ACID REFLUX

What is it, what are the symptoms,
causes, treatments and remedies?

If our commercials are to be believed, ever single person suffers, or has suffered, from heartburn or ‘acid reflux’. Millions of dollars are spent yearly on antacids, prescriptions drugs and many other remedies to stop that annoying, often-times painful burning sensation most of us have felt one time or another. Chronic heartburn or acid reflux can cause nearly unbearable discomfort and in some cases, real physical problems for the person suffering. While there are surely treatments for acid reflux disease, from those advertised drugs to natural remedies, it is prudent to get to the cause of what may start out as a nuisance but grow to a very real problem.
 

What Is Acid Reflux?

Refluxus or ‘reflux’ comes from the Latin word refluere, meaning "to flow back, to recede". When you suffer from acid reflux, you experience a ‘flow back’, specifically the acids from your stomach ‘bubble-up’ into your esophagus, causing the discomfort and pain of what is commonly known as ‘heartburn’; acid reflux is the action, heartburn is the sensation.

While the lining of your stomach is usually protected from the effect of your powerful gastric juices, the lining of our esophagus isn’t. Though there is a valve that stops the gastric juices from rising up the esophagus-the cardiac sphincter is the name of this valve-if this valve becomes weak those hot gastric juices can seep up into your esophagus. While you may feel these juices rise up from time to time, in some cases, as in chronic acid reflux suffers, an untreated and consistent ‘hearburn’ can develop into GERD (Gastroesophagel Reflux Disease) which can scar the esophagus and increase the risk of cancer.

This is why it is so important to determine if what you’re feeling is ‘normal’ occasional heartburn or a chronic state of acid reflux. Pregnant women, people who smoke or drink to access, even those of us who overeat from time to time may experience this annoying, sometimes painful heartburn. If the condition persists it might very well be time to see someone like me, Dr Robert so I can determine the severity of your acid reflux and how together you might best battle it.
 

What are some of the holistic and conventional views
of the causes of Irritable bowel syndrome?

Below are some of the factors that can cause or contribute to your acid reflux:

• Eating a large meal which will force your body to produce a great deal of acid to digest it.
• Fatty foods, chocolate, and tomatoes can contribute to acid reflux. Each person may have different ‘trigger foods’, so a thorough investigation needs to be performed to discover the foods that may be setting you off.
• Tobacco use can cause your heartburn to become worse.
• Contrary to medical belief, too little stomach acid can cause acid reflux. As we age our acid production diminishes leading to smaller amounts which can more easily splash up the esophagus.
• A stressful lifestyle can give you the sensation of heartburn.

There are many reasons why you may suffer with heartburn. Listed above are the most common nutrition and lifestyle reasons.
 

Acid reflux or heartburn symptoms

Acid reflux symptoms can vary, but below are the most common:

• Heartburn or a burning sensation in your stomach area
• An uncomfortable ‘discomforting’ feeling in your stomach
• Regurgitation of acid backing up in your mouth
• Burping following a meal
• A feeling of nausea after eating
• A bloating sensation of stomach fullness
• Abdominal pain or discomfort in your upper area around your stomach

If you are suffering from acid reflux there are many highly successful natural approaches that can be used to alleviate your heartburn symptoms.

Acid Reflux treatment and remedies

While we can pop pills to ‘cool down’ our heartburn, there is no true acid reflux cure. It is much more beneficial then to ‘treat’ acid reflux from a natural approach, through diet, stress management and a solid supplement regime, like one I can determine for you.

A good diet is the key to your acid reflux treatment and remedies. What starts out as occasional heartburn can turn into a chronic state of acid reflux and eventually lead to more serious problems in the future.

Additional acid reflux treatments and remedies rebalance the over or under production of acid through digestive support supplements and if needed, a good stress management approach helps to. But without a good diet, none of the above will work. All our health needs benefit from a proper diet; it’s not just a defense against acid reflux but all the other digestive disorders.
 

What you should know about H-2 receptor medication
like Zantac and Tagament to treat acid reflux.

These medications that block the production of stomach acid can, over time cause a condition called hypochlorhydria, a condition where your body doesn’t produce enough acid. Your symptoms may go away because you have no acid to cause the heartburn symptom, but now you have no acid to digest your vitamins, minerals and nutrients. Over time this can lead to deficiencies of your nutrients. This is also stated on the side effect list of your medication.

This is one reason why a holistic and or alternative medicine approach is so powerful. Naturopathic practioners like myself look to correct the underlying causing issue to your problems, not just the symptoms.

If you have an immediate need for a digestive health expert, call me right now at 201.618.3534 or e-mail me the details at rob@drrobertg.com. There is no charge to discuss your situation with you and no obligation to buy anything.

Robert Galarowicz, ND
Naturopathic Doctor, Clinical Nutritionist

AIM Center - Alternative Integrative Medical Center
1 Sears Dr. Fl#4
Paramus, New Jersey 07652

My office is located by these towns colonia, n.j. port reading, n.j. plainfield, n.j. irvington, n.j. northvale, n.j. old bridge, n.j. north brunswick, n.y. red bank, n.j. fords, n.j. keasbey, n.j. dunellen, n.j. liberty corner, n.j. atlantic highlands, n.j. keansburg, n.j. sayreville, n.j. hazlet, n.j. deal, n.j. freehold, n.j. plainsboro, n.j. eatontown, n.j. skillman, n.j. amwell, n.j. allenhurst, n.j. rocky hill, n.j. changewater, n.j. annandale, n.j high bridge , n.j. oakhurst, n.j. three bridges, n.j. monmouth junction, n.j marlboro , n.j. belle mead, n.j. dayton, n.j. neshanic station , n.j. great meadows , n.j. matawan, n.j. and monmouth, n.j.