Acid reflux or GERD is an important health issue. It can affect both women and mens health. In this condition, there is reflux of acidic contents from the stomach into the esophagus. The lower esophageal sphincter (LES), which remains tightly closed, prevents reflux and opens when peristaltic waves herald the imminent arrival of swallowed food. When the LES becomes incompetent acid reflux will result. This is called gastro-esophageal reflux disease or GERD.

So can you cure your acid reflux? If there is true lower esophageal incompetence, then there is no cure. In LES incompetence, you need maintenance acid suppressant treatment such as omeprazole, or if very severe or you develop secondary problems then surgical surgical intervention with fundoplication will relieve your symptoms.

There are, however, various factors that can affect the efficiency of the LES and acid reflux. Eliminating these factors may avoid a trip to your doctor or taking over the counter medication. Sometimes all you need is a change of lifestyle.

Obesity can cause or contribute to acid reflux. It is more likely in the apple type distribution of weight. The extra weight increases bulk in the upper abdomen and makes effective discharge of food from the esophagus into the stomach difficult. In addition hiatus hernia is more common in obese individuals. A hiatus hernia can weaken the LES. Losing weight is an important aspect of GERD treatment.

Wearing tight fitting clothes can cause acid reflux especially if it is two sizes too small. The increased pressure on the stomach may force acid back up into the gullet. Your acid reflux will improve if you wear loose clothes.

A large meal entering the stomach will increase the pressure on the LES and can trigger acid reflux. We all experience this at some time or other. Gastric clearance time is also increased by large volume allowing more opportunity for reflux. Eating smaller portions more frequently will counter this problem.

Certain foods can affect acid reflux. Cow’s milk protein intolerance can cause esophagitis. It is called Allergic Eosinophilic Esophagitis. Removing cow’s milk protein from your diet will control this. Other foods such as fats, coffee, alcohol, tea and some spices can affect the lower esophageal sphincter.

The lower esophageal sphincter can be affected by some drugs and result in acid reflux. Broncho-dilators such as theophylline, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), tri-cyclic antidepressants ie amitryptilline and drugs for Parkinson’s disease are in this list.

Female hormones can affect acid reflux. Women on hormones, in a Scandinavian Study had showed a greater risk. These drugs include the contraceptive pill and hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Sedatives and tranquillisers can slow down peristaltic waves in the esophagus affecting proper discharge of food from the esophagus.

Opt for liquid medication if you have GERD and need treatment. Certain drugs ie tetracycline are corrosive to the lining of the esophagus. Tablets and capsules (gelcaps) can lodge in the esophagus. Make it a habit to drink a glass of water after medication to wash it down. Avoid taking medication while lying down. GERD patients should always take medication sitting up or standing and avoid lying down immediately after.

Smoking relaxes the LES and nicotine is corrosive to esophageal lining. Stop smoking and your GERD might improve.

Acid Reflux risk is increased by certain exercises. This is the case in competitive weightlifting and cycling. Joggers can develop acid reflux symptoms.

If by eliminating all the risk factors, your symptoms disappear, then you have actually cured your acid reflux. However, if the symptoms persist, the next step is a visit to your doctor.

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If you’re trying to get relief from heartburn and acid reflux, you may not want to continue taking traditional medications in order to get relief. Many prescription medications and over-the-counter medicines have side effects that could worsen your condition or cause other health problems. Natural remedies are much less likely to cause problems. Here are some you might want to try.

Before you take any of these supplements, be sure to read the directions carefully, and to follow the dosages completely. Also, if you are taking prescription medications be sure to check with your doctor before you stop.

Always remember that supplements are just that - supplements. The foundation should be a healthy diet.

One of the nutritional supplements you’ll want to take it burdock. This herb supports feeling in general, but it is also very soothing for the G.I. tract. Burdock can help to clear up your reflux symptoms if you take it once or twice a day with a meal.

You may also want to try celery seed; this supplement is great for helping to clean out the intestines, which means your body will be able to rid itself of toxins much quicker. In addition to celery seed, you can eat raw celery stalks. If you use a juicer, try adding celery to some recipes.

Saffron is an exotic spice that has helped many people with acid reflux.  Saffron is available in capsule form to take a supplement, but is such a delicious spice that seems foolish not to cook with it..

In addition to these things, taking a capsule of devil’s claw with meals will also help you to feel better after eating, and will help you to resist the urge to lie down right after a meal. This is South American herb seems to help protect the lining of the G.I. tract as well as aid in digestion.

You can take other supplements to aid in the digestion process for acid reflux as well. Here are some pages for you can look for other ideas: Herbal Remedies for Acid Reflux and Acid Reflux Home Remedies

I’m sure you realize that you still need to be somewhat careful with your diet, but natural remedies can go a long way toward relieving your symptoms of heartburn and acid reflux.

It’s also a good idea to find out about all the other treatments, and particularly about some pretty serious complications that most people don’t know about. Head over to Treat Acid Reflux Now to get more information. Surprisingly, acid reflux can lead to severe lung problems and even cancer, so you definitely should get all the information you can.

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“Is GERD really a serious problem?”

A lot of people think “Oh, it’s only heartburn. I’ll just take some antacid and live with it.”

That attitude may be appropriate for some but very risky for others. Here are some things to look for in deciding which category you’re in.

The first thing to take into account is the severity of the symptoms. Although it’s not 100% true, possibly dangerous cases of GERD do tend to cause more severe discomfort.

Next, consider the frequency of symptoms. If a person only has pain every several months, that’s less likely to be associated with serious disease than when symptoms are more frequent.

Remember that the symptoms of acid reflux result from acid backing up from the stomach into the esophagus. Since the esophagus wasn’t designed to handle gastric acid, the acid damages it. That damage can cause to quite significant problems.

I’m not going to list them here but I suggest you find out more about the various problems caused by GERD at: Complications of Acid Reflux.

Another serious sign that indicates medical evaluation is needed is if they have a respiratory problem along with their GERD. These respiratory problems might include asthma, wheezing, coughing or recurrent colds and bronchitis.

These respiratory symptoms come up because in some people of these reflux can be so severe the acid actually backs up all the way to the top of the esophagus and spills over into the trachea. It’s clear that Obviously, having acid going into your larynx, windpipe and lungs might do some damage.

I think with any health issue you should gather as much information as you can in addition to relying on your doctor.

A good site that I found for information on acid reflux is Treat Acid Reflux Now

Since you’ve read this, you’d probably be interested in their page Is GERD Dangerous?

It’s important not to assume that Gerd and reflux are just trivial problems that you can ignore. Certainly if you have any of the issues I described here you should get a medical evaluation rather than ignoring symptoms.

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Heartburn, also known as acid reflux, is a condition of the digestive system that can be very uncomfortable. It’s the result of digestive acids in your stomach that, for various reasons, travel up to your esophagus.

An attack of heartburn makes itself known through unmistakable symptoms. A burning feeling in the throat and chest is the most frequently experienced symptom. Difficulty in swallowing, a tight throat and ongoing belching are other signs of heartburn.

Visit your doctor to get an accurate diagnosis, so that you can know the severity of your condition. Perhaps you’ll get a prescription medication to treat the condition. However, your doctor is quite likely to recommend that you eliminate certain foods from your diet.

You’ve probably noticed that your heartburn is most likely to occur after a big meal containing certain foods. Foods that cause heartburn are high in acid, like citrus fruit and tomatoes. Other common triggers are fatty foods and fried foods. And spicy foods such as garlic, onions, pepper and chili will also cause problems.

Even some foods that are healthy in other ways can unfortunately lead to painful heartburn symptoms. These include vegetables such as cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and broccoli.

Food isn’t the only cause of heartburn symptoms. Things you drink can also result in this distressing situation. You’ll need to stay away from caffeinated beverages. This means, tea, coffee and various soft drinks.

The type of food you eat isn’t the only consideration. You also need to monitor the quantities you’re consuming. Very often a heavy meal will lead to heartburn. Sometimes it’s just too difficult for your stomach to process such a large quantity of food. It ends up returning to the esophagus, carrying with it the stomach acids that were starting to break it down.

In order to figure out your triggers, you should keep a food diary detailing everything you eat in a day. This will help you determine which foods or beverages are causing your heartburn. Whenever you feel the burn of acid reflux, be aware of what you’ve just eaten.

It can be hard to change your eating habits, though. You need to start small. Begin by setting a goal, such as committing to eating smaller meals. Then start eliminating certain foods from your diet.

The best way to manage heartburn is to change your eating habits. In the beginning you’ll likely feel deprived. However, it’s important that you keep in mind the consequences of not paying attention to what you eat. You’ll never experience total heartburn relief if you don’t make changes to your lifestyle.

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