The ABCs of Acid Reflux

When food enters your stomach, a valve called the lower esophageal sphincter opens to allow food into the stomach which normally remains closed so that stomach food and acid do not flow back up into your esophagus area. It is when the esophageal sphincter does not close after food has passed through that the stomach fluids try to escape upwards and that is why it is called acid reflux.Doctors abbreviate the condition to GERD or gastroesophageal reflux disorder. At the moment it is considered that a poor diet is the underlying reason for the acid reflux problem but not the main cause of the condition,overeating could also add to the problem and cause unnecessary stress on the stomach and its ability to process food.

When anyone eats a large amount of food it creates an additional burden on the stomach muscles.this affects the functioning of the esophageal valve causing reflux and the pain of heartburn. The aim is to lessen the stress on your stomach and stop any damage the stomach acid will cause to your esophagus.this can be achieved by consuming smaller meals; the incidences of heartburn should reduce. The importance of your stomachs health cannot be underestimated for long term good health.the stomach carries out not only the breaking down of food but processing it into nutrients that can be absorbed by the body.

Using drugs and other acid reducing drugs readily available from drugstores will block the natural processes of your stomach on a temporary basis,unfortunately they can have side effects when used as the only method to reduce the incidences of heartburn. The long term treatment for acid reflux is to adapt your lifestyle habits in particular eating and drinking,this will then allow your stomach to settle down and regain its strength. Once you reduce or eliminate your heartburn disorder, you can start to eat some of the foods that you had to eliminate.

Lifestyle changes extend beyond those of just eating habits as other contributing factors to acid reflux can be:

*Smoking *Food allergies *Prescription medication *Too much alcohol *Lying down after a meal

All this comes down to a lifestyle change which ultimately only you can control,the number of heartburn episodes that occur should diminish. So by watching what you eat and taking care of your health, you stand a better chance of avoiding and clearing acid reflux disorder,this is a decision which only you can make but it should not take Einstein to know what the choice should be!