The first thing you want to do when you have heartburn, or this newly named disease (very fashionable lately) GERD (Gastroesophageal reflux disease), is take a digestive aid, and not a digestive enemy (such as an antacid). If you have heartburn, something is wrong. If your doctor recommends you take some kind of antacid rather than correcting the causes of GERD, you will begin a life of pill popping that only gets worse if you start taking antacids.
Causes of GERD;
- weakened digestive system; body doesn’t create enough enzymes and/or stomach acid and a lack of probiotics.
- over eating
- drinking too much alcohol with a meal
- food allergies
- poor food combining of processed carbs and proteins
- poor diet; high in processed carbs, excess sugars
- prescription drugs (that contribute to the problem)
- mechanical problems such as a hiatal hernia
- lacking probiotics
- and finally: eating while stressed!
Health is not luck, its work and dedication. Reversing these conditions and supplementing your diet with Vital Reactions Soil Based Organism (most advanced form of probiotics) will help develop the good bacteria in your gut so vital for good health and complete digestion. Vital Reactions will colonize beneficial bacteria in your small intestines that are dragged down the length of your digestive system to bring back the necessary balance between good and bad bacteria. Normally, you should have 85% beneficial bacteria and only 15% bad in your gut. Unfortunately people suffering from GERD generally have 85% bad bacteria verses only 15% . read more on SBO’s.
Some other things you can do to help prevent GERD:
- If you smoke, stop.
- Do not drink alcohol.
- Lose weight if needed.
- Eat small meals.
- Wear loose-fitting clothes.
- Avoid lying down for 3 hours after a meal.
- Raise the head of your bed 6 to 8 inches by putting blocks of wood under the bedposts--just using extra pillows will not help.
No one knows why people get GERD. A hiatal hernia may contribute. A hiatal hernia occurs when the upper part of the stomach is above the diaphragm, the muscle wall that separates the stomach from the chest. The diaphragm helps the LES keep acid from coming up into the esophagus. When a hiatal hernia is present, it is easier for the acid to come up. In this way, a hiatal hernia can cause reflux. A hiatal hernia can happen in people of any age; many otherwise healthy people over 50 have a small one.
Factors that may contribute to GERD include:
- alcohol use
- overweight
- pregnancy
- smoking
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Certain foods can be associated with reflux events, including:
- citrus fruits
- chocolate
- drinks with caffeine
- fatty and fried foods
- garlic and onions
- mint flavorings
- spicy foods
- tomato-based foods
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