Causes and Risk Factors of Acid Reflux

Gastro-esophageal reflux, commonly referred to as acid reflux, is a very common disorder, affecting more than 7 percent of the American population. Acid reflux can occur in people of all ages, although it is more common in newborns and young children. Unlike children, which are rarely confronted with long-term symptoms of acid reflux, adults usually suffer from recurrent forms of the disorder. The process of diagnosing acid reflux is simple and it generally involves clinical examinations. Patients' reports of symptoms and physical indicators of acid reflux are usually sufficient in diagnosing the disease. However, in special cases doctors may perform additional tests in order to confirm presumptive clinical diagnoses.

The causes of acid reflux are various and of multiple natures. In most cases, chronic acid reflux disease is caused by physiological dysfunctions, on the premises of inappropriate activity of the lower esophageal sphincter or excessive pressure inside the stomach. The lower esophageal sphincter is a ring-shaped muscular valve that normally acts as a barrier between the esophagus and the stomach. In normal conditions, this valve only opens during the swallowing of food, otherwise remaining closed. If the lower esophageal sphincter is weakened or its integrity is compromised (due to physical trauma), the content of the stomach can be easily regurgitated inside the esophagus and the oral cavity.

Another common physiological cause of acid reflux is excessive pressure at the level of the abdomen, which pushes the content of the stomach upwards, in the esophageal lining. This abnormality is more common in overweight people, smokers and pregnant women.

Many cases of acid reflux are associated with hiatal hernia. Hiatal hernia generally occurs when the upper wall of the stomach moves above the diaphragm. Although this fact hasn't been confirmed, hiatal hernia is also considered to be a cause of acid reflux. An interesting fact is that while most patients with acid reflux also suffer from hiatal hernia, very few patients with hiatal hernia eventually develop acid reflux.

Medications are also a cause of acid reflux disease. A wide variety of synthetic drugs can stimulate an overproduction of gastric acid inside the stomach, thus facilitating the occurrence of acid reflux. Other medications generate relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter or decrease the pressure at the level of the esophagus.

Diet is also a major cause of acid reflux. Acidic, irritant foods greatly contribute to the occurrence of acid reflux by generating an overproduction of stomach acid and by causing relaxation of the esophageal valve. Bad eating habits (binge eating, feasting) can also facilitate the occurrence of acid reflux. As a consequence, most symptoms of acid reflux are experienced right after meals. Smoking and the consumption of alcohol are also known to be causes of acid reflux, as they interfere with the normal activity of muscular esophageal valve.

The categories of people exposed to developing chronic forms of acid reflux disease are: pregnant women, obese people, smokers, alcoholics and people who suffer from other disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. Despite the high incidence of acid reflux in very young children and infants, these categories of patients are rarely confronted with recurrent forms of the disorder.

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Acid Reflux Recipes for Controlling Acid Reflux

A mild diet and specially selected acid reflux recipes provide most acid reflux sufferers with relief. In fact, there are nutritionists who maintain acid reflux is simply caused by unhealthy diet -- and that it's not a disease. Incorporating certain foods into your diet and following tried and true acid reflux recipes to help control acid reflux can have a positive impact on your lifestyle.

Acid Reflux Friendly Foods

Acid reflux sufferers tend to tolerate a number of vegetables, fruits and beverages and should incorporate them into acid reflux recipes. These foods are considered acid reflux friendly vegetables.

Apples and bananas, both fresh and dried, seldom cause acid reflux. Peas, green beans, broccoli, cabbage, and carrots number among the foods that you can use in many acid reflux recipes. Baked potatoes belong to that group as well.

Base your acid reflux recipes on extra-lean ground beef or London Broil steak. For acid reflux recipes using friendly poultry products, select skinless chicken breasts, egg whites or egg substitutes. Fish, without added fat, rounds out the acid reflux recipes.

From the dairy case, select feta or goat cheese, fat-free cream cheese or fat-free sour cream. Add multi-grain bread or opt for cornbread, Graham crackers, pretzels, brown or white rice and rice cakes. Choose cereals including bran and oatmeal.

Wash it all down with pure filtered water, the only beverage known to be entirely acid reflux friendly!

Alkaline Vegetable Broth or Stock

Combine some of the friendlier vegetables in an alkaline, but mineral-rich, broth you can use as a soup or a cooking stock. An alkaline broth is an acid reflux recipe that will neutralize your stomach acid and provide you with natural relief.

For example, combine two cups each of beet tops, red-skinned potato peelings, celery tops, and carrots. Chop into fine pieces three cups of celery stalk; one onion; one yellow squash or zucchini; and a sprig of parsley. Add them to two and a half quarts of boiling distilled water. Simmer the vegetables for about 20 minutes. Cool the broth and use immediately or strain and refrigerate this acid reflux recipe for later.

Lemon Chive Salad Dressing

Reflux-friendly salads with lemon chive salad dressing are easy to prepare acid reflux recipes that are also easy on your stomach. To make this acid reflux recipe, in a bowl, combine the juice of one lemon with a pinch of sea salt and three tablespoons of extra-fine sugar until the dry ingredients dissolve. Use a whisk to mix in six tablespoons each of extra-virgin olive oil and minced chives. Add freshly ground black pepper and continue whisking until the dressing is well-blended.

Savory Lentils and Texmati Brown Rice

Lentils and brown rice together can form a wonderful acid reflux recipe. In a large pot filled with eight cups of water, bring to a boil a pound of organic lentils, rinsed. Add one onion, chopped; three cloves garlic, chopped; two carrots, sliced; two stalks of celery, chopped; one bay leaf; and two sprigs of thyme. Partially cover the pot and reduce to simmering for 30 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Stir occasionally and add more water, as necessary.

While that is cooking, prepare organic Texmati brown rice according to the package directions. Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaf from the lentils and season them with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve the lentils over the Texmati brown rice, garnished with chopped parsley accompanied by green salad in lemon chive salad dressing.

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What in the World Originally Caused My Heartburn?

 Most humans suffer from heartburn at least once. Certain foods can cause problems for many different people, but all does not react to the exact same foods.

You must decide what foods are causing your pain by find those that you eat just before the pain. There is no pat only one answer to the question, "what are the causes of stomach?".

You cannot simply go to your doctor and have to tell you what is the problem. You need to know what specific foods causing problems, and the easiest way to do is to start a food journal.

 You may find that even though there are hundreds of available drugs to relieve the symptoms of the heartburn, if isolate you foods that give you problems, you can simply eliminate their your diet instead of taking drugs.

Tomatoes and oranges are commonly at fault with some people. If you happen to be one of them, it will be easy to change your eating habits to exclude all forms of them.

American culture itself can be a significant cause of heartburn in many respects. People in our land to eat country of food that can trigger acid reflux problems, including fried and spicy foods, a high concentration of fat and all simply the fact that Americans tend to eat two or three large meals a day, instead of spreading their food intake in many small meals.

Eat too much at a meeting may cause of heartburn. If you allow your stomach become fully, acid can travel more easily in your esophagus.

 You can still meet with heartburn due to the exercise. After you eat, you must wait a little, then before exercising. If you have a hectic life, you are also at risk.

When life is too busy, people tend to eat fast food on the run. Fast food is not something that you must eat a lot of if you want to avoid stomach. Instead of eating two or three large meals, smaller meals.