Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Acid Reflux In Throat - What Causes It And How To Prevent It

Acid reflux in throat is a very irritating and uncomfortable disorder that affects millions of people on a daily basis. Fortunately, there is a way to prevent it from occurring that doesn't require prescription or over-the-counter medication. Most people are not even aware of what are the factors that triggers this to happen, so let's first cover the causes and then how we can prevent it from occurring.

What Causes It?

What happens is food and stomach acid backs up into the esophagus because the LES (Lower Esophageal Sphincter) muscle malfunctions. The lining in the esophagus is not able to withstand the caustic effects of gastric juices thus causing the burning sensation most sufferers experience. The "reflux" of the stomach acids can be so severe that it can back up all the way into the throat. If this occurs on a consistent basis it can lead to sore throat and voice problems.

Symptoms of acid reflux in throat can include such things as excessive phlegm or mucous build-up in the throat, choking or wheezing, a lump in the throat feeling. Typically, these symptoms occur first thing in the morning but also can occur at anytime. Sometimes, because of these symptoms, people are not aware that this is a result of acid reflux and so therefore this is referred to as silent or atypical reflux.

How To Prevent It?

One way to help prevent it from occurring is to sleep with your head or bed in a raised position. You can purchase a wedge pillow or try using something like books or blocks to raise your mattress. This will help keep the stomach acid from "refluxing" up into the esophagus and throat by using gravity. Another way that has helped many sufferers is to sleep on your left side. Studies have shown that sleeping on your left instead of your right side helps to reduce acid reflux at night.

Eat your final meal at least two to three hours before you go to bed and make sure you don't stuff yourself. This will help give your digestive system time to completely digest the smaller portion of food you consumed. Avoid foods that you know will trigger your symptoms to occur and no midnight snacks. Try not to drink any alcoholic beverages or smoke before going to bed since studies have shown that these things can trigger your symptoms to occur.

Some of these suggestions may work better than others for you, so try each one to see which ones work. The best approach is to try one or more of these suggestions at a time and keep a journal to see which ones help to prevent acid reflux in throat from occurring.

To learn more about acid reflux in throat information and how you can find a safe and natural cure visit my website at http://www.cureacidrefluxnaturally.com/. Here you can find more information about acid reflux / heartburn and have the chance to sign up for a free Cure Acid Reflux Naturally mini-course.


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Monday, September 5, 2011

Looking for an Esophageal Reflux Diet?

Yes, I know, GERD or gastroesophageal reflux disease is a tedious health problem requiring many life changes. But by changing small things, like your eating habit for example, big changes can be made to improve your health. Always think long-term, as there are no magic remotes that will fix it for you. A good esophageal reflux diet consists of foods with a low amount of acids in them.

However, it doesn't always revolve around the types of foods you eat. It's important how you eat them too. Like for example, are you one of those people who choose to eat less time per day, but in larger portions? If so, then I have to warn you that it's not exactly beneficial for your acid reflux condition. Eating larger portions causes more pressure in your stomach, which then develops more acid to help digest the food you've consumed. That bad news for acid reflux patients, because this also leads to your stomach acids flowing back into your esophagus, causing heartburn! The solution is to eat slowly and in smaller portions.

Carbohydrates are good, so make sure you eat a lot of those. This is because they diminish the amount of acids in your stomach, lessening your acid reflux problem. Avoid eating fatty, spicy and salty foods. This is because of the problem we discussed earlier; such foods stay in your stomach longer, which causes it to secrete more acids which then tend to flow back into your esophagus. You always want to try to keep the amounts of acids in your body to a minimum.

If you're an alcohol abuser, then stop being one. It's also been said that caffeine has similar effects on your digestions, so keep its consumption low. Carbonated drinks are best to shy away from as well.

As far as fruits are concerned, stay away from high acid ones, like oranges and grapes. However, apple (and apple cider vinegar) have been proved to actually help acid reflux patients, so you might want to try these. For vegetables, cabbage, cucumbers and beans are fine. Stay away from peppers and tomatoes though.

Be sure to always eat slowly and not consume larger portions all at once! Divide them into various smaller meals, giving your stomach more time to digest everything properly. If your life doesn't allow you to do that, try to arrange it so that it does. Your health will thank you for it.

Heartburn No More is a product designed to help acid reflux patients in a natural way. Please visit us for a Heartburn No More Review.

Patrick Z Anthony specializes in helping patients with the use of holistic treatment.


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Natural, Easy Lifestyle Changes To Stop Heartburn Pain

We've heard a lot on the news about the obesity epidemic in the United States, because extra weight contributes to a host of other health problems. One of these can be devastating bouts of heartburn brought on by the fact that we tend to overeat and especially that we often overeat the wrong foods. All the spicy, greasy, fried foods that we pack into our bodies contribute to excess weight gain and can cause stomach acid in over-full stomachs to back up into the esophageal tube where irritation and pain then develop. So exactly what can we do to avoid becoming the heartburn capital of the world?

Fortunately for us, there are common sense practices that can help us curtail heartburn and live healthier lives. In some severe cases, prescription drugs may be necessary. However, for most of us, three simple, natural changes in our lifestyles can do the trick.

1. It takes your stomach awhile to properly digest and dispose of the food you ingest. Stay in an upright position for at least an hour or two following a meal. Lying down with a full stomach can force stomach acid back into your esophagus which will bring on heartburn. Acid reflux, which is very similar to heartburn, can also be a problem if you recline too soon after a meal. Doctors have learned that the old tradition of eating a large meal and then taking a nap can trigger heartburn. Instead of napping, take a walk to help your digestive processes as well as burn the extra calories, and you'll feel better for doing so.

2. Eliminate certain trigger foods from your diet, or at least eat them in moderation. The typical American diet is filled with foods that cause the valve at the bottom of the esophagus to relax or malfunction. In addition, fatty foods do not digest as readily which means they remain in the stomach for much longer periods of time. Tomatoes and tomato products, such as those used on pizza and in pasta dishes, are full of acid which can bring on heartburn. Other substances which also commonly cause flare-ups include chocolate, caffeine, fried foods, and citrus fruits.

3. Eating huge meals is a definite no-no. Instead, spread out the food you eat into a number of smaller meals throughout the day. Not eating so much at one time will help keep your stomach from becoming over-full to the point where the pressure wants to push materials back up through your sphincter valve and into your esophagus. An esophagus isn't designed to be tough enough to withstand this kind of an onslaught.

Want more information on how to stop heartburn? Get more information, tips and resources here: How to get rid of heartburn fast.


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Sunday, September 4, 2011

Avoid Certain Drinks If You Have Acid Reflux and Go After the Other

You should avoid drinking alcohol if you have acid reflux. Well, not all alcohol actually. This is somewhat a gray area and up to the debate, but most of the experts claim that only beer and non-diluted spirits should be avoided. If you want to play it safe, then just don't drink at all. You should also shy away from coffee, although lately some people have started claiming that coffee isn't to blame when it comes to worsening the condition of acid reflux. Anyway, you should definitely try to avoid milk and peppermint tea, that's a known fact. Milk, for example, neutralizes the acids in your stomach and thus increasing the difficulty of digesting food.

Some drinks are actually very beneficial and will easy your acid reflux to some degree. Search for certain teas, like for example ginger tea. It's usually made out of 1000 mg ginger powder. If you absolutely can't live without spicy or fried foods, this is the perfect answer. Just drink it after you've finished your meal.

Another kind of tea that's good for you is tea made out of licorice. Shimmer the tea for fifteen minutes but make sure you aren't doing it under really high temperatures. This is to be avoided, however, if you're also suffering from high blood pressure, because it will worsen it. So be sure you're correctly diagnosed before drinking licorice tea!

Slippery elm bark tea is another kind of tea you might want to try. It's meant to be drunk alongside your regular meal to alleviate the symptoms of acid reflux. The way this works is because this tea makes your esophagus less susceptible to acid. After the tea is made, you can dilute it with more hot water if you don't like the taste, and it will work just as fine.

Do you have a fruit blender at home? If so, great! You can blend some bananas to make banana juice. The fruit is known to work against acid, to it helps your condition. If you don't have it at home, you can purchase pre-made drinks too. Or maybe try some clove-ade. A few drops of it usually suffices, diluted into whatever you want.

As far as foods are concerned, stay away from anything spicy, fried and fat. These foods clearly aren't good for acid reflux patients (and are unhealthy anyway). Also, avoid foods that are too salty! Salt has been known to aggravate the condition.

Heartburn No More is a product designed to help acid reflux patients in a natural way. Please visit us for a Heartburn No More Review.

Patrick Z Anthony specializes in helping patients with the use of holistic treatment.


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How Homeopathic Remedies Can Help If You Have Acid Reflux

There are situations where classic medical treatment might not be the most appropriate form of medication for specific patients. Even in others, pills are known for many of their negative side-effects, while holistic treatments don't have that kind of disadvantage. As a matter of fact, more people are looking for alternatives every day and the number is constantly growing as are the solutions available for those who seek them. However, it's important to note that homeopathic remedies might not work if you aren't prepared to work on yourself and getting rid of certain bad habits.

There is rarely a quick fix or a magical pill that will cure your troubles. However, there are plenty of natural treatments that indeed work. As far as herbs go, you can try ginger root or chamomile. Note that there are scenarios when certain herbs help some reflux patients, but not others. Therefore it's important to experiment and find out what's right for you. Fortunately, herbs don't pose a danger to one's health even when you're consuming them over a longer period of time, so feel free to do so.

It's important to get a correct diagnosis. Don't just read an online article that describes GERD symptoms and then diagnose yourself and start a holistic treatment. It's absolutely crucial to get an official diagnosis from a qualified professional. Maybe you don't even have acid reflux and it's something completely different! Once it's established that you do, let him/her know what kind of treatment you want. Some doctors are actually in favor of holistic treatments and will prescribe them to a patient if they express their wishes.

Some doctors, however, don't acknowledge holistic treatments as an equal to traditional medicine, but that's perfectly fine. Different opinions in the field of medicine are always a good thing if you ask me. That way, more treatment options are available and a patient can always go seek a second opinion. Bear in mind that the effectiveness of natural remedies always coincide with how much you're willing to do for your health in general. It's entirely possible that a herb in itself won't help your condition, but if you combine that with a lifestyle change and maybe change some dietary habits too, it will work wonders.

Before you decide that you want a holistic treatment, you should consult your doctor about it. Never judge a disease on your own.

Heartburn No More is a product designed to help acid reflux patients in a natural way. Please visit Heartburn No More Review Central if you'd like to know more.

Patrick Z Anthony specializes in helping patients with the use of holistic treatment.


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Acid Reflux Medications And Treatments

Antacids are the most popular and widely used acid reflux medication. Almost all the antacids can be obtained without prescription. Antacids neutralize stomach acid and provide quick relief. Antacids are available in tablets or liquid syrup. They also contain elements that cover the lining of the esophagus and treatment of irritation.

Acid reflux disease, also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is one of the most common conditions experienced by people around the world. It is more common in middle age, but can occur in people of any age group. GERD is a temporary condition that can be easily treated... But if left untreated, can lead to narrowing and inflammation of the esophagus, diseases such as Barrett's esophagus, or problems with teeth, lungs and throat.

Therefore, it is essential to overcome and prevent this disease as soon as possible. So, let's take a look at the causes and symptoms of heartburn. It's caused when stomach acid goes in the reverse direction to the throat through the esophagus. This is due to abnormality or malfunction of the muscles of the lower esophageal sphincter.

Common causes are, poor eating habits is the most common. People eat bigger meals at night or irregular hours suffer from acid reflux disease. On the other hand, lying down or bending over immediately after eating can also cause heartburn. Obesity, smoking and alcohol consumption are also important reasons. Difficulty swallowing food, sore throat, sore throat, chest pain, heartburn, nausea are common symptoms of acid reflux.

As mentioned above, GERD is a condition far more mild, if it does not occur regularly. It can be treated easily with the help of medications and home remedies. . Have a look at the treatment of acid reflux in detail. For children medications usually consists of only antacids and acid blockers. H2 blockers are other important drugs because they help in blocking the production of stomach acid. but will not start running as fast as antacids are more effective than the latter.

Another form of drugs are inhibitors of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), which are given only by prescription, and used to treat severe heartburn. An effective list of acid reflux medications consists of Pepcid, Zantac, Prilosec, etc., which are readily available under different trade names and help in relieving acid reflux.

While the acid reflux medications listed above are effective, there are some side effects associated with them. But fortunately, the side effects are mild and rarely observed. Most common side effects of heartburn medicines include diarrhea and headache. .

On the other hand, abdominal pain, itching, confusion and constipation are also seen. In extremely rare cases, rash, severe itching and hallucinations can occur as a side effect.

The Author have been writing articles for years. You can also check out his latest website: http://acidrefluxremedies.myweightlosssystem.com/ where he reviews the acid reflux herbal remedies


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Saturday, September 3, 2011

Acid Reflux Foods - Foods to Avoid and Consume to Minimize Acid Reflux

Acid reflux can cause severe discomfort to those who suffer from it and though there are many treatments, medicines and even surgical procedures available to stop the condition or lessen its symptoms, many still consider the best way to deal with this is to prevent it by eating the right types of foods.

Acid reflux foods are foods that cause stomach acids to reflux and back up the esophagus. When acid enters the esophageal area, it causes a burning sensation in the chest called heartburn. The reflux of acid can also bring about other discomfort such as pain in the throat, difficulty swallowing and chronic coughing.

An appropriate diet then is seen as the best way to finally be free of acid reflux and its uncomfortable symptoms and when it comes to this, alkaline diet is considered to be the best. A physical and metabolic balance must be maintained to keep the body healthy for always. To be metabolically fit, a balance between acidity and basicity must be maintained.

The most popular diets consist of a huge amount of proteins in every meal however these diets tend to leave acidic residue in the body making it more susceptible to acid reflux. Acid reflux and the more serious gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD is said to be a consequence of a prolonged pH imbalance. Foods which are acidic in nature when consumed basically turn into acidic waste which promotes stomach gas. The increase in stomach gas forces open the esophageal sphincter and acidic remains are then allowed to retreat into the esophagus.

Acid Reflux Foods

There are a number of acid reflux foods that must be avoided. Although to some, most of the foods on the list are considered favorites, a sacrifice must be made in order to reduce the frequency of acid reflux. Once metabolic balance has been established and reflux is no longer great concern, then you can eat your favorite foods again however in moderation.

Here are the foods that must be avoided to minimize acid reflux as well as those that are okay to eat:

· Meat - you should avoid marbled sirloin, buffalo wings, ground beef and chicken nuggets. Include in your diet steak, egg whites, extra lean ground beef, skinless chicken breast and fish with no added fats.

· Vegetables - avoid fried potatoes and raw onions. Include in your diet baked potatoes, peas, cabbage, green beans and broccoli.

· Fruits - acid reflux foods to avoid are Kumquats, lemon, tomatoes, cranberry juice, lemonade and grapefruit juice. Consume apple juice, apples, melons, watermelons and bananas.

· Grain items - avoid spaghetti with sauce and macaroni and cheese. Consume bran or oatmeal, cereal, crackers, pretzels, corn bread, rice cakes and brown or white rice.

· Dairy products - avoid ice cream, milk shakes, cottage cheese and sour cream. Consume low-fat soy cheese, fat-free cream cheese, fat-free sour cream and goat milk cheese.

· Dessert items - avoid brownies, high fat butter cookies, doughnuts, potato chips, chocolates and corn chips. Consume jelly beans, fat-free cookies, baked potato chips and red licorice.

· Beverages - coffee (decaffeinated or regular), liquor, wine and tea must be avoided while mineral water and certain juices can be consumed.

Take a Look Here

You can find out more about acid reflux foods and diet by clicking here
You can find other helpful information and advice about treating heartburn here


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