Thursday, January 9, 2020

How to Prevent Symptoms of Acid Reflux without Medications



A lot of people experience frequent heartburn, digestion problems and difficulty in gulping food. All of these are symptoms of Acid Reflux.  If you suffer from these symptoms frequently, then you need to get proper attention so that the condition remains under control. 

Acid reflux happens when the excess amount of stomach acid travels upwards to the tube called Esophagus. This acid causes different problems. Many people suffer from acid reflux which refuses to go away.


This esophagus connects the mouth and the stomach. In general acid reflux is harmless, but if this occurs regularly, you may develop a disease called  Barrett’s Esophagus,  or the change of esophagus lining.  So, it would help if you were careful in this matter.
Frequently occurring acid reflux does not go away quickly. A lot of people take regular medicines to curb it. But, the daily consumption of these medicines can cause any other problems. Is there any alternative way? Well, there are different home remedies and hacks to curb acid reflux.
Here are the home remedies that you can follow if you experience any symptoms of acid reflux-


·         Eat slowly and stop overeating

The leading cause of acid reflux is overeating and bad eating habit. So, if you want to control the heartburn, stop eating after you are full. An overloaded stomach causes excessive production of stomach acid that causes acid reflux. Similarly, a bad eating habit also causes frequent heartburn.
Try to eat small meals several times per day. Also, eat properly and take time eating each nibble. Chewing food also helps in this case.

·         Try to lose weight

Overweight people have a higher risk of developing frequent acid reflux. This is because excessive weight decrease the pressure on the stomach and acid can travel back to mouth easily. So, if you have put on weight, then you need to lose weight.
 


·         Follow a healthy diet

A healthy diet can curb the acid reflux symptoms quickly. A low-carb diet is very beneficial. Excessive carbs make you feel bloated and also forces the stomach to produce more acid. So, go for a protein-rich low-carb diet that contains healthy carbs. 
Additionally, try to include probiotic-rich foods like yogurt in your diet to get a healthier digestive system.

·         Limit your caffeine intake

Coffee is known to weaken the lower esophageal sphincter. This increases the acid reflux symptoms in humans. So, if you drink multiple cups of coffee in a day cut down your intake limits. Two to three cups of coffee are enough for an average healthy human. If you love coffee so much, then try to drink decaffeinated coffee. But, cutting down excessive beverage is the best way.

·         Avoid aerated drinks

Aerated drinks or carbonated drinks are often culprits behind the frequent heartburn and GERD. These drinks can disrupt the pH balance in your stomach. Excessive consumption also causes nausea and a bloated feeling. Instead, choose fresh juices and smoothies. But avoid the excessive amount of citrus juice.


So, if you suffer from GERD regularly, then follow the steps mentioned above to control your acid reflux naturally.


Wednesday, December 4, 2019

All You Need To Know About Esophagael Cancer


Have you ever thought that simple and common problem like heartburn can be a symptom of a cancer? Yes you got me right. It is possible; repeatedly having heartburns can be an indication of symptoms of esophagael cancer. Today we are going to make you aware of a few things about this disease by www.refluxmd.com/signs-of-esophageal-cancer-vary/, so that it can be detected at an early stage, when it is treatable.

Let us know the problem first:

Heartburn or acid reflux is very common problem. It can be faced by anyone at any age. But its repeated occurrence is an indication to a serious disease. When there is prolonged irritation in the esophagael tissues and the cells in the stomach lining. This induces GERD, causing damage to mucosal due to erosive damage by the acid from the stomach. When untreated or ignored it can lead to esophageal cancer.


      ·     Heartburn or acid reflux happening multiple times in a short duration.
      ·     Dysphagia or having problem in swallowing, it can be painful at times too. There is a feeling of       chocking up at time of eating or the throat will feel swollen on the inside.
      ·         Regurgitation: when the food you eat seems to come back to the mouth again after sometime.
      ·         Blood can be seen in the vomiting.
      ·         Pain or discomfort in the chest area, where esophagus meets stomach.
      ·         Unintentional weight, whenever you feel you are losing weight quickly without any effort, please be alarmed. It is serious problem coming your way; body never sheds weight without a reason.
      ·         Discomfort during sleep, waking up repeatedly due heartburn.

Treatment required:
    
     ·         You must immediately consult a doctor to ascertain the real problem and any stage if required. The different stages are: non-dysplastic ( initial stage, cancerous tissues are not present), low-grade dysplasia ( minor changes in the cells begin and can be noticed), high-grade dysplasia(there are major changes in the cells, but they are not cancerous as yet), next non-invasive cancerous stage, last invasive cancerous stage.
     ·         PPI or proton pump inhibitors are used. Their basic duty is to reduce the acid production. A few of them are: Omeprazole, Lansoprazole, Pantoprazole, Rabeprazole, Esomeprazole, Dexlansoprazole.

  •     When the problem has not aggravated alot then the medicines usually given are H2 blockers such as Tagamet, Zantac, Axid or Pepcid.

     ·         Dietary changes such as avoiding spicy food, avoid smoking and excessive drinking.
     ·         You may choose to have Gerd diet.
     ·         Give a gap of 2 or 3 hours between meals and sleep timings.
     ·         A few other methods that are used can be known from RefluxMD.      
     ·         Try to lose weight as excess weight can lead to repeated heartburns.
    
     Take control of your lifestyle and own up. If you feel any symptoms mentioned above; take a pause; don’t panic or start fearing just go to a doctor. Better safe than sorry is an apt saying in this situation. You can look for home remedies and ways to improve health on RefluxMD.