If you have been having episodes of reflux of acid occurring frequently for a long period of time, and becomes associated with various complications (like weight loss, food sticking, low blood count) then you might already be having a chronic heartburn or in medical term, a condition called gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD. This disease can be painful at times and can even disrupt one's life if left untreated and lead to even more serious problems.
Chronic heartburn is basically caused by the weakening of the ring of muscles at the end of the esophagus called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). This acts as valve that opens and closes to allow food and liquids to swept through the stomach. When this valve weakens, its defense mechanism to prevent the back flowing of acid also fails which leads to heartburn.
The good news is chronic heartburn can generally be cured through controlled lifestyle changes and natural remedies that can bring almost instant relief. Here are some of them.
Eating Habits
Prevention is better than cure so do not eat foods that will trigger its attacks. The most common culprits are acidic fruits like citrus and tomatoes, fried fatty foods such as French fries, spicy kinds like Mexican and Indian as well as chocolates and peppermint. Drinks that can increase the acid content of the stomach such as coffee, soda and alcohols should also be avoided.
Lifestyle Changes
This is always recommended as it is a low cost and simple way to help improve the symptoms and reduce the risk of relapse. Changes like stop smoking and drinking top the list. Maintaining an ideal weight can also help. This means eating the right type of foods and doing light exercises to alleviate its attacks.
Home Remedies
Just recently, FDA warns the public of the side effects of common heartburn medications like Nexium and Prilosec. They were found to increase the risk of bone fractures if taken for a long period of time. If you are dependent on these so called proton pump inhibitors, then you should explore your other options as they might not be good for you in the long run. Instead of popping one of those pills, try home remedies like baking soda, apple cider vinegar, raw honey and aloe vera extract to see if they can relieve you of your heartburn pain.
If you are determined about putting an end to this suffering, then you should start acting now. Its never too late to take charge of your body as its all in your discipline and self determination to improve your over-all sense of well-being.
No comments:
Post a Comment