Feel More in Control - Acid Reflux Basics

Millions of people in the United States suffer from acid reflux disease.

The medical term for Acid reflux is called Gastroesophageal reflux disease. It is caused when the stomach releases acid back up into the esophagus. This in turn causes the esophageal lining to be inflamed, often cause serious damage.

It is very easy to understand. In order for the stomach to digest food, it needs the acid. But there are also other compounds that assist the acid. Bile is produced in the liver and at times it can be released in the stomach by acid reflux. Pepsin is a natural enzyme in the body that actually gets the stomach moving in breaking down the proteins. Acid reflux occurs when these three compounds are combined.

Everyone suffers from acid reflux from time to time and in varying degrees. It is a normal part of live. Acid reflux disease occurs when the acid level is elevated it also stays in the esophagus for longer periods of time.

Acid reflux is a serious disease that can be treated but not cured. When a person is diagnosed, they will remain on medication for the rest of his or her life.

Serious diseases can result from acid reflux disease such as Esophagitis. When the person who suffers from acid reflux disease continues to take the prescribed medication, they greatly reduce their chances of developing these diseases.

The human body has natural defenses and through the use of saliva, which has bicarbonate in it and neutralizes the acid. Swallowing can battle the affects of acid reflux. However, this is only during the day. This is because you move around all day, whether sitting or standing, gravity keeps the acid down.

Sleeping is a whole different story. When you sleep, the body produces less saliva. And because you are lying down, your body provides a level path for the acid to travel. You are neither vertical or swallowing; therefore the acid remains in the esophagus for longer periods of time causing more damage.

Heartburn, nausea and vomiting occurring at or just after a meal are all signs of acid reflux disease. Some people experience regurgitation that leaves a horrible aftertaste.

The pain of acid reflux has been likened to Angina. A life threatening heart disorder. It is extremely crucial that you see your doctor as soon as possible to rule out any underlying problems.

Acid reflux disease is an extremely painful disease. It can strike at anytime during your life. It is important that you see your doctor at the onset of the symptoms, to avoid any long-term damage to your body.

Jill Seimer reports on healthy living at RefluxLife.com and discussed natural healing of heartburn from her experience using on natural cures for acid reflux.

Burning Up the House - 5 Foods to Avoid When Suffering with Acid Reflux

Acid Reflux is a condition of the digestive system otherwise known as heartburn. That is a given. When you look at the causes of acid reflux one of them comes to the front each and every time - diet. You are what you eat and modern man and woman lives on an entirely unhealthy diet. We eat what we can when we can and never pay attention to what we actually eat or the potential harm these foods may cause.

Fast-food Is NOT Healthy Food Most of you run around all day and only every stop to stuff some kind of snack down your throat before you rush back to work. Fast-food is not good for you. In fact it is normally incredibly bad for you. "Supersize Me" the movie proves just how unhealthy fast-food is for all human beings. If you have not seen this movie then make it a priority - it truly is eye-opening. Most fast-food can severely interfere with your digestive system and be a direct cause of acid reflux. Personally speaking I avoid fast food as much as possible because it just makes me feel lethargic and gives me wind. Sad but very true.

Foods To Avoid So what foods do you need to avoid?

There are 5 basic types of foods that you may need to reduce or remove entirely from your diet - depending on how much acid reflux they actually cause in your body. This will vary from one person to the next but you can still use this list as a basis for what is good and bad for you.

Fast Foods

As we have already discussed fast-food is not good for you. Worse still it can be a direct cause for acid reflux especially if you eat any of the following: French fries, burgers and fried chicken. If you have no choice other than to eat at a fast food joint then look for a grilled option on their menu. At least then you are not eating several grams of pure fat and won't then wind up chewing antacids for the night.

Fruits And Vegetables

The vast majority of people assume that all fruits and vegetables are good for you no matter what. While this is true for most of the general population it's not true at all for acid reflux sufferers. Both potatoes and onions have been proven to bring about an attack of heartburn. Not only those but you also need to avoid tomatoes, oranges, lemons, grapefruits, and cranberries as they have the highest acid content of all fruits. If you have not already discussed your diet and acid reflux with your doctor then now is the time to start. You will be surprised at just how many of your current favorite foods are helping cause you pain.

Watch Your Dairy Intake

Have you ever grabbed a glass of milk for indigestion or heartburn? Of course you have and you are not alone. Drinking milk will help but it's a short term solution. Why? Because the body will simply produce more stomach acid to replace the acid that the milk has neutralized. Milk is not the only culprit however. There are plenty of other dairy products that can cause damage to your digestive system. Cottage cheese, sour cream and ice cream are dairy foods that you really need to avoid if you want to control your acid reflux.

What Not To Drink

Alcohol needs to be avoided or consumed in total moderation if you suffer from acid reflux. Liquor/spirits and wine are major hazards and can start a violent attack of heartburn. Tea and coffee are also known to trigger acid reflux in those that may suffer from it.

Yummy Desserts?

We all have a sweet tooth to a certain extent and most of us enjoy desserts. There is some bad news here however. Desserts are one of the biggest causes of acid reflux. How can something that tastes so nice cause so much pain? Anything with high chocolate or butter content needs to be avoided like the plague.

Hopefully now you have a better idea of what foods you need to avoid to prevent attacks of heartburn. No doubt you were as surprised as I was to see just how those favorite tasty foods can cause you so much grief.

With a fervor for helping people Jill Seimer shares healthy lifestyle tips at RefluxLife.com She recently published Natural healing of Heartburn with her views on natural cures for acid reflux.

What Not To Eat For Acid Reflux

Perhaps you have been taking far too many antacids these days and you are wondering if there is possibly an alternative to popping the fat little white pills to solve your heartburn problem. Indeed, there is a much more sensible solution to acid reflux/heartburn, and it all starts with what you eat.

People are not born with acid reflux; this condition occurs as a result of lifestyle choices including - diet, exercise, and stress levels. So, it does stand to reason that if diet is one of the causes of acid reflux, then it is more than likely that choosing your foods wisely can also alleviate it as well.

In order to reduce or eliminate acid reflux you are going to want to stay clear of fatty and acidic foods in general, as these tend to increase acid secretion for digestion. For example, you?ll want to steer clear of all citrus fruits (and juices) like oranges, lemons, and tomatoes.

In addition, you will want to avoid high fat steaks (where the meat has a marbled appearance), butter, pasta, sour cream, ice cream, mashed potatoes, chicken nuggets, buffalo wings - I think you can see where we are going here. As well, you will need to avoid coffee (decaffeinated or regular), all forms of alcohol (except in very small doses), and all forms of tea. Coffee in particular has been shown to increase activity in the esophagus, with studies showing that it is not caffeine in particular that causes it, but other ingredients found in the beans (no matter which way they are roasted), can be a strong contributor.

Don?t fall victim to the old wives tale of milk calming the stomach down after a big meal. While it may help you in the short term for a bit, over the long haul it is going to cause more damage by causing reflux while you are sleeping.

The list of foods that will reduce the occurrence of acid reflux, are not surprisingly, reflective of every nutritionist?s guide to sensible eating. Suggestions being; apples, bananas, baked potatoes, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, fish, eggs (whites only), goat or feta cheese (you want to avoid all other cheeses), rice cakes, and whole wheat bread.

At the end of the day, what you should be aiming for is to reduce an overabundance of acid secretion, steering clear of foods that require more enzymes to aid in digestion.

Food intake is not about what you eat, however, you will also want to change your eating style or habits as well, as this also contributes to either a regular amount of acid secretion, or an abundance of it, which will result in acid reflux. Eating little but often every two-three hours, rather than purging on big meals is the ideal. Eating a lot of food at one time is tough on your digestion system, so it overcompensates by secreting more acid in an attempt to funnel the food through your body.

I realize it can seem a little restrictive at first making changes to your diet. However you can either continue to make unwise diet choices like steak, potato chips, alcohol and coffee and chug antacids to counteract the acid reflux, or you can change your lifestyle just a bit and reduce the occurrence of heartburn, and likely feel a whole lot better overall.

Once you have your acid reflux symptoms under control you will likely find you can reintroduce some items back into your diet, only in moderation, without experiencing any painful side effects. Keeping a food diary and your reaction to what you consume should give you an idea of which foods are the worst triggers for you.

Kathryn Whittaker has an interest in Acid Reflux. For further information on Acid Reflux please visit http://www.naturally-stop-acid-reflux.com/acidreflux.html or http://www.naturally-stop-acid-reflux.com/blog/2006/10/17/what-not-to-eat-for-acid-reflux/

Getting Your Acid Reflux Disease Under Control With Protonix

Protonix is a prescription drug that can keep acid reflux under control and helps heals the esophagus from the damage that acid reflux has caused. Clinical studies have shown that those who have taken Protonix gain full control of their acid reflux.

Some of the common side effects are stomach pain, lack of sleep, loose bowels, hyperglycemia, eructation, flatulence, and headache. Protonix is not for most people. People who have a liver disease, children, women are pregnant or may be come pregnant, or breast feeding should not take this medication. This medicine is recommended for adults only.

More severe and serious side effects are eye damage, swelling in the pancreas, face, and throat, blisters, and liver damage. There are some medications that may not be taken with Protonix, such as Iron, Ampicillin, and Ketoconazole. Talk to your doctor if you are taking any these medications. Your doctor may start you off on a lower dosage.

If you are still having acid reflux your doctor may add 8 more weeks to the term of your treatment. All doctors and drug stores recommend that you not take over 240mg per day. Protonix is only a 8 week treatment, but your doctor may suggest that you take it longer.

There is little known about overdose in humans, when it comes to Protonix. Studies in animals overdose indicate reduction in activity and coordination. If you are not sure, but suspect that you have taken an overdose, please contact your doctor or hospital immediately. Increases in this medication may cause bleeding in the belly and could cause death.

If you miss a dose take it as soon as possible. If it is time for your next dose keep to your schedule, just take one pill.

This medicine should be stored at room temperature and may be taken with or without food. In long-term studies, protonix created gastrointestinal tumors of the rare type, as well as being carcinogenic. It is possible that even after showing symptoms of improvement that you could suffer from other medical conditions that are stomach-related.

Be sure to consult your physician about the proper dosage and safety precautions to keep in mind for this medication. If Protonix gives you an allergic reaction, you'll be unable to use it, although it is generally well tolerated.

There are different doses of Protonix available, 10, 20, and 40 mg. In a 1- year study of GERD patients treated with Protonix 40 mg or 20 mg, there were no differences noted between the two doses.

Disclaimer - The information presented here should not be interpreted as or substituted for medical advice. Please talk to a qualified professional for more information about Protonix. Protonix resources at protonix-center.info.

What is Acid Reflux?

Everytime you turn on the television these days, there is a downpour of over-the-counter and prescription medications for the relief and prevention of acid reflux. As with medications for any ailment, there are theories regarding the disease and how well the medications work.

From a medical point of view, acid reflux is a condition caused by acidic contents from the stomach moving upward into the esophagus, which results in a burning sensation. When the valve found at the lower end of the esophagus is dysfunctional, it allows the acidic content of the stomach to be regurgitated, where it would block this behavior when functional.

Another belief is that acid reflux is caused by an individual's eating habits. As the civilized world eats more and more junk and processed foods, the majority of the food ends up in the stomach undigested. This undigested material turns into acidic waste, which causes stomach spasms. These spasms create stomach gas which pops open the valve between the stomach and esophagus, allowing the acidic content to return to the esophagus.

Others believe that acid reflux is related to aging. As we age, the activity of the stomach is reduced. This also reduces the ability to produce hydrochloric acid. The result is the stomach turning into a breeding ground for infection which can cause stomach pain and acid waste irritation.

Whatever the cause behind acid reflux, it is often a chronic disease. Therefore, most medications for the disease merely relieve the burning and other symptoms and cannot actually cure the condition. As medications relieve the symptoms caused by acid reflux, they can cause several undesirable side effects due to the fact that they cut down the acid production in the stomach, leading to a reduction in ability to digest food. These medications can make you more susceptible to diseases and microbes transmitted through food. This may increase your risk for food poisoning and a host of other problems.

Before you choose a medication or a natural method to rid yourself of the burning that accompanies acid reflux, you should first make a thorough assessment of the food you eat and your lifestyle. Studies show that foods such as citrus, chocolate, garlic, onions, spicy, fried and fatty foods all contribute to and can aggravate acid reflux. Limiting your intake or avoiding such foods as much as possible is a good first line of defense against future acid reflux bouts.

Lifestyle modification, such as losing weight, cutting back on alcohol and caffeine, sleeping with your head raised six to eight inches, and waiting three hours after eating before going to bed can assist in reducing the number of acid reflux episodes you may have.

Though you should discuss your options with your physician, something as simple as lifestyle improvements and dietary changes can help to keep you from adding an acid blocker or acid reflux medication to your daily diet.

Amanda Baker writes for http://tobeinformed.com - a website for health, fitness and wellness information