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Articles » Health-&-Fitness » Alternative-Medicine >> View Article
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| GERD and gastroesophageal reflux disorder |
By:
Gregory Henshaw |
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The painful condition where the contents of the stomach want to flow back the way they came to cause heartburn is something we may all have experienced in our lives: it is called acid reflux. This is a condition relating to the digestive system and although referred to by other names almost all the symptoms are similar in nature. To help digest and assimilate food, the stomach uses an acid. It is the result of hydrochloric acid that is trying to flow back up the esophagus that causes the heartburn.
When we eat and swallow our food it is allowed into the stomach area to be digested by the esophageal sphincter valve which should then close back up in order to stop the hydrochloric acid from escaping. The problems start when for some reason this valve does not shut and the stomachs digestive juices are allowed to flow back up (acid reflux) causing the feeling of heartburn. You may also hear the name gastroesophageal reflux disorder, which is its full title or sometimes abbreviated to GERD. Although the real cause of acid reflux disorder has not yet been found, it is thought that eating the wrong foods could be to blame; unfortunately, overeating and junk food can also overload the digestive systems ability to digest food adequately.
When anyone eats a large amount of food it creates an additional burden on the stomach muscles. This affects the functioning of the esophageal valve causing reflux and the pain of heartburn. By lessening the amount of work the stomach has to do at any one time should reduce the instances of heartburn. If this is a problem you have to live with then you should eat smaller meals during the day which will help the situation. The stomach is the doorway to the body's health so it needs to be treated with respect. The stomach carries out not only the breaking down of food but processing it into nutrients that can be absorbed by the body.
Using drugs and other acid reducing drugs readily available from drugstores will block the natural processes of your stomach on a temporary basis. The problem is these ‘short term' remedies can create other problems as they interfere with the natural functioning of the digestive system. It may take a while but the best solution is to make adjustments to your drinking and eating habits which may have caused the acid reflux condition. This should be done for a period of a few months to strengthen your stomach's normal processes. Once you reduce or eliminate your heartburn disorder, you can start to eat some of the foods that you had to eliminate.
Lifestyle changes extend beyond those of just eating habits as other contributing factors to acid reflux can be:
Being a smoker Allergic reactions to certain types of food Certain medicines Excessive alcohol consumption * Taking a nap after eating All of these factors are within your control and it only requires a change of habits and behavior on your part. The number of heartburn episodes that occur should diminish. This is how you may be able to clear your acid reflux disorder completely. Ultimately the choice is yours to make! |
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