Sunday, May 1, 2011

Four Steps to Naturally Stop Acid Reflux

Ever since you got the news, you know that when it comes to drinking and feasting your life can’t be that blithe anymore. Having to live your life with acid reflux is not really that easy; always in moderation, you drink and eat according to what is best for you and your tummy. And in spite of your protest, you know that you need to make certain adjustments in your lifestyle to naturally stop acid reflux.
But there are days when you often wonder if this is just acid reflux. After all, in spite of taking your medications and following your doctor’s order, you have episodes of heartburn even if you are just lounging around. You feel lucky when you get eight straight hours of sleep. On most nights, you were awakened by that terrible pain at the back of your throat and pungent, lingering taste in your mouth. And you remember your doctor telling you, “It can’t be that bad.”
It is important that you consider what you did to deserve this. Everything you do (yes, even going to the gym), what you drink, and most importantly what you devour affect how greatly your acid reflux affect your schedule and day. But you might take comfort in knowing that you can do something to prevent acid reflux from worsening. Here’s how:
Avoiding some beverages. Coffee and alcoholic beverages are just two of the obvious choices that you know you need to totally avoid when you have acid reflux and heartburn. But make sure that you have also included carbonated beverages, tea (even the decaffeinated varieties), and acidic, citrus fruit juices.
Avoid certain foods. Everything that has mint, citrus fruit, fatty, spicy ingredient, garlic, and onion in it is definitely a major DON’T for acid reflux and heartburn sufferers.
Lessening the pressure. Take a load off your tummy by choosing comfortable clothing — even when you are feeling good about your body. If you have gained weight, you may want to consult your doctor about losing few extra pounds to better manage your condition and health.
Stop smoking. Another great reason why you should just put off the putt. Smoking essentially increases the occurrence of your heartburn symptoms since it increases the amount of acid secreted by your stomach. Reconsider your options. Your heartburn symptoms may be just one of the signals your body are sending you to tell you that it’s time you quit smoking.
This early let me tell you that severe cases of acid reflux and heartburn are worse. Add all the symptoms above to nausea, dizziness, and vomiting and you’d get the picture. But whether yours is a mild or severe case of acid reflux, you know that there are better ways to stop your heartburn symptoms than just relying on your antacids. In fact, those who have been with their antacids for quite some time know that it is really more practical to naturally stop acid reflux than spend hundred of dollars every year on their bottles of antacids.
Related posts: Foods to Avoid with Acid Reflux

 

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Saturday, April 30, 2011

Best Diet for Acid Reflux

Nothing can be more discouraging to acid reflux and heartburn sufferers than knowing that they can’t live as blithe as they used to. In fact, if you are one of the 15 million Americans who suffer from acid reflux or heartburn, you know that there are boundaries you now have and need to create so you can live your days free from heartburn symptoms.
And one of the most important journeys you have to walk and take is discovering the best diet for acid reflux. And this doesn’t end with knowing what food to eat; the best diet for acid reflux also considers the size and timing of your meals. This is why the American College of Gastroenterology underscores the fact that meal planning is one important step towards better managing acid reflux and heartburn.
Drink water after every meal. Though it may be really tempting to indulge in your cup of java after a wonderful meal, a tumbler full of water is your only option to get out of your usual after-meal-heartburn. Drinking a small glass of water can help dilute and, yes, even wash down any stomach acid that can be just working its way towards your esophagus.
Plan NOT to include heartburn-causing beverages. Just as you planned to commit your lunch to heartburn-friendly dishes, you may want to make sure that you only consume heartburn-friendly beverages throughout the day. Your options should only include, again, water, decaffeinated varieties of tea, mineral water, non-alcoholic beverages, noncitrus juices, and low-fat, or, better yet, nonfat milk.
Choose high fiber dishes. A recent study on the effect of one’s diet to heartburn symptoms reported that those who prefer high fiber dishes were 20 percent less likely to have acid reflux symptoms. So whether you are out dining with your friends or doing some shopping, stick to what will be best for you and your body. And the best diet for acid reflux includes a healthy portion of fruits, whole grains, vegetables, nuts, beans, and seeds every day.
Chew gum. For fresh breath, even after indulging in your fave Indian resto, make sure that you choose gum over breath mints. The nonpeppermint flavor gum encourages a healthy production of saliva, which functions as a great acid neutralizer and an agent that encourages stomach content to move into the small intestine quickly.
Stay away from LES-weakening foods like peppermint, chocolate, caffeine, and fatty foods. Aside from these items, you may also want to avoid foods that damage the esophageal lining like citrus juice, tomato juice, black pepper, and chili peppers.
Watch your portions. Again, the best diet for acid reflux includes carefully-prepared meals served in healthy portions. One of the very first things that acid reflux sufferers need to watch is essentially how much they are eating, per meal and per plate. Living a life with acid reflux shouldn’t be all about avoiding things that can be bad for you, but by living each day, each meal in moderation. When it comes to the best diet for acid reflux, a good rule of thumb is to eat less but eat more. Plan your day so you can accommodate four to five small meals instead of having three large ones every day.


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Friday, April 29, 2011

The Science of Natural Heartburn Management

No matter how many lessons we hear about the wonders of going natural, when it comes to acid reflux we all feel that it is always best that we stick to what we know best and what works fast. Almost everyone I know reach for their antacids when the heartburn kicks in. But no matter how reliable and effective antacids are, all experts agree that taking prescription meds and antacids has some negative side effects. Learning how you can incorporate natural cures for acid reflux to your everyday practices of managing this condition can help you live a healthier and even acid reflux-life.
Antacids and acid blockers are known its unwanted side affects, including headache, diarrhea, dizziness, constipation, nausea, and even vomiting. In order to lessen the occurrence of these conditions, it is important to those who suffer from acid reflux to learn how not to fully rely on h2 blockers to help them manage their condition.
Herb. We all think of herbs when we talk about natural cures for acid reflux. And why not? After all, herbs are used for generations not only to manage heartburn symptoms but other conditions as well. Herbs that complementary and alternative medicine or CAM practitioners recommend for treating heartburn symptoms include catnip, aloe, slippery elm, chamomile, gentian root, and ginger roots, among others.
But which among these herbs should you take? Modern herbalists think that it will be best that you go mix three or more essences of herbs that have been used to cure abdominal problems. Though it may be inconvenient as compared to popping antacids, enjoying tea with these herbs bring more health benefits that your body will be thankful for.
Practice moderation. Overeating won’t help you, even if what you are piling on are veggies and white meat. No amount of natural cures for acid reflux and h2 blockers can help you when you do not practice food portion and control.
Alcohol is something that all heartburn sufferers should watch for. A glass of wine is definitely something any woman over 40 should enjoy, but if you have been popping antacids like crazy, you may want to work towards totally eliminating alcohol from your system. But we have all heard about the wonderful benefits of wine when it comes to our health, especially for the heart, there should be some exception, right? Unfortunately, even a glass of wine can become a problem for most heartburn sufferers. Why? Because, alcohol like tobacco only encourages the production of stomach acids. And you know the rest of the story.
So instead of living your life looking for the do-all-cure-all natural cure for acid reflux, we encourage you to just live your life in the healthy lane. Practice moderation, stay away from what can trigger your heartburn symptoms, stop smoking, and exercise. Living a healthy life is definitely more economic than just spending hundred of dollars every year on antacids and other acid regulating medications. So think twice when you think that reaching for antacids is the best way to help cool down the burn.

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