Stop Acid Reflux Blog

Elaine Magee, MPH, RD, author of Tell Me What to Eat If I Have Acid Reflux and of a new DVD titled The Heartburn-Friendly Kitchen, tells that trigger foods vary from person to person.

“People tend to know,” Liddle says. “They will say, ‘I get heartburn every time I eat pizza.’”

Some real culprits that turn up time and time again are:

* Fatty meats and deep-fried foods (they stay in the stomach longer, giving acid more of a chance to wander)
* Citrus
* Chocolate
* Peppermint
* Excessive alcohol consumption (especially red wine)
* Tomatoes (salsa, catsup)
* Colas and coffee (caffeine and carbonation are both suspect)
* Orange juice
* Peppers
* Garlic and onions

Some of these weaken the hold of the sphincter and some scratch at irritation that is already there.

Other foods can bloat your stomach and force the acid back up your throat. These include carbonated beverages.

A good rule of thumb is not to eat greasy meals and foods that are already chockfull of acid.

A new study suggests that gastroesophageal reflux disease may be linked to a bigger risk of cancer than previously thought.

In gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), stomach acid passes backwards into the esophagus, causing changes in its lining that can predispose to cancer. A team at the University of Southern California now reveals that the link between GERD and cancer may be more complex than previously thought.

The changes in the esophageal lining are called Barrett’s mucosa. Two kinds of cancer arise in the area where the esophagus meets the stomach - one linked with Barrett’s mucosa, one apparently not. The second type of tumor has a poorer prognosis.

However, this study may force a re-think. Analysis of the two tumor types now suggests that the deadlier one may be a more advanced version of the one that is linked with Barrett’s mucosa and, therefore, it is linked with GERD after all. This means that GERD may cause twice as many cancers as previously thought - making its treatment an even more urgent priority.

(info from Archives of Surgery June 2005 Volume 140 pages 570-575)

There are several things you can do to control your heartburn or at least try to control the acidic fumes in your stomach from re-fluxing. There are the drugs, like antacids, H2 Blockers, or PPI’s (proton pump inhibitors) and several other remedies. However all these things do are mask the symptoms, they do not heal the problem.

You can even chew gum, because it stimulates the salivary glands which produce saliva, and saliva reduces stomach acid by up to 50%. When you reduce the stomach acid, the pressure against the lower esophageal sphincter is also reduced and your heartburn symptoms aren’t as severe.

Try “Kukicha Tea” because it reduces stomach acidity immediately, and this will lower the pressure being exerted on your lower esophageal sphincter . With lower pressure being exercised on your Lower Esophageal Sphincter you will have less reflux, which equals less pain and burning discomfort.

Products like antacids which form a coating or layer over the acid in your stomach try to prevent the reflux of acid fumes into your esophagus. Antacids again, only mask the symptoms and don’t cure anything, and they are not recommended to take for a long time. One product that I found to really help control the acid was “Carafate”, but even that only covered up the symptoms.

A recent medical article stated that long term use of antacids may lead to food allergies. That is something you really don’t want, especially the hives that are associated with allergies.

There are the H2 blockers, which reduce the amount of acid that your stomach produces, or a class of drugs called PPI’s or proton pump inhibitors which try to completely cut off the production of stomach acid. The problem with this is you need the stomach acid to aid in the digestion of your food. If your food isn’t digested in a timely fashion it will stay in your stomach longer before going to your small intestines. Food not digested properly may cause even further health problems.

You can even have a drink of ginger ale which will make you belch and reduce the pressure that is being exerted on your lower esophageal sphincter. Many of these things work in the short term but they will not repair your damaged esophagus or lower esophageal sphincter or stop your acid reflux.

Even raising your bed or sleeping with two pillows is not going to cure your heartburn and acid reflux problems. None of these things are going to cure your condition, because they all address the symptoms and not the problem.

Even the medical community say they need to know more about the way in which reflux occurs so that effective treatment can be developed to prevent this very common problem which effects about 40% of the population.

So How Can You Correct It?

90% of the people that have tried this method have found complete relief from their former heartburn condition and are enjoying a life that is free of pain, anxiety, burping and embarrassment. You can too!

Get all the info here.

As many as sixty million Americans suffer from heartburn. The vast majority of these people can find relief in over-the-counter medications from their local drugstore and by making adjustments in when and what they eat. But for some, the burning pain is actually a symptom pointing to a more serious problem. Below, Stuart Spechler, MD, Chief of the Division of Gastroenterology at the Dallas VA Medical Center, talks about heartburn, when you can safely self-medicate and how to recognize warning signs that warrant medical evaluation.

Symptoms for heartburn and heart attack are sometimes confused. What are the differences?
Heartburn is a burning sensation that’s usually located in the chest. A lot of patients will say, “I feel it behind the breastbone. It’s just a burning discomfort.” Some people don’t even call it a pain. They just say it’s a sensation or an uncomfortable feeling.

A lot of patients describe their heartburn using an open hand to the chest. They move the hand up and down because it has kind of a rolling quality to it. That’s very much different than patients who have angina from heart disease. A person who is having a heart attack might say, “Gee, that feels like a squeezing sensation,” and they will often clench the fist over the chest.

Another good clue that a person is suffering from heartburn and not heart attack is if it occurs after meals. People sometimes get it if they eat a fatty meal, for example. And another very common feature of it is it goes away with medicines that eliminate acid. So either antacids, which you can buy over-the-counter, or medications that we have for treating the acid in the stomach, will typically stop the heartburn.

What are the alarm symptoms that accompany heartburn that should be evaluated?
There are a number of symptoms that, when experienced together with heartburn, warrant a trip to a physician for evaluation. If heartburn is accompanied by weightloss or if food gets stuck in your chest on the way down, it could be indicating something more than just simple heartburn, and we would be concerned about it. If you have heartburn and you have also thrown up blood, or if you notice that your stools have become black, that’s a sign that there could be internal bleeding. If it hurts when you swallow, that is, whenever you’re swallowing you’re feeling pain in your chest at the same time, or if you’re having fevers in association with any of these symptoms, you should be evaluated. So those are the symptoms that would say this is not just simple heartburn—that it could be more complicated.

Now, if you have just simple heartburn—meaning you have heartburn and none of these warning symptoms—then I think you could try some of the over-the-counter medications and see how they work for you.

Is frequent heartburn also a warning sign that something more serious could be happening?
We often see patients who complain of frequent heartburn, but there is no specific evidence that more frequent heartburn is more worrisome than occasional heartburn. Still, the most common advice is, “If you’re getting frequent heartburn, get yourself evaluated,” and I think that makes sense. But no one’s ever shown that the person who has frequent heartburn is more at risk than the person who has intermittent heartburn.

How does the acid of heartburn pose a threat?
Heartburn is a warning that acid is getting into the esophagus. The reason we worry about it is because acid makes contact with the lining of the esophagus and it can damage the normal lining. When it heals back it is a different type of lining, a lining that looks more like the lining of the stomach and intestine. That’s a condition we call Barrett’s esophagus. The esophagus has changed to an intestinal type of lining.

You could look at it as the body’s way of trying to protect itself. The small intestine and the stomach is normally is exposed to acid every day, and so it tends to be a more resistant type of lining. So you would think, “Well, that’s great, the esophagus is just becoming more resistant.” The trouble is, this more resistant lining also increases your risk for developing a cancer of the esophagus and that’s what we really worry about.

How many people with heartburn develop cancer of the esophagus?
The odds are definitely in your favor not to develop any of those complications. Barrett’s esophagus is found in 5 to 10% of people who have frequent heartburn symptoms—meaning at least once a week—and only 5 to 10% of people with Barrett’s esophagus will develop a cancer of the esophagus. So it’s a fairly small percentage of people with heartburn who are ever going to get a serious complication of the magnitude.

We don’t know what causes some people with Barrett’s esophagus to go on to develop cancer while others to just remain with benign disease, so the recommendation is that we recommend everybody with this condition have regular endoscopies at intervals of every three to five years, to look and see whether they’re developing changes that are suggestive of cancer.

What advice would you give the 60 million Americans who suffer from heartburn?
I think most people who have heartburn will do very well with over-the-counter medications. If all their symptoms disappear with those medications, I think that they’re probably just fine. If the heartburn persists, if it does not respond to over-the-counter medications, and if they have any warning symptoms, they should be evaluated by a physician.

Erica Heilman

Anxiety can cause a variety of physical and mental symptoms. Seek the advice of your health care professional if these symptoms are affecting your daily life. Here are a few of the most common anxiety symptoms.

Chest Pain

Chest pains are a frightening symptom of anxiety, and one that should not be taken lightly. If you are at all unsure about the cause of your chest pains, seek medical attention immediately. However, it is sometimes possible to tell the difference between the chest pains associated with anxiety and those of a heart attack. The chest pain of a heart attack is a knifelike pain that usually does not start in the chest. It may be possible to diminish the chest pain from anxiety with deep breathing exercises or a massage.

Neck, Face, and Shoulder Pain

Muscle tension and contraction can cause intense pain in the neck and shoulder area. This pain can often be relieved by relaxation exercises or massage.

Difficulty Swallowing

Sometimes, anxiety causes the muscles in the throat to contract making it feel as though you cannot breathe or swallow. It is important to remember that this is merely a reaction to anxiety and not a symptom that will cause you any real harm. It may feel unpleasant, but if you can calm down and practice taking slow breaths through your nose, this symptom will soon dissipate.

Indigestion and Digestive Disorders

With the release of adrenaline that accompanies anxiety, the blood races through the system and is diverted away from certain areas of the body, such as the digestive tract. This slows the digestion and causes the muscles around the stomach to tense up. This can cause indigestion, heartburn and diarrhea or constipation.

Sweating

Sweating is your body’s way of reducing an increase in body temperature. When adrenaline is released into the system, the heart begins beating faster and the body heats up (similar to exercising.) This symptom will soon pass as the anxiety subsides and the body’s other physical responses return to normal.

Dry Mouth

Dry mouth often goes along with the other physical symptoms that are caused by anxiety. This symptom can be alleviated by taking a drink of purified water.

Shaking

Shaking is a normal reaction to fear or a decrease in body temperature. When the muscles are tense, they may spasmodically contract and cause friction between the muscles and other body tissues.

Shortness of Breath

Anxiety can often make you feel as though you simply cannot get enough oxygen to your lungs. Your chest may feel tight and unable to expand to accommodate the air your body needs. It may even feel as though you are being smothered. Try to relax and remember that this is only a sensation caused by anxiety, you are actually getting plenty of air to your lungs. Sit down and concentrate on taking slow, deep, and regular breaths.

Weakness or Tingling in Extremities

When a stressful situation occurs, the body responds with a number of physical symptoms. Anxiety causes changes in the circulation, blood oxygen and blood carbon dioxide levels, and muscle tension. This combination of physical changes can cause a feeling of weakness in the extremities. When blood carbon dioxide levels are altered, it may accumulate in the extremities, causing a tingling sensation. Light exercise may help to alleviate these anxiety symptoms.

Sleep Disorders

Insomnia, difficulty staying asleep, and recurrent nightmares are common yet distressing symptoms of anxiety. It is important to try to maintain a regular sleeping schedule and to practice relaxation and breathing techniques to attain a better night’s sleep.

Heart Palpitations

When the body is faced with a stressful situation, adrenaline is released to prepare for a physical response. This chemical causes the heart to race and feel as if it is missing beats (heart palpitations.) Again, this is a common symptom and it is unlikely to lead to any actual cardiovascular distress.

Pale Complexion

Anxiety causes the blood to be diverted to the muscles and away from other areas of the body, such as the face. When the blood vessels in the face receive a reduced blood flow, the skin appears to lose some of its color, or rosy glow. This symptom of anxiety is not dangerous and will usually dissipate as the body’s other physical reactions return to normal.

Depression

Depression is a common symptom for people who experience anxiety disorders. People who are clinically depressed have a chemical imbalance that may cause or be a side effect of anxiety. You should seek help from a qualified medical professional if you feel a persistent feeling of anxiety.

Headaches

Spasmodic muscle contractions and muscle tension can cause discomfort, headaches or even migraines. Tension in the muscles that surround the skull may make you feel as though you have a tight band wrapped around your head. Also, the reduced blood flow to the head and brain can cause pain in the eyes, face, and jaw.

For more information go to http://www.stress-anxiety-depression.org

About the Author

Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, Ph.D, ND, DACBN, the founder/CEO and clinical director for the Global Healing Center, heads a research and development team producing advanced, new, natural health protocols and products. To learn more visit http://www.ghchealth.com

Every month, 60 million Americans experience heartburn and 15 million of those Americans suffer daily. Heartburn, indigestion and upset stomach cause countless Americans to limit their intake of their favorite foods like coffee. Doctors frequently restrict or eliminate coffee to help control the painful churning in their patient’s stomachs. Consumption of prescription and OTC medications to relieve heartburn has reached an all time high. Unfortunately, reducing your naturally occurring stomach acid exposes you to several new health concerns. New research suggests that relying on drugs like Nexium and Prilosec may increase your risk of developing pneumonia. Improperly digested food and lower food poisoning protection are just a few other complications associated with lower levels of stomach acid. Routine consumption of stomach acid altering drugs, even antacids, has become a necessity for coffee lovers to continue enjoying their favorite drink.

On a daily basis, coffee drinkers with sensitive stomachs struggle with a painfully difficult decision. Is their cherished “morning coffee” worth the hours of stomach pain or discomfort? Can they endure the pain (so they can have their coffee) or should they consume another round of stomach acid altering drugs? What is a coffee lover with a sensitive stomach supposed to do?

With one out of five coffee drinkers in the US suffering from stomach upset, another alternative has finally become available. A patented, all natural, chemical free, high-pressure steaming process removes over 75% of the acidity and irritants but leaves the coffee’s aroma, flavor and caffeine intact. Made from supreme quality, organically grown Arabica coffee beans, low acid coffee can now be tolerated by the most sensitive stomachs. Developed in Europe, this process greatly reduces the acidic chlorogenic substances prior to the roasting process so there’s few irritants produced during roasting, resulting in rich flavored, low acid coffee.

Drinking low acid coffee solves two major problems for coffee lovers with sensitive stomachs. How to enjoy their coffee everyday while preventing the inevitable stomach upset and avoiding acid reducing drugs? It’s now possible to enjoy coffee throughout the day, pain free, and disrupting the digestion process. Deprived coffee lovers with sensitive stomachs can enjoy coffee again with high quality, low acid coffee.

About the Author

Tonya Sage owns http://www.CoffeeGrand.com , an authorized distributor of Hevla low acid coffee. CoffeeGrand.com also educates their visitors and customers on various heartburn related diseases and heartburn prevention.

The common ginger root used in cooking has been found to alleviate nausea, indigestion, and motion sickness.

For motion sickness ginger is more effective than the common Dramamine, says the British medical journal Lancet. Researchers recommend 1,500 mg. of ginger approximately 30 minutes before travel. An alternative is a 12 oz. glass of ginger ale. Another study found that a 940 mg. dose of ginger was effective if it was consumed 20 to 25 minutes before travel.

Physicians in Europe found that 250 mg. of common ginger stops the nausea and vomiting of mothers-to-be.

A study with 80 Danish naval cadets unaccustomed to sailing heavy seas found that one gram of ginger reduced vomiting and cold sweating. Fewer symptoms of nausea and vertigo were also reported.

The magic ingredient is gingerol, the active ingredient in ginger. It works with the gastrointestinal tract and does not interact with the nervous system so it has no side effects of toxicity.

A 1/2 teaspoon of ginger is as effective as Dramamine in relieving motion sickness and is equal to 940 mg.

A ginger tea can be made by measuring one teaspoon of powdered ginger in a cup of boiling water or fruit juice.

Another method of using ginger is to use essential oil of ginger. Fill a bowl with boiling water, put in one drop of ginger per pint of water used, cover your head and inhale for 5 minutes with your eyes closed.

For morning sickness drink ginger ale or ginger tea, eat ginger snaps or take 250 mg. of ginger four times daily. Using 1/8 teaspoon of powdered ginger 4 times a day relieved morning sickness in pregnant women.

During pregnancy, the total daily dose should not exceed one gram daily. For others, the daily dose may approach two to three grams if needed. For prevention of motion sickness, begin taking three to four hours before the planned trip.

The active ingredient in ginger is gingerol, so when purchasing a ginger extract, make sure it is standardized in an 11:1 concentration. The recommended dose of the extract is 1,000 mg.

While ginger is safe for most people, if there is a history of heartburn or gallstones, a doctor should be consulted before use.

For more information on ginger, extracts, oils, and more, visit:
http://www.apluswriting.net/health/ginger.htm

Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net

Smoking and a high dietary salt intake significantly increase the risk of acid reflux, but tea and alcohol, often thought to be culprits, seem to have little impact, finds a large study in Gut.

Acid reflux, also known as gastro-oesophageal reflux, is common and one of the most frequent causes of indigestion. Symptoms arise when stomach acid flows back into the oesophagus or gullet - often as far as the mouth - usually as a result of a weakened muscle at the bottom of the gullet. Typical symptoms include heartburn, excessive belching, and even respiratory problems.

The research team based their work on 47,556 people, who had taken part in two major public health surveys in Nord-Trondelag, a county in Norway.

The first survey, involving more than 74,000 people, was conducted between 1984 and 1986; the second spanned the period 1995 to 1997 and included more than 65,000 people.

In the second survey, 3153 people who complained of severe heartburn and reflux into the mouth within the preceding 12 months were identified as having acid reflux. Their average age was 52.

They were quizzed about their lifestyles, including diet, exercise, alcohol intake, and tobacco habit. And their responses were compared with those from 40,210 people without symptoms, whose average age was 48.

Lifestyle was strongly linked to acid reflux symptoms. People who had smoked every day for more than 20 years were 70% more likely to have acid reflux than non-smokers.

Salt intake proved to be as great a risk factor. Those who routinely added salt to meals were also 70% more likely to have acid reflux than those who did not. And those who ate salted meat or fish three or more times a week were 50% more likely to have acid reflux than those who never ate these foods.

Some lifestyle factors seemed to confer protection. Regular consumption of high fibre brown bread and 30 minutes of strenuous exercise at least once aweek both halved the risk of developing acid reflux.

The explanation for dietary fibre might lie in the fact that it mops up large amounts of nitric oxide in the stomach, produced from nitrites in the diet, say the authors. Nitric oxide relaxes the muscle at the bottom of the gullet, so promoting reflux.

Surprisingly, heavy coffee drinkers (around 7 cups a day) were also around 40% less likely to develop acid reflux than those who drank one or fewer cups a day. However, the authors point out that people with acid reflux might abstain from coffee drinking, which could potentially skew the results.

But neither tea nor alcohol, irrespective of the quantities drunk, had any impact on risk.

[Lifestyle related risk factors in the aetiology of gastro-oesophageal reflux Gut 2004; 53: 1730-5]

Contact:
Dr Magnus Nilsson, Department of Surgery, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Tel: +46 8 517 70 000
Email: magnus.nilsson@ks.se

Drinking carbonated soft drinks and being overweight may be the two most prevalent causes of nighttime heartburn, according to a new study.

Heartburn at night, or nocturnal gastroesophageal reflux, is quite common. An estimated 44 percent of Americans suffer from it at least once a month. In the new study, researchers at the University of Arizona, Boston University, Johns Hopkins and the University of Minnesota surveyed more than 15,000 patients to try to determine the reasons for the pain. Their results were published in the May issue of the journal Chest.

Nighttime heartburn can be more serious than the daytime type. It tends to be longer lasting, causes more damage to the esophagus and has a greater risk of leading to esophageal cancer. “At night it can be happening without your realizing it,” said Dr. Stuart F. Quan, a co-author of the paper and professor of medicine at the University of Arizona. “The acid reflux doesn’t necessarily wake you up. So there is that much more exposure time.”

In addition to high body mass index, a common indicator of obesity, and consumption of one or more carbonated drinks a day, the study found other good predictors of nighttime heartburn: snoring, hypertension, asthma and the use of some sleeping pills.

(info from http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0612heartburn12.html)

At sometime in their lives, as many as 70 percent of Americans will suffer from gastrointestinal disorders. 50 Ways to Relieve Heartburn, Reflux, and Ulcers is a quick and easy volume that offers 50 solutions to chronic and acute gastrointestinal episodes. Includes information on symptoms, treatments, and management techniques as well as an evaluation of major over-the-counter medications. Also provides the latest information on h. pylori and ulcers.

From the Back Cover:

Gastrointestinal symptoms are one of the most frequent complaints heard by family physicians. The most common of these complaints relate to the upper G.I. tract and include belching, gas, acid, heartburn, and indigestion.

50 Ways to Relieve Heartburn, Reflux, and Ulcers is a quick and easy-to-follow volume that offers fifty solutions to these and other chronic and acute upper G.I. episodes. You will learn about symptoms, treatments, and management techniques and, in the case of ulcers, whether you should be screened for H. pylori. Additionally, the book offers a comprehensive overview of major medications, tells you what questions to ask your doctor, and describes “red flag” symptoms as well as the effects of smoking, overeating, caffeine, and a sedentary lifestyle on upper G.I. disorders.

50 Ways to Relieve Heartburn, Reflux and Ulcers
by M. Sara Rosenthal
ISBN: 0737304723