Acid Reflux

Herbalist Dr MziziMkavu · 2013-09-09T22:28:46+00:00

Acid Reflux Acid Reflux means a condition in which the acids in the stomach rise up into the esophagus because the valve that separates the stomach contents from the esophagus is faulty. At the entrance of the stomach, there is a valve, it is a ring of muscle which is called as the lower esophageal sphincter. Normally what happens is that the lower esophageal sphincter i.e. LES closes the moment food passes through it, but if in case the LES does not close as it should close after passing of the food or if the LES opens frequently, then in that case the acid produced by stomach moves up into the esophagus. This is when a person experiences an acid reflux. The symptoms of acid reflux now days, are more common than what they used to be a decade ago. Sixty million American adults experience heart burn at least once a month and 25 million suffer on a daily basis. According to an estimate made by the American Cancer Society in 2011 nearly 17,000 new cases of esophageal Cancer were diagnosed in the U.S. and almost about 15,000 Americans died because of this disease. About one in five reflux patients have symptoms resolve on their own. In Norway a study was conducted over 30,000 people for 11 years. Initially when the study started 11.6% of the people reported symptoms of acid reflux, which occurred to them at least once in a week and then the percentage rose to 17.1% by the end of the study. Thus there was an increase of 47%. If the acid reflux symptoms happen more than often or if they happen more than two times in a week then in that case you have an acid reflux disease which is also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease commonly known as Gerd. Acid reflux can also cause symptoms such as a burning Chest Pain also known as heart burn. Causes of Acid reflux: Hiatal hernia is one of the most common causes of an acid reflux disease. Hiatal hernia is a stomach abnormality which occurs in the upper part of the stomach and LES move above the diaphragm, a muscle that separates stomach from the chest. What usually happens is that it is the diaphragm that helps to keep acid in the stomach, but in case if you are having hiatal hernia then the acid moves up into the esophagus and this causes symptoms of acid reflux disease. There are other causes of acid reflux disease which will include: 1. Overweight, eating large meals or lying down right after a meal. 2. Snacking close to the bedtime. 3. Eating spicy or fatty foods, drinking certain beverages such as alcohol, carbonated drinks, coffee, or tea, and also smoking can cause acid reflux. 4. Being overweight or being obese. 5. Also using certain muscle relaxers or Blood pressure medications can cause acid reflux. Drugs like aspirin and ibuprofen must not be taken without a prescription. Symptoms: The most common symptoms of acid reflux are as follows: 1. There can be a burning pain or discomfort that can move from your stomach to your abdomen or even to your chest up into your throat. This burning pain or discomfort is known as Heart Burn. 2. Black stools or bloody stools or blood in vomit are the symptoms of acid reflux. 3. Bloating and burping are also the symptoms of acid reflux. 4. When there is narrowing of the esophagus then it creates a sensation of food been stuck in the throat. This is known as dysphagia which is also a symptom of acid reflux. 5. If there are constant Hiccups that dont let down then it can also be a symptom of acid reflux. 6. If you are having nausea or if there is Weight Loss for any unknown reason then it is quite possible that it might be the symptom of acid reflux. 7. Wheeing, dry Cough, hoarseness or chronic sore throat are the symptoms of acid reflux. Herbs for acid reflux: There are several herbs which have proved to be helpful in treating acid reflux. When you take fresh natural juice then you are taking vitamins, minerals, and enzymes that help in the process of healing the body. There are some juices that help to cure Gerd and these juices can be of Carrots, Cabbage, apples, celery, Watermelon, fennel, Ginger, parsley and also Bananas for smoothies. Herbs tha coats the lining of esophagus: Herbs like Licorice root, slippery elm, and turmeric have helped in the process of creating a coating along the lining of the esophagus essentially protecting it from acid. Apple cider vinegar: Using one tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar in 4 oz filtered water can be very helpful in the treatment of acid reflux. ALOE VERA Juice, using one tablespoon of ALOE VERA Juice in 2-4 ox of water can also help in treating acid reflux. Licorice root: Licorice root, this herb can be taken in extract form or as a herbal tea decoction. Raw Sauerkraut: Then there is Raw Sauerkraut which is rich in vitamin C and digestive enzymes. It also helps to heal the stomach lining. Other: There are some other herbs, fruits and vegetables that you can add to your diet, which will help to either combat the acid reflux symptoms or to avoid the production of excess of acid in the stomach. These other herbs, fruits and vegetables include: 1. Red apples. 2. Ginger root. 3. Basil Leaves. 4. Herbal tea. 5. Grape fruit. 6. Yellow mustard. 7. Fennel seed. How to avoid acid reflux Acid reflux can be avoided if you follow the simple steps which are mentioned below: 1. Chocolate, spicy food, fried and greasy food and food that includes tomatoes and citrus fruits must be avoided because having such kind of food will trigger excess production of acid in the stomach. 2. It is always better to eat more frequently in smaller quantity than overeating because if you eat more frequently in smaller quantity then it helps the digestive system to operate more efficiently, one of the main reasons of following this is that the acid will not build up and thus acid reflux can be avoided. 3. There should be a gap between the food that you eat and your bed time. So if you have your food and go to bed then it can definitely cause an acid reflux, but if the same thing is avoided, which means that, if there is a gap between the food ,that you have and your bed time then acid reflux can be avoided. 4. Obesity is the main cause of acid reflux. It is very important to have a proper diet and maintain weight, which means you have to lose excess amount of weight and thus you can avoid having acid reflux. 5. Alcohol and caffeinated beverages must be avoided and avoid taking them especially before bedtime, because they loosen the sphincter which controls the passage of esophagus into the stomach, thus making a way for the acid to flow backward. 6. Avoid smoking or stop smoking. Smoking can prove to be an obstruction in digestion and it can also damage the lining of the esophagus. 7. It is always better to have surgical repair or correction of structural problems like hiatal hernia. Also you can undergo testing to see if there are other problems like ulcers or Cancer and most importantly consult your doctor if lifestyle changes and medications do not help in treating acid reflux.

Thread starter Herbalist Dr MziziMkavu
Start date Sep 10, 2013

Herbalist Dr MziziMkavu

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