realize that if your acid reflux is left untreated for too long, you could be looking at a lifetime of dealing with it.

And although you might believe that you have heartburn, be warned that acid reflux is not actually heartburn, although heartburn can occur if you have acid reflux. The key therefore to finding your perfect acid reflux relief lies in being able to treat it properly.

If you truly are looking for acid reflux relief methods then the first thing you should do is to take an overview of your lifestyle. The fast paced, madcap lifestyle of today may not be conducive to relieving your acid reflux. Keeping a diary for a short time of everything you eat and drink, and what triggers your acid reflux should be the first step.

From there, it is only a short jump to finding out exactly which foods you should stay away from, what not to drink, when your acid reflux is most likely to strike, and perhaps the reasons leading up to it. The advantages of keeping this diary are many, and will in the long term be beneficial, as your doctor will also be able to better diagnose your condition.

But for true acid reflux relief, it would be a good idea to follow these general guidelines. Lessening coffee, alcohol, and tobacco products. Elimination of these entirely is even better. Smaller meals eaten at regular intervals. Meals that include too much citric acids, or fatty, and fried foods, cheeses, milks, and tomatoes are also best avoided.

And if these don't work, you can always resort to dashing madly to the nearest chemist. Antacids, like Tums, and Zantac, Mylanta, and Pepcid will work for you. PPI's, or Proton Pump Inhibitors, are available from your doctor and will also go a long way for your acid reflux relief.

You should however, be careful if taking any aspirin based, or anti-inflammatory drugs. These will irritate rather than relieve your acid reflux.

So, now that you're armed with the base working foundation on acid reflux relief, the next thing you'll need to do is to set the ball rolling, and try to get your acid reflux nailed down before it gets too out of hand. This article has been written aboutAcid reflux relief by Ali Pahlavani.

You can visit my website aboutHearburnin www.pahlavani.net/heartburn.

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Saturday, November 24, 2007

Acid Reflux...

Antony WiltonWhen I was young, we had indigestion, now we discuss heartburn, acid reflux and that great mouthful known as gastro esophageal Reflux Disease (thankfully described as GERD)

Whatever you call it, if you are suffering from belching, gas or a bloated stomach lets consider the cause.

Its been a hard and stressful day at work. You race home, gulp down a quick meal and collapse into bed for a well earned rest....But wait.
Suddenly you experience a burning sensation in the top of your stomach.
You may belch and probably feel bloated.
This is the beginning of acid reflux, and can cause acid and stomach content to wash back into the oesophagus creating a burning sensation.

This is often an indicator that something is wrong in your digestive system.
When we eat or drink, the digestive process begins in the mouth with enzymes in saliva beginning the task by starting to break down the food to promote easy digestion.
The food continues down the esophagus, passing through a valve prior to entering the stomach where it comes in contact with stomach (hydrochloric) acid to further break down the food.
If the valve relaxes , or if an excess of acid is produced, acid may be forced back into the oesophagus causing the reflux or heartburn.

(Incidently, I recall cleaning cement from bricks with a commercial hydrochloric acid preparation which indicates the strength of this acid.!)

Occasional reflux is normal, but when it occurs regularly and disrupts daily life, it is described as a disease - Gastro esophageal Reflux Disease, or GERD and can contribute to cancer where the stomach and esophagus meet.

If you are suffering from heartburn the first thing you should do is take a good look at what you are eating.
Over consumption of fatty foods and refined carbohydrates including biscuits, cakes and white bread can affect digestion and and cause reflux symptoms.
Other irritants include salt, spices, sugar, curries, coffee, fizzy drinks and alcohol.

Before you take drastic action to treat heartburn lets look at suitable supplements to aid digestion.
As well as supplements that contain digestive enzymes and hydrochloric acid, there are a number of specific formulas to relieve indegestion.
these contain ingredients such as active herbs including Globe Artichoke Leaf, Gentian Root, Fennel Seed and Ginger.
These natural herbs have been used for years in treating stomach complaints.
Swedish Bitters is another possible treatment well recommended.
Probiotics such as Lactobacillus Acidophilus and Bifidacterium lactis are beneficial for digestion by maintaining the friendly bacteria in the gastrointestional tract.

If you feel that you are not over indulging in any of these foods, and reflux symptoms persist, see your doctor, as untreated gastric reflux can damage the esophagus and even lead to cancer.
Doctors can now conduct an impedance pH test which determines whether your reflux is acid or not.
Antony Wilton is an Australian who has been investigating Acid Reflux treatment for a number of years.
His highly anticipated reports are regularly updated on his site
http://www.acidrefluxheartburn.com

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