What is acid reflux? Acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease is a disease that affects the food passage in the stomach.
Acid reflux occurs when stomach acid enters the esophagus, causing it to be irritated. The affected area is known as Reflux Esophagitis, also called Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). The refluxed stomach acid moves from the esophagus into the small intestine and into the stomach, where it mixes with the contents of the stomach.
Acid reflux causes coughing, nausea, chest pain, fever, abdominal cramps, loss of appetite, vomiting, feeling of fullness, and constipation. It can result in surgery for treatment.
The risk of reflux is increased when there is an increase in food content in the stomach at a time when the stomach acid is increased due to the intake of too much fat, sugar, salty foods, alcohol, tobacco, or other stomach stimulants. Alcohol and tobacco are the most common triggers. But eating foods high in insoluble fiber and soluble fiber prevents reflux.
But if the acids in the stomach are unable to move, then the esophagus, instead of passing acid back out of the stomach, will absorb the stomach acid. This causes heartburn or the pain that people feel, usually at night when sleeping.
Acid reflux can lead to serious health problems including esophageal cancer, Barrett’s esophagus, esophageal ulcers, and heartburn. There is an effect that heartburn causes such as fatigue, fatigue headaches, and less energy. Furthermore, people who suffer from heartburn and acid reflux will find that they will lose weight more than those who do not suffer from acid reflux.
One of the foods that cause heartburn is dairy products like milk, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream. Other foods to avoid are citrus fruits and citrus juices, hot peppers, tomatoes, soy sauce, pepperoni, sauerkraut, pickles, dried beans, tomatoes, Brussels sprouts, spinach, and celery. And it is important to note that eating large amounts of oily foods will also increase the risk of heartburn.
Fortunately, it is now possible to purchase over the counter acid reflux treatments. For example, swallow anti-reflux drugs and tablets. This medicine not only reduces the symptoms of heartburn, but it also treats the problem at its root cause.
Other effective medications are Lemsip and Lyrica. These medicines help by preventing the reflux of acid back up into the esophagus. However, many people suffering from heartburn do not tolerate these medicines well and experience adverse side effects.
If you are looking for a permanent solution to this condition, some more severe cases of acid reflux can cause serious health problems such as cancer. A very extreme solution to this problem is surgery. Surgery involves cutting the stomach open and getting rid of the valve that allows stomach acid to pass through.
Natural cures for heartburn have been tried and tested. Many people say that the best way to deal with the symptoms of heartburn is to have foods that do not contain fatty and high-fiber foods that can stimulate the reflux of stomach acid. This can be done by eating foods like raw vegetables, avocados, almonds, whole grains, and tomatoes.
