Acid Reflux Is a Condition Not a Disease

Acid reflux is a condition not a disease. Many people have a misconception that only drugs can treat acid reflux but that is not true. There are natural ways to treat this condition to make one feel better and lead to a cure. One of the key treatments a person can try is sleeping propped up. There are many products designed to gently incline the body's torso during sleep. The Avana Slant is a body pillow made of memory foam perfect for people dealing with acid reflux pain. But what exactly is acid reflux what are the symptoms and how can it be treated?

Acid reflux also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a condition where the stomach contents leak backwards from the stomach into the esophagus. This battle can irritate the esophagus, causing heartburn and other symptoms. The most common symptoms include feeling that food may be left trapped behind the breastbone, nausea after eating and heartburn or a burn pain in the chest. The heartburn can be increased by bending, stooping, lying down or eating. It gets worse at night but can be relieved by antacids. Less common symptoms include coughing or wheezing, difficulty swallowing, hiccups, hoarseness or change in voice, regurgitation of food and a sore throat.

Treatments for acid reflux including a person diet exercise and sleep habits. Try avoiding foods and beverages that trigger symptoms. Beverages like alcohol, caffeine and carbonated beverages. Foods like chocolate, citrus fruits, tomatoes, spicy or fatty foods and peppermint. People with this condition should avoid bending over or exercising just after eating, lying down with a full stomach or smoking. Doctor recommended treatments include eating smaller meals, losing weight if you are overweight, reducing stress and sleeping with your head raised about 6 inches. When it comes to sleeping use a body pillow or wedge under the body to slightly incline the entire body and raise the head. The Avana Wedge was designed to control night time acid reflux. The slant works like a hospital bed to keep the whole torso gently elevated, providing ideal comfort sleep surface. It is made with a urethane foam foundation covered in a layer of body contouring memory foam for the perfect combination of comfort and support.

People suffering from acid reflux can reverse their condition or ease the pain with a change in diet, exercise and sleep habits. There are natural ways to treat the condition including the use of a ledge wedge when at rest.

Karlie Philpott is the creator of TheBodyPillowShop a destination for support and comfort. A place to find the body pillow you need.

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Diet for Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

Do you find yourself wondering why I have Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease?

Gastroesophageal reflux disease, commonly referred to as GERD, can be a real pain and lower your quality of life. There are ways to fight this disease and the battle begins with a change of diet.

First, you need to know what you should reduce or eliminate from your diet. This may seem fairly obvious when you chug a six-pack of beer during the football game and chase it with a pound of chili fries, just to discover that you have a major belly ache, bloating and esophageal spasms that feel like your heart is on the verge of exploding.

It's pretty easy to tell which foods are bad for you when those are the ones you are eating. There may be some that you don't realize are affecting your bloated belly. Besides your intake of the delicious brewed beverages, which may or may not be a regular habit but for the sake of argument we will say you drink beer on occasion, you may also have other habits contributing to your upset stomach, such as smoking cigarettes, drinking that wonderful half pot of coffee in the morning or even chewing a stick of minty gum. All of these can wreak havoc on the ol' tummy.

Now that you've realized what your addictions are causing you, let's think about your snack foods. Processed meats like hot dogs, sausage, bacon, spam, yeah, the good stuff. Actually, that's not good for you! If you saw it being made in the factory you'd probably never be able to stand the smell of it again, much less throw it down your pie hole.

Unfortunately, spicy foods are another culprit in waking up in the middle of the night with your mouth on fire from the stomach acid you vomited in your sleep. Not a pleasant experience. There may be other healthier foods you've eaten that have irritated your stomach, such as oranges or tomatoes, and you just have to try to avoid them if you can. Pay attention to what foods you eat and you will be more aware of what is causing your acid eruptions.

You've now grasped your diet as it is at this moment, realized what you need to omit, and now its time to revise it. What foods should you add to your diet to reduce this acid reflux?

Everybody has a different body, so it's not easy to say what foods you should eat. Most of it is trial and error and recognizing your body's reaction to different foods. Pineapple is said to be a healthy choice in controlling your acid reflux, and so is papaya. Another one is iodine from iodized salt, but its important to be careful with salt, especially if you have high blood pressure. A supplement of Omega-3 fatty acid which comes from fish oil and flax seed oil never hurts. Its best to eat a diet rich in vegetables and fruits, lean meats such as chicken breast and fish, and limit your intake of alcohol and stimulants like coffee and nicotine. Its easier said than done but little by little it can be done.

Khairun Nadzar is the publisher of Acid Reflux Disease, For better understanding of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) browse through http://theacidrefluxdisease.net/ today

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Acid Reflux Disease - Yes, You Can Cure It Naturally

Do you know what really causes digestive problems. Most digestive disorders are not really diseases at all, but conditions that can be cured by using natural home remedies and natural techniques. One way to do this is to go as natural with your food as possible. Eat as few of preservatives as you can. And learn to read food labels. You just might be surprised at what you will find on some food labels.

But the medical community wants you to believe that only prescription or over the counter medicines can cure the symptoms of indigestion. But this is simply not true. Antacids are at best a temporary fix. And they are loaded down with ingredients like sodium and aluminum both of which have been proven to be harmful to you. Antacids mask the symptoms of indigestion and they have many harmful side effects. They hide the symptoms they don't cure them. But they make the drug companies wealthier so they keep pushing the antacids both prescription and over the counter and keep getting wealthier at your expense.

At one point in my life I suffered badly from GERD. I was living on both prescription and over the counter antacid medications and then my condition became worse and I had to start taking double the medication I used to. At the same time my blood pressure soared and my vision suffered. I felt like I was out of energy all the time and I felt so sluggish I could barely stand to move around. I began to do research on my antacid medications and I found that there were hundreds of side effects including some of the ones I was feeling. To say the least I was shocked and upset at what I found out about antacids and I wondered what I was doing to myself.

But when I just tried to stop taking the antacids I was taking several times daily my indigestion became so bad that I had to immediately get back on the antacids.My esophagus was burning so badly that I thought I had severely damaged myself. I was afraid to eat and i stopped drinking anything but water. to say the least I was miserable. Barbecue, pizza, and Mexican foods which I love quickly became a thing of the past and I feared I would get where I couldn't eat anything.

I went to my doctor but all he could suggest was for me to stay on the antacids and I just knew that was never going to work. I studied everything I could find on GERD and indigestion and looked for answers that could really help me. I wanted to find natural help for my indigestion and GERD and I wanted off the antacids. I was willing to try almost anything.

In the end I found that the answer to my acid reflux problems were really a lot simpler than I thought. With a few changes in my lifestyle and eating habits and with several natural remedies I found that I could take care of my acid indigestion problems and GERD with out the use of drugs.

You need to know and understand that it is a damaged esophagus that causes your GERD and acid reflux problems in the first place. And the answer to the problem was to stop eating the foods that caused the problem in the first place. I learned that by learning to chew food properly, exercising, losing weight, drinking plenty of water and elevating the head while sleeping are all things that anyone can do to stop GERD and acid reflux disease.

Every health food store has all kinds of great herbs like slippery elm and marshmallow that will help you with your acid reflux and GERD problems. You should also check out aloe vera juice, natural honey, and cinnamon which can sooth the esophagus and assist in the healing process.

Another very important thing is to not eat at least two hours before you go to bed and you need to drink plenty of water every day. I drink at least eight large glasses of water a day and I usually add fresh squeezed lemon juice to it. Another trick you should keep in mind is that by chewing gum between meals you'll have a lot less stomach acid. If you can do these things not only will your acid reflux and GERD greatly improve but you'll also lose weight. And anytime you can lose weight is a good thing. Especially if you need to drop a few pounds.

If you will start eating a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables you will be a lot more healthy and you won't have the acid reflux problems you had before. Try eating all grain products instead of white bread or white rice. Drink fruit juices instead of soft drinks. Try to eat more natural foods with less preservatives and you'll find yourself with fewer and fewer episodes of acid reflux. And before you know it you may not have any acid reflux or GERD problems at all.

The author Thomas Byers has spent years doing research on healthy and natural methods to lose weight and cure acid reflux and GERD. He considers himself an expert on those and other health issues and believes there are a lot of home remedies that work better than expensive and often dangerous drugs. Be sure to check out my below site now.

http://crazyhorsesghost.hubpages.com/hub/Acid-Reflux-And-Heartburn-Natural-Remedies

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What Is Acid Reflux Disease And How Does It Affect You?

Acid reflux disease, commonly referred to as GERD, Gastroesophogeal Reflux Disease, is an ailment of the upper digestive system wherein the stomach releases the contents of digestion back up into the esophagus. The causes of acid reflux disease relate to a partial break down of certain bodily responses which control acid regurgitation, and typically occur as the body gets older or during significant hormonal events.

Another major contributor is when the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), weakens allowing the contents of the stomach to seep into the esophagus causing discomfort and pain. Being familiar with a few of the processes associated with GERD can greatly assist you in understanding this disease and why it occurs in many individuals.

Esophageal reflux actually occurs in many people as a natural side effect of digestion. In those persons who do not exhibit GERD symptoms, the body's methods of defense against damaging levels of acid in reflux are adequate to prevent issues. These defenses include sufficient levels of bicarbonate production in saliva coupled with consistent swallowing, an upright position to allow for acid and other digestive fluids to flow back down the esophagus, and an overall reduced level of acid in reflux. Refluxing constantly, with a high amount of acid present, and the inability for refluxed acid to either be neutralized in the esophagus or to flow back down, is what leads to the actual symptomatic ailments of GERD.

Most esophageal refluxes contain a mixture of pepsin, stomach acid, and, in some cases, bile. While bile and pepsin may have effects on the esophagus, the one sure culprit is, of course, stomach acid. The reasons why some people have inflammatory symptoms and other don't is not yet known. The only thing that can be said is that those who suffer from GERD lack the natural processes to reduce acid levels consistently.

Those who suffer from GERD have most of their episodes at night, as this owes to the body's non-upright posture. Without a proper upright posture swallowing can't happen, any reflux can't adequately flow back down the esophagus and the overall production of saliva is reduced. These combine to increase acidity of stomach acids, and worsen GERD symptoms. So it's always a good idea to take any medication before you go to sleep.

Unfortunately, if you suffer from GERD you are most likely going to have it the rest of your life. With consistent symptoms and associated discomfort comes the need for consistent treatment. These treatment schedules can sometimes be tailored to only be administered when symptoms begin, but in most cases acid blockers and the like will have to be take indefinitely.

Some GERD symptoms are transient, however, and a good example of this is a woman who is pregnant. Pregnant women have been known to experience episodes of acid reflux without consistent symptoms. This can be explained by the pressure that occurs on the abdomen the growing child.

This theory extends into the prevalence for those that are overweight and have large amounts of visceral, or organ, fat to also be predominantly susceptible to GERD, as the increase abdominal pressure from added fat stores can force additional acid up the esophagus.

Katie Smith is an expert in Acid Reflux and runs the very successful and popular site about Acid Reflux. She has helped thousands of people find relief from acid reflux and related issues. Visit her site right now for more information and/or help on acid reflux disease.

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Dealing With Acid Reflux Disease in Babies

Most babies will experience bouts of acid reflux at some time during their infancy. Also known as colic, this condition is very uncomfortable for an infant because it is caused by stomach acids that get regurgitated back into the esophagus. Adults who suffer from this disease know all to well how painful it can be so for a baby it can be doubly so. Finding a treatment that works for babies can be frustrating at times, but there are proven ways to deal with this problem.

There are several different methods that can be used to treat acid reflux in babies. It can be challenging to properly treat this condition in infants but with a little patience a long term solution can be found. GERD (gastro esophageal reflux disease) in infants can be either a condition they are born with or it can be a result of outside influences, usually of a dietary nature.

In fact changes in diet can be a primary source of symptoms in the vast majority of babies. Dairy products, particularly milk, can be a major factor in acid reflux in babies. Formula can also cause symptoms, but usually not to the extent that milk does. If the formula you are using seems to be causing symptoms it can be a good idea to dry a different brand or formulation, as there are many types of formula to choose from. Liquid calcium can also be used as a dietary supplement to combat the effects of acid reflux. It has a cool and creamy texture that helps sooth the symptoms letting an infant heal naturally.

For those parents looking for a more natural drug free approach the use of a chiropractor experienced in the treatment of infants can be an alternative. Chiropractic care is used to help keep the Vagus nerve in good working order. This nerve helps control the esophageal sphincter and runs close to the vertebrae in the neck.

Babies who suffer from acid reflux are more prone to spit up for prolonged periods of time. There is an increased concern of sleep apnea when this happens. Apnea is a condition where a baby stops breathing for short periods of time. This is a very serious condition that needs to be treated by a doctor immediately.

The most commonly prescribed drugs for acid reflux in babies are Zantac and Reglin. Babies as young as six weeks of age can take these medications, but this should only be done under the close supervision of a pediatrician. This brings up an important point. The best course of action if you think your baby suffers from acid reflux is to see your baby's pediatrician. They have the training and knowledge to help you treat this sometimes serious disease.

To learn more about acid reflux disease and its treatment please visit the website Acid Reflux Disease by clicking here.

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