When you suffer from acid reflux, one of the things you can do to help prevent it from happening again is to implement changes to your diet. There are foods known to trigger acid reflux and heartburn, and if you want to prevent acid reflux, eliminating these food groups from your diet should go a long way. An acid reflux food plan should be followed.
Acid reflux happens when acids from your stomach seep through the esophageal sphincter and go up the esophagus. This results into a burning sensation in the upper abdomen which is usually felt together with a sour taste in the mouth.
To avoid acid reflux, one must stay away from foods with high acid content. Such foods include citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, cranberries, and grapefruits. Vegetables which are acidic, including tomato and onion, should also be avoided.
Dairy products like ice cream, milk shakes, regular cottage cheese and sour cream should also be removed from your diet. Also forgo sweets that are high in fat and sugar, such as donuts, brownies, chocolate, and butter cookies.
Fatty and oily foods should be avoided as well. In terms of beverages, one should stay away from liquor, coffee and tea.
Your acid reflux food plan should instead incorporate foods that exhibit low potential to cause acid reflux. This includes bananas and apples, cabbage and broccoli, lean meat portions and skinless chicken, fat-free and low-fat dairy products, low-fat desserts, and mineral water.
You can still enjoy some foods, but with moderation. This includes low-acid orange juice and dried cranberries, cooked onion and leeks, lean meat portions and fried fish or egg, skimmed milk and yogurt, soda or beer, and low-fat desserts.
These are substitutes to the foods you should avoid to prevent acid reflux. If you can’t help but indulge in a treat once in a while, at least do so in moderation. It also helps to keep an acid reflux food journal to monitor which foods trigger acid reflux, and which foods are safe for consumption. This is because you may react differently to certain foods compared to other individuals.
Filed under Effects of Acid Reflux by on Dec 22nd, 2009. Comment. 
Acid reflux can be painful and very uncomfortable, and it’s something you want to avoid altogether. If you suffer from acid reflux, you can have your pick of acid reflux medication. However, because of the many medications available, you might have a difficulty choosing the best treatment that works for you.
Acid reflux occurs when the acids from your stomach seep past through a weakened esophageal sphincter and into the esophagus. This results into a burning sensation felt in the upper abdomen area which could extend up to the neck, and is often accompanied by a sour taste in the mouth.
To treat acid reflux, one can go for natural medication or synthetic medication. Each comes with its own pros and cons, and your choice of acid reflux medication would ultimately depend on your preferences.
If you are a firm believer of using only natural methods, you can try home remedies and herbal treatment to treat acid reflux. You can also implement changes to your diet and lifestyle to prevent acid reflux.
On the other hand, you can opt for synthetic medication which is often prescribed by doctors or bought over the counter. Some of synthetic acid reflux medication includes proton pump inhibitors or PPIs which help treat acid-related problems in the stomach and throat by blocking or regulating acid production in the stomach. Antacids are also another option, which help ease symptoms of too much gas such as bloating, belching, and a feeling of fullness in the stomach or abdomen.
There are many brands of drugs being sold in the market today, and you can easily get one in your local drugstore. However, you should keep in mind that using synthetic medication may exhibit side effects which could cause complications to your health.
It is always best to seek expert medical advice before taking in any form of acid reflux medication. A lot of factors have to be considered, such as the severity and degree of your condition. Your health care provider should be able to guide you through choosing the right medication that will work best to your unique treatment needs.
Filed under Effects of Acid Reflux, Featured by on Nov 26th, 2009. Comment.
You’ve just enjoyed a heavy and hearty meal when suddenly you experience this painful sensation in your chest area. Before you panic and think you’re having a heart attack, it’s best to pay close attention to your body to determine if what you’re having is heartburn or a heart attack. Because the symptoms of the two conditions can easily be confused with one another, one should learn the difference between symptoms of heartburn and a heart attack.
Heartburn is the burning sensation one feels when acid from the stomach rise up into the esophagus. This is a result of several factors which could weaken the esophageal sphincter, the muscle responsible for keeping gastric juices restricted to the stomach.
Usually, symptoms of heartburn include a painful and burning sensation that starts from the stomach and extends to the lower chest area, usually at the breastbone, and even into the neck. This is often accompanied with a sour and acidic taste in the mouth. It could be over in a few minutes, or it could last until a few hours. Bloating and belching are also some heartburn symptoms, as well as a feeling of fullness in the stomach area.
On the other hand, the chest pain in a heart attack is a sudden squeezing or crushing pain located in the center of the chest. This is often accompanied by nausea, dizziness, sweating and shortness of breath.
Timing is also important in differentiating symptoms of heartburn from a heart attack. Heartburn usually happens after a big meal, or when you bend or lie down. On the other hand, a heart attack is most likely to occur during or after strenuous activities, physical exercise and stress, although it can happen anytime.
If you experience heartburn symptoms frequently, have a discussion with your health care provider immediately. It may be a symptom to an underlying condition, which could worsen if left untreated.
Learning more about the symptoms of heartburn will help you be more in tune to your body so you can spot its onset and learn to differentiate it from a heart attack episode.
Filed under Featured, Symptoms and Treatments for Heartburn by on Nov 24th, 2009. Comment.
