When the muscle that is supposed to prevent stomach acid from escaping up into the esophagus gets to weak to do its job and the acid keeps on gushing back to the esophagus, that is called acid reflux. It is a lot like heart burn but a lot more uncomfortable as generally there is much more acids and pepsins pushing back to the esophagus.
Keep a food diary to track everything you eat and drink if you suffer from acid reflux as diet plays a part in generating stomach acid, and if the acid levels are managed and kept low then you are less likely to experience the reflux.
If your acid reflux and heartburn is worse at night, try raising the head of the bed. That way your esophagus is higher up than your stomach and less acid would trickle back up the wrong way. But before you start chopping off two legs of the bed, or put bricks under two others, adding another pillow or two could do the trick too.
To relieve the burning sensations caused by acid reflux, you can use antacids as a short term relief, even though they don’t offer much long term relief.
Title : No More Heartburn
Author : Sherry A. Rogers
Rating : 5 Stars out of 5.
Summary : Simple, Effective Methods of Permanently Stopping Heartburn!
Did you know that taking antacids (even prescription acid blockers) can make your heartburn worse? If you didn't know that, reach for this book instead of your medications the next time heartburn strikes.
For years, I suffered from bloating, gas, acid stomach, acid reflux and all sorts of other unpleasant side effects. I'd just about given up hope when I first read about Candida yeast infections. Then, examining my diet, I realized that I might have a stomach and intestinal tract full of Candida. I followed a Candida elimination diet . . . and kissed all of those symptoms good-bye . . . never to return.
The advice in this book is the best single source I have seen on how to diagnose why you have heartburn and related symptoms . . . and how to treat yourself without medications to restore a healthy balance to your system.
We are taught by advertisers to think that acid in our stomachs is the enemy -- not true! Acid in our stomachs is the first line of defense we have against infection while being the primary way that we break down foods so we can absorb healthy nutrients.
When we have trouble with acid, it's usually because our stomach lining has been compromised by a bacterial or yeast infection . . . which is most easily killed by having more stomach acid. If we stop or neutralize stomach acid, we just let the infection get worse.
For those of you who like to work with your physicians, this book also tells you what tests to ask for and how to interpret the results. It's a credible source, too, because Dr. Rogers is a well-known expert on environmental medicine who knows a lot more about these subjects that your physician probably does.
What will your solutions be? It's hard to tell, but you are likely to have food allergies, sensitivities to other substances, a lack of helpful bacteria from too many antibiotics and an unhealthy diet. Change what you eat and consume according to the suggested order in this book, and you can make rapid progress towards finding something that will permanently eliminate your problem. Dr. Rogers also has lots of suggestions for how to achieve temporary relief while you are curing the sources of your heartburn.
Is it important to stop heartburn? Yes! Your acid reflux can eventually cause cancer of your esophagus. Don't let that happen.
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Title : Indigestion: Living Better with Upper Intestinal Problems from Heartburn to Ulcers and Gallstones
Author : Henry Janowitz
Rating : 5 Stars out of 5.
Summary : Very sound guide and advice for upper GI problems
In clear, jargon-free language, with healthy doses of humor and many easy-to-understand examples, the author of Your Gut Feelings and Good Foods for Bad Stomachs, Dr. Janowitz offers everything you need to know about indigestion, providing sound advice on how to avoid problems and soothing the fears of those in distress. I found this book very helpful and will be for anyone suffering from any number of gastrointestinal ailments, from Crohn's to constipation to ulcers to GERD. A very good overall guide to upper intestinal health.