ShinnDig!
Sunday, March 20, 2005
Acid reflux disease
Acid reflux disease
Acid Reflux Disease:
Heart pain on a fork!
You no longer look forward to the dinner table because of the acute chest pain that inevitably follows – You may have acid reflux disease. Or maybe that’s not your problem, maybe for you it’s knowing that you could very likely wake up with heart pain, or hoarse, or having trouble swallowing, or even feeling like you have something lodged in your throat. You too may have acid reflux disease. Technically, it’s called Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, but you don’t care. You’d be just as happy to call it Jethro as long as you could get rid of it.
Acid reflux disease happens when the muscle at the bottom of the esophagus, does not close properly allowing the contents of the stomach to leak back, or reflux, into the esophagus. When this happens the acid from your stomach interacts with the lining of your esophagus causing the discomfort. The reason for the discomfort of acid reflux disease is simple, while the cells that make up the stomach lining secrete a coating that protects them from the acid of the stomach, the cells of the esophagus do not and the result is pain.
Fortunately, while a few sufferers of acid reflux disease do require the assistance of a medical professional, most are able to control the disease with just a few changes to their diet and / or some over the counter assistance. Of course a change in your diet is the most economical approach to acid reflux so it makes sense to start there.
I guess we could call it the Acid Reflux Diet: First, Don’t eat within 3 hours before you lying down. If there is little food in your stomach there will be little acid in your stomach, it follows that there will be little acid reflux. Second, limit the amount of tomato based foods, citrus, and coffee in your diet since these foods have been well documented as contributing to acid reflux disease. Third, try cutting fatty foods from your diet (your doctor will be so proud). Next, reshape your diet so that you eat more and smaller meals. This way the stomach doesn’t get as full making acid reflux less likely.
Other adjustments to your diet that you could try in your effort to control your acid reflux include cutting over-the-counter pain relievers such as aspirin, Advil, Motrin, or medicines for osteoporosis. These can aggravate acid reflux in some people. Another dietary adjustment worth trying is to try abstaining from drinking alcohol since alcohol increases the chances that acid from your stomach will reflux. Likewise, and I put this off as long as I could, try cutting mint flavors, caffeine laden foods, spicy foods, and chocolate from your diet.
If you’ve trimmed your diet all that you can and are still having trouble, do what you can to let gravity help you in your battle against acid reflux disease. Sit up straight. Stand erect, and put blocks under the head of your bed to elevate your head about six inches above your feet at night. Finally, if you’re still having the symptoms of acid reflux disease after trying all these diet and lifestyle changes it just might be time to call your doctor.
