Healthy Acid Reflux Treatment: Diet as Natural Cure for GERDFinding an or a natural cure for GERD is actually quite simple, and you don’t automatically have to go the medical route with acid reflux medication if you are looking for acid reflux relieves. There are natural cures for acid reflux, a diet for acid reflux, herbal acid reflux remedies, an acid reflux pillow, and even home remedies for acid reflux. The GERD diet is actually one of the best GERD treatment options, especially if you are cutting out all the acid reflux food to avoid. Medication, even surgery, may be necessary, especially you have severe GERD symptoms but many people feel more comfortable without medication in their bodies and if possible, a natural cure for GERD and a natural acid reflux treatment is good a good place to start. I mean, if you can go the natural route, why not try! Acid Reflux Food to Avoid in Your Acid Reflux Treatment. One of the best ways to cure your acid reflux naturally is to avoid all the foods that cause acid reflux. There are many different foods that may be responsible for your acid reflux, as they cause your stomach to produce more acid to digest it. The list of acid reflex food to avoid that you will find below will help you to know which foods should be cut out of your diet in order to deal with your acid reflux naturally: Fatty Meat – The majority of the fatty meat that you can find in the supermarket is going to be on the list of acid reflux food to avoid. Heartburn (GERD, Acid Reflux, Pyrosis) could be just a minor discomfort after eating a heavy meal or it could be a chronic condition affecting quality of your life. Types and Causes of Canine Liver Disease. Animals that receive a severe and blunt blow to the front of the abdomen can suffer from liver disease. Constipation is one of the most common digestive problems in the United States. More than 4 million Americans every year complain of frequent constipation. Want to prevent acid reflux? Replace any fatty meats with proteins that are low in fat. Fruits and Vegetables – That’s right, there are fruits and vegetables that can be bad for you, but only when you have acid reflux. Heartburn, Reflux & GERD. Everyone occasionally has heartburn. This occurs when stomach acid flows backward into the esophagus, the food pipe that carries food to the.Acid reflux (GERD) can be caused by lifestyle (obesity, smoking cigarettes, etc.), medication, diet, eating habits, and other medical conditions. Read about 17. What causes GERD (acid reflux)? Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD. Charles "Pat" Davis, MD, PhD, is a board certified Emergency Medicine doctor who currently. Make your own healthy GERD Diet. Scientific information on making a diet for GERD and choosing foods to avoid acid reflux. Read about symptoms of acid reflux. The reason that these foods are so bad for you is that they also cause your stomach to produce acid, and they themselves contain acids that add to your gastric acids in your stomach. These include all citrus fruits and juices, cranberry juice, tomatoes, French fried potatoes, potato salad, and raw onions. Fats and Sweets – As mentioned above, fats are hard for the stomach to digest, therefore more acid has to be produced to handle the fat consumption. Sweets are also very hard on your stomach, and you would do well to avoid pretty much all kinds of sweets and fats. While dairy contains lots of important nutrients, the fat is not very important. Grains – Refined grains are very hard on your stomach, and they are known to contribute to acid reflux. Yes, I know this list of food contains most of your favorite things, but the good news is that by doing so you can prevent your GERD from worsening. Natural Cures for Acid Reflux: Healthy Acid Reflux Treatment. Some of the best natural cures for acid reflux involve simple things like eating raw foods, while other cures are more complex. Here are a few natural cures to help you get rid of your acid reflux without needing medication. Eat Raw Foods. Raw foods contain a special enzyme that your body needs to handle the digestion and distribution of food, but these enzymes are destroyed the minute the temperature of your food passes 1. Fahrenheit. If you want to engage in a more effective acid reflux treatment, try and get more raw foods (not the ones on the list above) in order to increase the enzymes in your body. Get More Vitamin DVitamin D is an essential vitamin for many functions in your body, and it helps to create special peptides in your stomach that will help to cure infections in your body (such as in the esophagus). You can get lots of Vitamin D from the sun (be wary of radiation), but you can also find lots of great foods and supplements that are rich in the essential vitamin. Exercise More. That’s right: exercise is the key to pretty much everything and it may make quite a difference if you include it in your acid reflux treatment. If you want to boost your body’s natural defenses against acid reflux and GERD, get out of your house and do at least 3. It will help you to lose weight, improve your circulation, boost your body’s digestive system, regulate your metabolism, and fight off your acid reflux. Acid Reflux Treatment: Herbal Acid Reflux Remedies. There are some pretty awesome herbal acid reflux remedies that you may want to consider if your stomach acid is acting up. However, each GERD condition is different and what may work for some, may not work for others. In other words, when it comes to food a bit of trial and error is probably unavoidable: Apple Cider Vinegar – Apple cider vinegar contains pectin, which is one of the best fat burning substances. However, the vinegar will also help to calm your poor roiling stomach, and will help to prevent the very acute pain that is caused by acid reflux. It is a fast- acting remedy that can reduce and prevent the pain. Baking Soda – So many people have heard of the many benefits of sodium bicarbonate, and one of the benefits of this amazing substance is helping to treat acid reflux and heart burn. It is actually one of the ingredients in antacids, and it can help to prevent stomach pains just by adding a spoonful of it to a glass of water and chugging it down before the fizz stops. Fennel Seeds – Fennel seeds are excellent for helping to deal with GERD and acid reflux, as it helps to cut back on the acid in your stomach. As long as you aren’t pregnant, it is an excellent remedy to consider. Peppermint – Did you know that peppermint can help to settle your stomach and calm the acid that is churning inside your digestive system? This is why many doctors recommend a peppermint after eating, but you should know that it may cause an increase in acid production before it helps your stomach to settle down. German Chamomile – This is a tasty herb that has been given for centuries as a treatment to help settle sleepless children down, but it can also help to calm your poor digestive system down and reduce the swelling of your digestive tract. Meadowsweet – Meadowsweet, when prepared in the form of a tea, can provide relief from the pain of heartburn. It is an herb that can soothe and cool your poor stomach and esophagus, and will help to cut back on the production of acid while reducing swelling. These are a few simple natural herbal remedies that may work for your natural acid reflux treatment, and they are worth considering if you are feeling the pain that accompanies GERD and acid reflux. They may not have a long term effect, but they can certainly help to cut back on the pain you feel. The Diet for Acid Reflux Treatment: Good GERD Foods. Your diet for acid reflux is one of the most important things that you can do to prevent acid reflux from getting out of control or being too painful. Remember that it is the food you eat that is causing the production of acid in your stomach, and thus it is your responsibility to put the right foods in your mouth. You already know what foods you need to cut out of your diet, but here are some foods that you should add to your diet for acid reflux: Fiber – That’s right, fiber is one of the most important things to add to your acid reflux treatement. Make sure that you get fiber from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains that won’t irritate your heartburn or acid reflux, and try to avoid the food items that contain lots of starch and sugar. Protein – Did you know that foods that are rich in protein will help to strengthen the muscles of your stomach and esophagus to prevent the acid from coming back up? Pineapple – While pineapple should be considered one of the most acidic fruits on the planet, it is actually very good for your acid reflux. Papaya – This tropical fruit is highly recommended by doctors, as it contains papain. It can help to reduce your acid reflux, improve your digestion, and bring peace to your stomach. These are just a few of the most important foods, but you would do well to go further and improve your diet significantly. Read the list of foods to avoid for acid reflux (see above), and cut out all those foods immediately in order to improve your digestion. Diet for Acid Reflux Treatment: Good Eating Habits. Another thing to keep in mind is that you need to change the way you eat. If you eat large meals, you are filling your stomach and thus placing pressure on your lower esophageal sphincter. Stop eating such large portions, but eat fewer meals throughout the day. Large meals also stay in your stomach longer, thus increasing the amount of acid in your stomach. If you eat too close to your bed time, you will find that acid reflux will set in during the night. It is best to eat no less than 4 hours before you lay down for sleep, as that will ensure that your food is well digested. When eating out, make sure to avoid all the foods that are high in fat. You are probably going to have to eat out occasionally, so find a restaurant with foods that are healthy, natural, and low in fat in order to give you stomach a break. Home Remedies for Acid Reflux Treatment. There are some pretty awesome home remedies for acid reflex treatment, and these remedies will be great to try if you are feeling the pain from acid reflux, GERD, or heart burn: Aloe Vera – Aloe Vera is known for its calming and soothing effect, and it will help to soothe the pain in your esophagus and stomach. Papaya – As mentioned above, papaya can be effective in reducing the pain from acid reflux, but you may not have fresh papaya fruit if you don’t live in the tropics. Gum – Chewing gum will actually help to reduce the pain of acid reflux, as the increased saliva production caused by your chewing will help to soothe your poor esophagus, cause the acid to be neutralized, and send the acid back down into your stomach thanks to the fact that you are constantly swallowing. Acid Reflux Medication. Here are some of the medications you may want to consider if acid reflux is a serious problem: Antacids – Antacids are the short term solution to acid reflux, as they help to send the acid on down into your intestines. The effects last for an hour or so before the acid starts building up. Heartburn, Reflux, GERD symptoms and treatment Heartburn, Reflux & GERD Everyone occasionally has heartburn. This occurs when stomach acid flows backward into the esophagus, the food pipe that carries food to the stomach. People usually experience heartburn after meals as a burning sensation or pain behind the breast bone. Often, regurgitation of food and bitter- tasting stomach acid accompanies heartburn. Antacids or milk temporarily relieves heartburn for most people. The esophagus carries food and liquid to the stomach. A sphincter, or muscular valve, is located at the end of the esophagus at the border between the esophagus and stomach. Known as the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) this muscle contracts much the same as the anus does. The sphincter should maintain a certain pressure to keep the end of the esophagus closed so that stomach juices are not admitted. The LES muscle should only open when food is passed into the stomach. However, the LES muscle does not always work perfectly. It is felt that the problem is with inappropriate, transient relaxations of this sphincter valve that result in reflux. Sphincter function can be easily overcome by a number of factors, the most common being eating a large meal. Along with swallowed air, a large meal causes an upward pressure in the stomach to rise, thereby overpowering the LES muscle. Other factors that reduce the LES pressure and allow reflux are: Nicotine (cigarettes)Fried or fatty foods. Chocolate. Coffee. Citrus fruits and juices. Peppermint. Pregnancy. Lying flat. Hiatus hernia. Certain prescription medications Heartburn is common, but is it serious? Heartburn and reflux are extremely common, with 1. Twenty- five percent of pregnant women have heartburn. Even though heartburn is common, it is rarely life threatening. Severe cases, however, can result in injury to the lower esophagus that requires treatment. What is a Hiatus Hernia? The esophagus passes through a muscle, called the diaphragm, which separates the lungs from the abdomen. When the opening in the diaphragm enlarges, a portion of the stomach can protrude (herniate) through it into the chest. This is called a hiatal hernia. A persistent hiatal hernia may produce significant heartburn. Many people with a hiatus hernia do not experience heartburn. However, 4. 0- 5. A hiatal hernia and GERD can occur independently from one another. Complications and Unusual Presentations. Besides heartburn, the other major problems that can develop with reflux are: Chronic bleeding and anemia. Scar formation and narrowing, known as a stricture, of the lower esophagus which may cause swallowing difficulty or a complete blockage preventing the passage of food. A stricture usually can be treated by a stretching procedure of the area referred to as dilatation. Barrett's Esophagus, which occurs when long- term reflux irritates the lower esophagus so that the stomach lining actually grows into the esophagus. In these cases, there is a small, but definite, risk of a subsequent malignancy. Barrett's Esophagus requires periodic monitoring with endoscopy to detect early cancer states. The BARRX ablation procedure is a safe and effective treatment for Barrett's Esophagus resulting in an elimination of the abnormal tissue. You can read more here. Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EE) EE was first reported over 3 decades ago and has had an increasing incidence. It has a seasonal incidence that is greatest in the late summer and fall. It is an allergic,inflammatory response in the esophagus with an infiltration of eosinophils (inflammatory cells) in the lining of the esophagus. EE can present with reflux- like symptoms of heartburn, pain, or swallowing difficulty. Adults with EE often present with swallowing difficulty to solids and have a history of recurrent food impaction (food getting stuck). EE patients are treated for reflux and may require topical steroid treatment. These patients should undergo allergic testing followed by appropriate dietary manipulations and eliminations. Unfortunately, recurrence of symptoms in EE is the rule rather than the exception. Lung problems when reflux of stomach fluid trickle into the breathing tubes, causing wheezing, bronchitis and even pneumonia. Reflux is considered the third most common cause of asthma and cough. Gastroesphageal Reflux (GERD) and Laryngopharyngeal Reflux (LPR) During gastroesophageal reflux, the acidic stomach contents may travel backwards all the way up the esophagus, beyond the upper esophageal sphincter (the ring of muscle at the top of the esophagus), and into the back of the throat and possibly into the back of the nasal airway. This condition is known as laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR), which can affect anyone. Adults with LPR often complain that the back of their throat has a bitter taste. They can also have a sensation of burning or something being “stuck.” Some may have difficulty breathing if the voice box is affected. LPR patients can suffer from chronic hoarseness, voice fatigue, and loss of vocal range. LPR can be difficult to treat and usually requires long- term medical therapy. Diagnosis. The primary tests used to diagnose reflux are: Upper GI Endoscopy- The patient is mildly sedated and a flexible videoscope is inserted into the esophagus to visually inspect it and the stomach. Upper GI Series- The patient drinks liquid barium and x- rays are taken of the esophagus and stomach showing how they function. Esophageal manometry- This test measures the pressure within the esophagus, especially the LES pressure. Monitoring for Acid Reflux Detection. Ambulatory combined p. H (acid)and impedance Monitoring- Ambulatory combined p. H and impedance monitoring, called the Sleuth System is the new gold standard for objectively assessing nonacid as well acid reflux activity and can confirm significant gastroesophageal reflux disease. Studies show that patients with persistent symptoms on medical therapy have nonacid reflux 4. A tiny tube is placed through the nose and into the esophagus (food tube) above the lower esophageal sphincter. The test runs for 2. Wireless technology called The BRAVO System is also available. Click here to learn more about BRAVO. BRAVO is a wireless transmitting capsule which is placed usually following endoscopy. It will measure acid reflux activity only for 4. Bravo offers longer data collection times and better patient comfort, but is limited in that it only measures acid reflux activity and will not measure nonacid reflux. The newer Sleuth and Zephyr p. H- impedance reflux testing that measures nonacid and acid reflux is available through Greenwich Village Gastroenterology. Treatment. General measures the patient can take to reduce reflux are: Eat smaller and more frequent meals. Avoid eating before going to bed. Eliminate excessive bending, lifting, abdominal exercises, girdles and tight belts, all of which increase abdominal pressure and provoke reflux. If overweight, lose weight. Being overweight promotes reflux. Eliminate the use of nicotine (cigarettes), fatty foods, alcohol, all coffees (yes- including decaf), chocolate and peppermint. Elevate the head of the bed 8. In this way, gravity keeps stomach juices out of the esophagus while the patient sleeps. It is not enough to use two pillows under the head. Prescription medications - check with the physician regarding side effects of prescription drugs. Some drugs actually lower the strength of the LES muscle. These include anti- spasmotics (Levsin, Librax, Bentyl), calcium channel blocks (Procardia, Cardizem, Calan, Isoptin), anti- depressants (Elavil, Doxepia) and others. Other Treatments include: Antacids- These can and should be used more often. Generally, antacids should be taken 3. Liquids are preferred to tablets, with the strongest being Maalox II, Mylanta II, Gelusil II and Extra Strength Riopan. Alginic Acid and Antacids- Two products, Gaviscon and Algicon, place a layer of foam over the fluid in the stomach to prevent reflux. These tablets should be chewed well and used 3. Drugs- Medicines are now available that effectively reduces and even eliminates the secretion of stomach acid and increases the strength of the LES muscle. These medicines represent the most important method of treating reflux next to surgical or futuristic nonsurgical methods of correcting reflux. Other medications such as Reglan ( generic- metoclopramide), and Urecholine (generic- bethanecol) directly increase the strength of the LES muscle. Unfortunately, these drugs have certain adverse side effects and are not always helpful. Propulsid (generic- Cisapride) has been taken off the market due to it's cardiac side effects. Laparoscopic Surgery- Surgery can treat reflux. Those patients who are dependent on acid lowering agents may entertain an antireflux procedure. There are few patients who do not respond to medical therapy and benefit from antireflux procedures. Generally, however, a failure of medical therapy is not an indication for surgery. Prior to any corrective procedure, a patient must undergo an extensive evaluation. The objective of this surgery is to strengthen the LES muscle. Successful surgery greatly relieves and can correct severe reflux and heartburn. A method of performing anti- reflux surgery is by laparoscopic technique whereby the surgery is accomplished through tiny holes in the belly button and upper abdomen. Recovery is quicker with this technique. However, the procedure is still an invasive surgery which has certain inherent risks and potential complications, and requires the use of general anesthesia. This operation should only be performed by qualified surgeons thoroughly familiar with it. Incisionless, nonsurgical, endoscopic assisted methods for the treatment of reflux are now available. This procedure, referred to as Esophy. X involves the use of devices that intensify and remodel the antireflux barrier at the level of the lower sphincter valve between the esophagus and stomach.
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