Monday

What Foods to Avoid in Your Heartburn Diet

Heartburn can cause disruption to your life. Sometimes, by taking medication, it may not help to alleviate your heartburn symptoms. Or, it may make it worse. Thus, you may want to modify your diet to help to improve your situation. It is not easy to give up some of our favorite foods and drinks. However, you don't have to give up everything you love at one time.

There are certain types of food you should avoid if you are suffering from acid reflux or heartburn symptoms. Here are 3 types of foods which you should avoid in your heartburn diet.

Fatty and fried foods - Many people love fatty and fried foods. Yet, these foods are common acid reflux or heartburn triggers. Fatty foods tend to stay in the stomach longer and require more acid to digest them. Avoid eating too much fatty foods that will slow down your digestion system and aggravate your heartburn symptoms.

Giving up fried foods can be the toughest thing to most people. In fact, fried foods have become a big part of our diet and life. But instead of taking it every meal, you can eat it once a week as a form of reward to yourself. You can try using other alternative cooking methods such as broiling, grilling, and roasting to reduce the usage of oil.

Caffeine - Do you know that coffee, tea and even chocolate are common heartburn triggers? To most people, drinking coffee and tea is like an addiction and they must have 3 to 5 cups of coffee or tea throughout the day. As you know, caffeine can cause your stomach to churn faster and thus it will make the stomach contents to push up. Well, you do not have to stop drinking them. Simply reduce your consumption slowly to maybe 1 cup per day. This will definitely help to improve your heartburn symptoms or even eliminate them.

Fruits - Most of the citrus fruits like orange, tomato, lemon and grapefruit should be avoided. These fruits will accelerate acid production and cause your acid reflux or heartburn to flare up. Instead of giving up on fruits, you may want to try non-citrus fruits like bananas, papaya or berries which can aid in your digestion and help to reduce your heartburn symptoms.

On the whole, it is still important that you must make effort to find out what types of foods to avoid in your heartburn diet. By doing so, you can find out your own heartburn triggers and stop taking those antacid which may make your symptoms worse.

To find out even more types of food you should avoid, you must go check out: Natural Heartburn Cures Without Medication.

Tuesday

Magnetic Beads Create New Hope to GERD Sufferers

It is estimated that more than 20 million Americans suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Medications such as Zantac, Prilosec, etc may offer short-term relief for some sufferers of this disease. These medications decrease the acid production, but do not prevent the actual reflux in most patients.

GERD results from a weak muscle in the lower esophagus (the tube through which food passes from the mouth to the stomach). When this muscle functions properly, it acts as a protective valve between the esophagus and the stomach. It will allow food and liquid to pass, but will prevent the reflux or back flow of acidic stomach contents. In patients with GERD, the valve is weak or nonfunctional so acid can flow back into the esophagus causing damage. This damage to the esophagus can lead to more serious conditions such as esophagitis and Barrett's esophagus.

There may be new hope for GERD suffers from magnetic beads. Several medical centers around the United States and in Europe are evaluating a non-medical alternative that would prevent the reflux. The device is a flexible band made of magnetic beads called the LINX Reflux Management System. The device is placed during a 20-30 minute laparoscopic surgical procedure. The beads are made of permanent rare earth magnets encased in titanium. Each band is sized to fit the individual patient. The band “stretches” to allow food to pass, but prevents the reflux of acid.

The LINX™ device should not affect airport security, but all patients will be provided an implant card to have available in the event an issue arises.

To Learn More About The Unique 5-Step Holistic Acid Reflux Cure System Visit: Acid Reflux Treatment - Click Here


Source
Torax Medical, Inc
Ohio State University Medical Center
UC San Diego Medical Center

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Monday

FDA issued stern warning on heartburn drug Reglan

FDA officials warn that the long-term use of metoclopramide, a drug used to treat heartburn, is linked to muscle spasms and tics.

 

Metoclopramide, which comes in a variety of forms including tablets, injections and oral solutions, speeds up the work of muscles used in digestion and subsequently treats gastrointestinal disorders particularly acid reflux and heartburn.

The drug's current labeling mentions the risk of developing the spasms called tardive dyskinesia; health officials, however, urge drug makers to highlight the warning.

Tardive dyskinesia is characterized by involuntary, repetitive movements of the extremities, lip smacking, grimacing, tongue protrusion, and rapid eye movements or blinking.

Health officials also advise individuals to avoid the chronic use of the drug unless its benefits outweigh the risk.

According to a recently-released FDA statement, using metoclopramide (Reglan) for long periods of time or at high doses leads to involuntary and repetitive movements of the body.


The statement includes the elderly, especially women, and those who have been taking the drug for more than three months in the high-risk group.


The condition is reported to be irreversible in the majority of cases even after stopping the use of the drug.