Showing posts with label heartburn. Show all posts
Showing posts with label heartburn. Show all posts

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.





Friday

7 Secrets of Heartburn Acid Reflux Diet

Here are the 7 simple rules for diets -  a move towards a holistic, all-natural GERD treatment:

1. Reduce meal size. Mega meals put too much stress on the digestive system, more stomach acid is fabricated and an existing acid reflux condition can be degraded. Eat 5-6 smaller meals per day rather than 2-3 big meals.

2. Give your stomach a better possibility to work in the 2-3 hour window after a light meal, rather than the 5-6 hours for a heavy one. This is much better planning for the last meal of the day, to avoid lying down when acid can still flow back along your esophageal passage. So eat your last meal of the day as a light one and go for a short walk if you can, to aid digestion.

3. Don't gobble food. Gobbling means intake or air, pressure in the stomach and bloating which all goes to force back open the esophageal sphincter, with the resulting reflux of stomach acid.

4. Make way for herbal tea instead of coffee as well as reducing intake of high-fat or spicy meals, peppermint, citrus juices, soda and alcohol, coffee and caffeine, chocolate and any food with a large amount of tomato. Don't eat food that irritates the inside of your digestive tract, which in turn can cause your esophageal sphincter to malfunction and relax at the wrong moment.

5. Studies done in Sweden provide data to show that acid reflux danger can be halved via a high fiber diet and that high-fiber diets are useful for clearing out toxic matter and optimizing digestion.

6. Cut down on dairy produce, especially milk. Milk makes for more acid, mucus and allergies, all factors that stimulate Candida overgrowth and further digestive problems contributing to GERD.

7. Cut down on calories. Obesity and excess weight also act to force open the lower esophageal sphincter the wrong way.

Book Review: Eating for Acid Reflux: A Handbook and Cookbook for Those with Heartburn

The right plan based on the diet guidelines just mentioned will cut down on the chance of GERD and at the same time makes you healthier and fitter.

A heartburn diet plan is the 1st part of a complete natural and holistic program to stop acid reflux. It is the only way to permanently stop this problem. Diet plans are just one part of the treatment, like heartburn is just one piece of the acid heartburn puzzle. All the pieces need to be included in the solution in order to really effectively solve the problem.

Jeff Martin is a medical researcher, certified nutritionist, health consultant and author of the #1 best-selling e-book, "Heartburn No More- Open The Door To an Acid Reflux Free Life". Jeff has written dozens of holistic health articles and has been featured in ezines and print magazines, as well as on hundreds of websites worldwide.

To Learn More About Jeff Martin's Unique 5-Step Holistic Acid Reflux Cure System Visit: Acid Reflux Treatment - Click Here

Tuesday

Video: Treatment For Heartburn and GERD

This video will share with you more about over-the-counter and prescription medication to manage heartburn and GERD.

Video: Treatment For Heartburn and GERD

Medications
For occasional cases of mild heartburn, "over the counter" medicines may work for you .

Antacids help to neutralize stomach acid and can provide quick relief.

H-2 Receptor Blockers - These medications are a stronger type of antacid. If you have GERD, they can help to reduce or eliminate symptoms, as well as heal an inflamed esophagus. H-2 receptor blockers can actually reduce the production of acid in your stomach. They are available in over-the-counter and prescription strength for GERD. They don't act as quickly as regular antacids, but they do last longer.

Proton Pump Inhibitors -
These medications can block acid production completely and allow time for a damaged esophagus to heal. This medication was only available by prescription, but is now also available in an over-the-counter strength.

These, like all medications, can cause some side effects, so talk to your doctor about which option is best for you.

Surgery
If have a severe case of GERD, your doctor may recommend surgery. The most common procedure is called fundoplication surgery, which applies pressure to the LES valve and reduces reflux. In many cases this can be done without large incisions by performing a laparoscopic operation.

It's important to know that the symptoms of heartburn can mimic other more serious problems, including heart attacks. So, if your symptoms seem like more than just reflux, or if you’re losing weight or having trouble swallowing or breathing, you should discuss it with your doctor.

Medicine and surgery are not the only ways to get rid of your heartburn problem. If you prefer trying a more holistic and natural therapy, you can check out Jeff Martin's holistic approach to Heartburn No More.

Video: Preventing GERD

For the past 2 weeks, you have learnt from videos what heartburn and GERD are and a true life story about how a simple heartburn problem could become a life-threatening GERD case.

Today, you will learn from this video what are the various ways to prevent heartburn symptoms and GERD.

Video: Prevent GERD


If you are interested to learn more about heartburn remedies, you can check out this blog:-

Thursday

Severe Heartburn Means Cancer

Heartburn can be both extremely both painful and fatiguing. Generally, people suffer from some degree of heartburn. Medical data indicates that most people get occasional heartburn at some time in their life. However many of these heartburn episodes go away by themselves or with the help of a minimum of medication. Severe heartburn is a sign of a more advanced illness known to medical personnel as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Here, conventional medicine is often weak in providing any positive benefit for severe Heartburn cases.

What is the real, underlying problem?

The weakening or the instability of the muscle separating the esophagus from the stomach means that stomach juices including acid reflux back into the esophagus. Ulceration of the esophagus is then the result because of the acid corrosion caused by the acidic stomach matter. The root of the problem is therefore typically the sphincter or one-way muscular valve that should block off the stomach from the esophagus. In severe cases, there may even be a pre-cancer condition known to doctors as Barrett's esophagus, and which necessitates immediate medical attention.

Other factors of Heartburn
People with asthma can make the situation even worse. This is because if the backward reflux of acid contents reaches the upper part of the esophagus, then the result may be fits of wheezing, hoarseness and drive coughing.

===>>> News: The Connection Between Asthma and Heartburn GERD

Which kind of people are more at risk of contracting heartburn?
There are several medical conditions that will bump up the risk of serious heartburn. Risk factors include hernias and diabetes as well as incorrect eating, such as too much fast food. Diseases of the auto immune system such as Raynaud Phenomenon, sceloderma and the CREST syndrome can all negatively impact this condition.

Right Heartburn Remedy
Because they do not take into consideration the long term causes, and may even have serious side effects when they are taken, modern medicines may even worsen the situation. And as most medications prescribed by physicians target only the symptoms of heartburn, they only really have a role to play in short term relief.

Heartburn sufferers are advised to limit or avoid intake of food that is fatty, high in caffeine, high in alcohol content, in chocolate, mint or sherbet, as well as eating less of the acid-type foods such as tomatoes, oranges, spinach, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cabbage. Recent investigations have suggested that a correct diet, a healthy lifestyle and a holistic program which may include herbs and vitamins supplements are what is required to permanently cure severe GERD-related heartburn.

Jeff Martin is a medical researcher, certified nutritionist, health consultant and author of the #1 best-selling e-book, "Heartburn No More- Open The Door To an Acid Reflux Free Life". Jeff has written dozens of holistic health articles and has been featured in ezines and print magazines, as well as on hundreds of websites worldwide.

To Learn More About Jeff Martin´s Unique 5-Step Holistic Acid Reflux Cure System Visit: Heartburn and Acid Reflux


Tuesday

True Story About A Patient Overcoming GERD problem

Many people like Beth (which you can watch the video below) thought that their heartburn problem was a simple case and did not really bother about it.

When the symptoms got worse, they started to find something is serious about it.

Click this video to learn more about it: True Life Story: GERD

What Are Heartburn and GERD?

If you get a burning feeling in your stomach following a meal, you may have heartburn or GERD. Many people are still quite ignorant about heartburn and GERD. This great video can teach you what these are and why it's critical you know the difference.
 



Tomorrow, we will put up the summary of the video. Meantime, enjoy the video.

Change Your Diet To Combat Heartburn Symptoms



One of the best way to control your heartburn acid reflux symptoms is to get yourself onto a heartburn acid reflux friendly diet. Initially, it seems difficult to give up some of your favorite foods. The thought that heartburn acid reflux symptoms is just mere inconvenience, you may just continue with your current lifestyle. If you leave it untreated, it may lead to more or even complicated problem like GERD or even cancer.



Here are some suggestions you can consider for modify your diet.



Milk: When indigestion strikes, many reach for milk to soothe the stomach. No doubt, milk has a calming affect for many people, it is not necessarily a good choice in your diet if you suffer from acid reflux.

Drinking a glass of milk before bedtime is a common habit as milk can induce sleep. But, when you sleep, milk can encourage your body to churn out more acid, leading to painful reflux symptoms. If you wish to drink milk, you should have it earlier in the day. Should you really wish to have some milk at night, how about drinking a small glass and accompany it with some bread or any other high carbohydrate type of food. This will speed up digestion and reduce the potential of developing acid reflux symptoms.



Fats: Do you know that fatty foods take longer time to digest and that encourages your body to produce more acid to digest those fats? If you still like to have some fatty food, eat only a small portion. Take note that any fats may slow digestion, and if your reflux is flaring, avoid them as much as you can.



Fried Foods: Eating fried foods, whether deep-fried or stir fried, is a common acid reflux trigger for many people. Getting people to give up fried foods is the toughest because fried foods tend tend to be many people's favorite dishes. Instead of frying most of your food, you can try out heartburn-friendly cooking techniques like grill, broil, bake. May be the foods won't taste as good as fried, but you'll find more satisfying because they help you to minimize the likelihood of triggering an acid reflux episode.



===> Learn more about Heartburn-Friendly Cooking Techiques



Carbonated Drinks: Soft drinks or sodas like Coke, 7-up are a popular choice of beverages among many people. Unfortunately, for heartburn acid reflux sufferers it is advisable not consume them at all. The gas in these drinks can contribute to burping, and can encourage acid to reflux into the esophagus. If you must drink soda, the best way is to allow it go flat before drinking to reduce the impact of the carbonation. As you know drinking a flat soda, it is no different from drinking a flavored drink without bubbling gas. Furthermore, most sodas contain caffeine which is another common heartburn acid reflux trigger. The best beverage to have is still the plain water.



Fruit: There are some fruits and fruit juices you should avoid in your new diet. Most citrus fruits like orange and pineapple can stimulate acid production, and are common triggers. The acidic juice can bring on flare ups of acid reflux. Instead of having orange and pineapple, you can eat fruits that are not in the citrus category. How about trying bananas or berries or papayas and monitor your symptoms. You don’t have to give up all fruits, but you may have to be more selective when choosing.



===> Learn more about Can Papaya Help to Remedy Heartburn



Thus, by taking steps to make some adjustments to your diet for better heartburn acid reflux control, and to also make other lifestyles changes, this helps to minimize future health risks and your need to take prescription medications multiple times a year. Isn't this a wise choice?



If you are interested in a more natural method of overcoming your acid reflux symptoms instead of popping pills, please CLICK Below:

Chew Your Food Slowly Helps To Prevent Heartburn


Heartburn may feel like your heart is on fire, but what’s “burning” is actually your esophagus. Acid reflux, or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), occurs when the stomach acids enter the esophagus, causing pain and burning sensations. Left untreated, GERD can lead to serious medical consequences, including narrowing of the esophagus, bleeding, or even a condition called Barrett’s esophagus, which increases your risk of developing esophageal cancer.

Read more about Heartburn Can Cause Cancer

In fact, the experts have found a simple way to prevent GERD in the first place: Eat more slowly. Researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston did a case study by feeding 690-calorie meals to 10 healthy volunteers, instructing them to finish the meal in either five or 30 minutes on alternating days. Participants were monitored for 2 hours after finishing their meals. Those who took 30 minutes to eat experienced fewer episodes of acid reflux or GERD compared to subject who finished eating in five minutes.

People need to slow down many areas of their lives, especially mealtime. Besides aiding your digestion, eating your meals slowly can help your waistline too, by giving your stomach a chance to communicate to your brain that it’s full. Time yourself, just to see how long it takes you to eat an average meal. Try to take a full 20-30 minutes (you might have to build up to this slowly) to finish your food. If you are experiencing heartburn or discomfort after meals on a regular basis, see your doctor, before GERD causes irreversible damage.

Besides learning to eat slowly, knowing what type of food to avoid is equally important.

Read more about What Types Of Heartburn Food To Avoid...

Wednesday

Natural Heartburn Cures

Heartburn is one of the most common and painful ailments that mankind ever suffer. In fact, the drug companies come up with many different prescriptions and medicines very often to help to you combat your heartburn. As you know that taking too much drugs is not good for your health ultimately. You know that heartburn do not happen overnight, hence you can try some other natural heartburn remedies to help you.

Here are some natural cures for heartburn acid reflux, there are a few in particular that you will want to consider.

Orange Peel ExtractOne of the best natural cures for acid reflux is orange peel extract. It has been studied in several clinical trials, and in all of these studies, it proved as being successful in the relieving of acid reflux and heartburn. Scientists believe that orange peel extract helps by moving food through to the stomach effectively and efficiently, and food doesn't stay in the esophagus longer than necessary, lessening the chances for heartburn to develop.

Herbal RemediesThere are various different herbal remedies that can be used for acid reflux. These herbs include chamomile, meadowsweet, slippery elm, cancer bush, fennel, catnip, angelica root gentian root, ginger root, and other botanicals. Modern herbalists have found that a combination of several of these herbs can be even more effective, and so you should take some time and try out a few different combinations in order to see what works best for you.

Proper Diet
This is one of the most obvious, and easiest natural cures for acid reflux. Simply by eating fruits, vegetables, and an otherwise healthy and nutritious diet, you will be able to relieve any existing acid reflux problems that you have, as well as prevent any problems with this disease in the future.

As everyone is different, it is not necessarily that all the natural heartburn remedies will work for one person. You need to try out more different things. If you are interested, you can check here:

Cinnamon-Ginger Drink Fights Heartburn Symptoms

Do you know that ginger is a good form of alternative medicine to our ailments? Chinese have been using it as part of their Traditional Chinese Medicine to help them to cure their illness.

Here is a story from a lady who lived in Maryland - Jocylen M.

My heartburn became really bad when I stopped hormone replacement therapy. Initially, the heartburn suppressing pills worked very well. However, after 2 months I couldn’t stop them without having heartburn recurring.

One occasion, I went out to have dinner with my friends at a Korean style restaurant. One of them ordered a drink called persimmon punch- a concentrated cinnamon ginger drink. After taking a few sips, I actually felt much better.

After 1 month of adding about 3 tablespoons of the cinnamon-ginger drink to my tea in the morning and night, my low density lipoprotein cholesterol levels had dropped 30 points, and the heartburn problem was under control.

Unfortunately the cinnamon ginger tea has sugar in it, so a simpler alternative is to add a piece of candied ginger to your tea. The ginger is amazing for heartburn.

Thanks
Jocylen M.

Here is a simple drink recipe that you will like to try:

1 piece of cinnamon
2-3 slices of ginger
A mug of hot water

Let it draw for a little while and it is ready to drink. Keep the spices in the cup, they last for at least 10 hot drinks. It is a very very healthy drink with a good taste.

Alternatively, you can get a packet of ready-made powder cinnamon-ginger that can be found in drugstore.

If you are interested to find out more, you check out these home treatments.

Sunday

Video #1: Understanding What Is Heartburn

There is a great video that illustrate what is heartburn. Hope this will help you to understand more about it.



If you are interested to learn more about Heartburn, you check out this Heartburn Blog.

Wednesday

Doctors renew focus on worst acid reflux cases

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Chronic heartburn is a daily acid bath for the esophagus, and complications from it are on the rise. With the new government figures, it show a worrisome rise in esophagus disorders from severe acid reflux.

To make things worse, esophageal cancer is continuing increase as the nation's fastest-growing malignancy.

More doctors are trying to zap away the worst damage, beaming radiofrequency energy down the throat to burn off precancerous cells.

Heartburn sometimes is a temporary problem, but it also can signal gastrointestinal reflux disease, or GERD, where a loose valve allows stomach acid to regularly back up into the delicate esophagus. Millions have GERD, which is on the rise along with expanding waistlines. For most people, acid-suppressing medications are the answer.

But severe reflux over many years can cause serious problems for a fraction of people. The lining of the esophagus erodes until it bleeds, narrows to make swallowing difficult or, worse, starts to repair itself with more acid-resistant intestinal cells that happen to be more cancer-prone. That last condition is called Barrett's esophagus, and sufferers are 30 times more likely than the average person to go on to develop esophageal cancer.

[Source - Associated Press]

Sunday

Natural Heartburn Cure: Fighting heartburn, naturally



Television commercials have trained our minds to believe that taking antacids for our heartburn is a normal part of our life.

However, simple diet and lifestyle modifications can help prevent you from joining the 25 percent to 35 percent of Americans who suffer from frequent, severe heartburn, also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). This condition can have serious consequences if left untreated, including an increased risk for esophageal cancer.

Frequently, medications are the first method of treatment for GERD. Unfortunately, some of these medications have side effects, such as impaired absorption of nutrients including calcium, vitamin B12 and iron. You may be able to avoid medication and its side effects by taking these easy steps to make prevention your first line of defense against heartburn:

# Avoid wearing tight-fitting clothes like neckties and tight waistbands. This will give your system room to move.

# Do not eat within three hours of bedtime. Avoid bending over or lying down immediately after meals. Gravity can help aid digestion.

# Avoid acidic, spicy foods, or any foods that you know trigger your heartburn. Consider skipping the nachos during the game.

# Avoid large, high-fat meals. Fat slows digestion, and slow digestion contributes to heartburn.

# Limit alcohol, caffeine and nicotine. These substances relax the esophagus and may allow acid to creep back from the stomach.

# Increase regular intake of "bitters" such as dandelion and mustard greens to stimulate digestion.

# Always consult your health care practitioner if your symptoms continue or become severe.

[Source: Laura Hunter, BS, dietetic intern and Debra Boutin, MS, RD, assistant professor in the School of Nutrition and Exercise Science at Bastyr University
Nonprofit, accredited Bastyr University (bastyr.edu) offers multiple degrees in the natural health sciences, and clinical training at Bastyr Center for Natural Health (bastyrcenter.org), the region's largest natural medicine clinic]

Friday

Surgery may cure heartburn


This is an interesting article that I got it from The Detroit News:

Dear Dr. Donohue: I have been suffering from GERD for 19 years. Stomach acid stays in my throat. I have tried all kinds of medicines, but they make things worse. I have had acid tests with a tube in my throat that indicated an acid rise when I step out of bed. Why on an empty stomach? My sphincter muscle doesn't work. I had a procedure called EndoCinch; it didn't work. I spoke to a surgeon about laparoscopic surgery. Do you feel surgery would benefit me?

L.T.

Dear L.T.: You'd be hard-pressed to find a single person who hasn't had at least one episode of GERD -- gastroesophageal reflux disease, or heartburn, in common language. It's often felt on an empty stomach. Food initially neutralizes stomach acid, but some foods do increase acid production shortly after they hit the stomach.

GERD is like Old Faithful, except instead of water, it is a geyser of stomach acid, which shoots up into the esophagus because of a lax sphincter (SFINK-tur) muscle. The sphincter, if working, would shut and prevent the upward spurt of acid. Sometimes, as in your case, stomach acid can rise as high as the throat and mouth to cause hoarseness, cough or an awful taste sensation.

Have you tried the non-medicine approaches that can sometimes control GERD? Chocolate, peppermint, spearmint, coffee (including decaf), other caffeine-containing foods and drinks, citrus fruits, tomato products, high-fat foods, garlic, onions and spicy foods often make it worse. Six-inch blocks under the bedposts at the head of the bed keep stomach acid in the stomach during sleep. Weight loss, if needed, is another way to stop stomach acid from spurting up. Small meals, slowly chewed, help. Smoking and alcohol aggravate GERD.

If nothing works, surgery is a definite option. The Nissan fundoplication is successful 90 percent of the time. It can be done with a scope. The upper part of the stomach is wrapped around the lower esophagus to create a barrier to acid reflux. A number of procedures, like your EndoCinch, can be done through a gastroscope -- a scope passed into the esophagus through the mouth. The long-term results of these procedures aren't as well-known.

The booklet on GERD, heartburn and hiatal hernia discusses these topics in depth. Readers can order a copy by writing: Dr. Donohue -- No. 501, Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Enclose a check or money order (no cash) for $4.75 U.S./$6 Can. with the recipient's printed name and address. Please allow four weeks for delivery.

Write to Dr. Paul Donohue at P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475.

Wednesday

Learn about the Foods Heartburn Sufferers MUST Avoid



What acid reflux foodstuffs must I avoid?

It is a perplexing question for many heartburn sufferers. Making changes in your diet and lifestyle have been shown to be natural components of any long-term holistic acid treatment and they cannot be dissociated either. A preference for healthy foods and selective nutrition to ban certain foods and eat more of others can show long-term health benefits to acid reflux sufferers.

The reduction of the consumption of unsuitable foods and the adoption of new diet habits in particular to aid digestion for heartburn sufferers could create a very positive effect on your current heartburn conditions.

The kind of food we eat determines how we can maintain the delicate and natural equilibrium inside our bodies. Certain dietary customs and nutritional habits have been shown to contribute indirectly or directly to the degradation of a heartburn condition.

These kinds of foods are:

Drinks with caffeine content like coffee. They cause increase acidity, so stop consuming large cups of coffee. Where possible, halve your cup of coffee to give two separate drinks and drink less coffee before going to sleep. Do not go over two cups of coffee per day and reduce even further if you can.

Alcohol can also be at the same time a relaxant for the LES muscle and an irritant for the stomach, causing an increase in acidity and reflux.

Foods high in fat content have a longer digestion time and take more effort for your body to get rid of them. They increase the risk of acid refluxing into your esophagus and are among the worst delinquents for triggering acid reflux symptoms. The exceptions are fish and fish oil omega-3 fatty acids. These are actually strong anti-inflammatory substances.

If you are addicted to chocolate, go for dark, organic types in preference to others limiting your consumption to two or three little two or three times in any week. Containing large quantities of caffeine and fat, chocolate can also lead to heightened acidity and degraded digestion, and thus should not be consumed.

Before going to sleep, make sure that you do not drink milk or consume any products based on milk containing a lot of calcium.

Leave aside food with strong mint. The same goes for herbal tea that is mint-based. Acid reflux symptoms can be aggravated still more by peppermint and spearmint amongst others.

The esophageal sphincter is also liable to open in response to cruciferous vegetables (such as spinach, cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts, broccoli) and foods high in acid (tomatoes and oranges, to take two examples) leading to further acid reflux.

So finally, which acid reflux food has to be taken out of your nutrition? It doesn't matter what your current level of acid reflux level is; when you make the choice of an improved quality of life, you can make the choice to terminate heartburn permanently, with a holistic solution. You can move to eliminate acid reflux and put your well-being and quality of life on a different level, by making these modifications in your diet and having the right motivation to revamp your lifestyle.

The keys to solving the problem will be yours. To learn more, click here to find out in more details and steps to prevent your heartburn symptoms.

Saturday

Heartburn Cures - Heartburn & Diet Part 3

Junk food?


Occasionally, but with caution, choose fat free cookies, baked potato chips, or red licorice. A good exercise to do if you suffer from heartburn regularly is to create a food diary and log your meal intake for 2 or 3 weeks. Then note each time you experience heartburn in order to target the foods you need to avoid.

In addition to making better food choices, consider changing your portion perception.

Overeating is another heartburn aggravator. Exercise caloric conscientiousness and choose to skip that second helping or fatty side dish, eat slow and drink plenty of water. Living without heartburn is within anyone’s grasp, and shouldn’t require drastic medical treatment.

Simple, reasonable modifications in your eating habits can do wonders for quelling acid reflux, not to mention improving overall health.

Thursday

Heartburn Cures - Heartburn & Diet Part 1


The occurrence of heartburn is closely related to your daily diet.

Everything in your body must have a good balance and interestingly, our human body is like a miracle of systems that manage to maintain all the right conditions to keep everything running smoothly. Hence, the stomach regulates acidic digestion with enzymes that convert acids into manageable alkaline or basal substances, this creates an acidic balance or equilibrium.

However, when there is an over-production of stomach acid, which usually with the help of lifestyle choices like overeating or smoking, heartburn is likely to occur. If it goes unregulated or treated, heartburn disease can develop and become cancerous.

One of the most important things you can do to cool heartburn down is to avoid certain foods. In many cases, just changing the diet is all that is necessary to control acid reflux. Most health care professionals recommend a low-acid diet consisting of more alkaline or basal foods. Foods such as chocolate, foods with a lot of extra cheese, tomato sauce or catsup based foods, onions, chilies, caffeinated beverages, fatty or fried foods, alcohol, mint, and citrus fruits have been known to aggravate digestion, acting as catalysts for acid reflux.