GERD or Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease is a common human digestive complaints which takes place when something gastric backs up into the esophagus. After eating, food runs down your esophagus on the way to a muscular valve called lower esophageal sphincter which is responsible for allowing food to pass into your stomach and then closes again. Since the LES is weak, it cannot work accurately thereby failing to close at the right moment . The end result of the washing back of this stomach acid is the painful feeling felt behind the sternum (chest bone) more normally known as heartburn.

Causes of Acid Reflux

1. Abnormality in the Esophagus and Stomach Area

Most GERD sufferers have muscles or nerves that are abnormal in the abdomen that bring about slow absorption of food and stomach acid. Because of this, emptying of stomach contents can take place which lead to increase pressure in the stomach thereby causing acid reflux.

2. Reaction to Certain Medications

There are variety of medications and over the counter prescriptions that can damage the esophagus and stomach lining and even worsen the symptoms. Some examples are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin, potassium, iron pills, calcium channel blockers and others.

3. Asthma May Cause GERD

The relation between GERD and asthma is not fully understood; however some 70 to 80 percent of asthma patients also have GERD. Acid reflux leads to asthma for the reason that the upper respiratory problems that people with acid reflux disease normally acquire. .

4. Certain types of foods

Foods and beverages are the common culprits of acid reflux. Namely fatty and acidic foods, spicy foods, chocolates, carbonated drinks, caffeinated beverages like coffee and tea, chocolate and peppermint. These kinds of foods and beverages can either relax or weaken the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). If the LES cannot work properly, there is increase in the likelihood of acid backing up.

5. Your Kind of Lifestyle

Lifestyle choices like smoking, alcohol intake, stress and tight clothing can lead GERD. Bad habits which include smoking and drinking should be restricted or better yet totally avoided. Wearing tight clothing around the waist area increase pressure in the abdominal area. Although not directly implicated, stress has also been known as a contributing factor to acid reflux.

6. Wrong Eating Habits

Eating certain types of foods is not the only reason for acid reflux, bad eating habits can also cause it to strike. Some behaviors include lying down within three hours after eating, bending over, eating large meals, and eating close to bedtime. The solution is to keep your stomach comfortable instead of full. In addition, instead of three heavy meals, its more advisable to eat lighter but at frequent intervals.

Visit Acid Reflux Remedy for solutions and treatments for this medical condition. You can also look at Natural Cures for Acid Reflux for more drug-free remedies.

What is causing acid reflux and what are acid reflux remedies? Heartburn is also known as Gastrointestinal Reflux Disease. It happens when acid builds up in your stomach and travels upwards. Heartburn symptoms can range from a little discomfort under the breastbone to a severe pain. Some people might think that they are having a heart attack when the pain gets really bad. But heartburn has nothing to do with heart attack. Since the burning sensation is located mostly by the breastbone, people tend to think it is the heart.

Acid reflux is one symptom of heartburn and it occurs when the gastric acids are regurgitated into the esophagus. This can cause a long term or a temporary damage to the wall that separates the stomach and the esophagus. When you have this condition you may notice pain in swallowing, nausea or a bitter taste in your throat and mouth.

Some tips for Acid Reflux Remedies and How to Avoid them

Eating the wrong type of food can cause acid reflux. Greasy and spicy food such as tacos, as well as drinking caffeinated, carbonated and alcoholic beverages. Stress and smoking can be a leading cause of acid reflux, as well as taking certain medication. Most pregnant women are also victims.

You can avoid acid reflux by watching what you eat and do. Try skipping greasy and spicy food altogether and switch to decaffeinated tea and coffee. Also avoid beverages with alcohol and quit smoking and you will see that your heartburn will disappear. However, you may not want to stop eating the food you like. Also, smoking is a hard habit to break.

In order to reduce the discomforts of acid reflux, there are several steps you can take. First thing is stop overeating. Try to eat more frequent meals that are smaller in size. It is also better to eat slowly rather than quickly. Eat your dinner two hours before your bed time. This not only helps you to reduce the chance of acid reflux, it will help you lose weight faster if you are trying to lose some extra pounds. Do not sleep flat on your back, use pillows to elevate your head.

There are also many heartburn home remedies that will help do wonders. However, if your heartburn pain is so severe that it is unbearable, see your doctor. He can prescribe medications for your pain.

To start with, I am going to give you a delicious remedy for your acid reflux pain. Add ginger to your tea. You can buy ginger in the spice section of your local grocery store. Or you can buy ginger root at a health food store. Put a teaspoon of it in your tea. If you buy the root, dice it before adding it. You can make the tea ahead of time and keep it in your refrigerator. Just heat a cup in the microwave for forty-five seconds to a minute.

Baking soda is another natural remedy for your heartburn. It neutralizes the acid in your stomach. Mix a teaspoon in a glass of warm water.

Another good treatment is using apple cider vinegar, since it has acid that neutralizes the acid in your stomach. Mix a tablespoon with warm water.

Drink water instead of carbonated beverages. Since you have damaged tissues in your esophagus, sodas and other drinks such as orange juice will not help. In fact, they may even do more damage. Water is good at repairing the damaged tissues. If you need to drink soda, go for ginger ale. As mentioned before, ginger plays wonders with acid reflux.

Chances are you will be the victim of acid reflux at least once in your life. Do not let it control you. When you feel that burning sensation, use these natural home remedies to cure it. However, if your pain does not go away or if it is too severe for you to handle, call your doctor. Remember these are remedies for acid reflux, not medical treatment.

The author, Jacqueline Gharibian, has given some very few natural remedy options. She believes in not taking medication for every little thing but try some natural remedies first. Most of the times, home remedies do work like magic. To read more you can visit her site KangenWaterCure

Heartburn can be prevented and treated in a variety of ways. In general, treatment can fall into one of three categories. There are lifestyle changes, medications and surgery. Here we look at the lifestyle changes that can be put in place in order to live more comfortably with this digestive disorder, as well as some of the medications that can bring you relief.

Lifestyle Changes

Refrain From Sleeping After Eating: Do not lie down to take a nap or go to bed at night for at least three hours following a meal. Gravity is more likely to work against you and push stomach juices into the esophagus if you are lying in a horizontal position. Remain upright until the digestive process is well underway. A full stomach, sleep and reflux can easily combine to make you feel miserable.

Avoid Alcohol: The reason alcohol is bad for those with heartburn is that it causes more stomach acid to be produced than usual. This then serves to relax the lower esophageal sphincter which then makes it all that much easier for the contents of the stomach to reflux up into the esophagus and into the throat. The back up of stomach acid can lead to irritation and inflammation in the esophagus.

Foods to Avoid

Fatty, Fried Fast Foods: Before you stop in at the drive-thru at McDonald’s for a big Mac and an order of French fries perhaps you should think twice. Do you want to pay for this fast meal of greasy food with an uncomfortable heartburn attack? The majority of food that is sold at most fast food chains is not at all beneficial for a person who suffers from heartburn. In particular hamburgers, fried chicken and French fries are the worst choices. If you must eat at a fast food restaurant then opt for a salad or a grilled chicken burger.

Fruit: Fruits contain a high concentration of acid and are therefore not a good bet for a person who has heartburn. The ones with the highest acid content include grapefruits, lemons, cranberries and oranges. In the same way, tomatoes are a fruit and they are not going to do your digestive system anything good in terms of reflux. Avoid eating tomatoes and any tomato products such as tomato sauce or tomato paste.

Beverages: Food is not the only thing that can trigger an attack of heartburn. Alcoholic beverages are not good for those who suffer from reflux and other related problems. In particular, wine and liquor are the alcoholic beverages that you should avoid the most. Coffee and tea are two other beverages that can trigger a heartburn episode.

Pharmaceutical Options

Antacids: A doctor will sometimes recommend medication for heartburn if lifestyle modifications have not brought about the desired results. Over-the-counter antacids are an option as these do not require a prescription. There are also medications that work to halt the production of acid as well as those that aid the stomach muscles in doing their job properly. It is important to become aware of the fact that antacids do have potential side effects. The magnesium salt that is a part of antacids can cause diarrhea while the aluminum can lead to constipation. The two kinds of salts are very often found in balanced quantities in the same product in order to prevent either one of these problems from occurring. The one helps to cancel the other one out and vice versa.

Proton Pump Inhibitors: This type of medication is available by prescription only. Examples of it include Prilosec (omeprazole), Prevacid (lansoprazole), Aciphex (rabeprazole), Nexium (esomeprazole) and Protonix (pantoprazole). This medication is more effective than antacids because it can relieve practically all of the symptoms associated with heartburn. It is rare for a person suffering from heartburn to not be helped by proton pump inhibitors. In some cases, Prilosec may be able to be purchased in an over-the-counter version known as Prilosec OTC. Please be advised that you should only use proton pump inhibitors under the supervision of a physician.

Heartburn may not be a life threatening condition, but it can certainly cause you a lot of distress. If you want to learn more about the causes of heartburn and the options in heartburn medicine, visit the Heartburn Relief site.