| Heartburn or GERD which means Gastroesophageal
Reflux Disease, is a burning sensation and pain in the
stomach and/or chest, right behind the breastbone. It may be accompanied by
bloating, gas, nausea, shortness of breath, and/or an acidic or sour
taste in the throat. Over 63 million people in the USA suffer from heartburn.
It often occurs when hydrochloric acid, which is used by the stomach
to digest food, backs up into the esophagus, causing sensitive tissues
to become irritated. The esophageal sphincter muscle normally pinches
itself shut which stops stomach acid from moving upward. However, if
the sphincter is not functioning correctly, the acid can get past it
and into the esophagus. Which is called gas troesophageal reflux. Conditions
that can cause a reflux of stomach acids into the esophagus are now
referred to as gastroesophageal reflux disease rather than dyspepsia
or indigestion,
chronic heartburn, or acid indigestion.
GERD may affect anyone at any age. GERD can scar the
esophagus, and if stomach acids get into the lungs, they can cause
asthma type symptoms. GERD can also lead to a condition called
Barrett's esophagus, which is characterized by changes in the cells
lining the esophagus that can induce cancer. Person's with hiatal
hernia problems often experience heartburn. It can also be started by
eating too much: spicy foods, fatty/fried foods, alcohol, coffee,
citrus fruits, chocolate, or tomato based foods. Other contributing
factors are: allergies, enzyme deficiencies,
gallbladder
problems, stress, and ulcers.
|
Nutrient /
Supplement |
Importance
( 1 - 10 ) |
Helpful notes |
| Magnesium |
10 |
low intake of magnesium has been linked to attention deficit
disorder and it has a calming effect, a good source of magnesium is a
quality multi-vitamin
& mineral supplement especially one with
calcium, vitamin C, and vitamin B complex which all work with
the mineral magnesium . |
| Calcium |
10 |
a companion to
magnesium and also has a calming effect. It has an alkalizing
effect that helps with stomach acid. |
| vitamin
B complex |
10 |
these vitamins are
required for proper digestion and are also helpful with stress
and general nutrition for the body. |
| Pyridoxine |
10 |
vitamin B12 needed
for digestion |
| Potassium |
10 |
mineral that works
with calcium and magnesium. |
| Aloe
vera |
9 |
this herb helps to reduce stress
and works well in combination with the herbs kava kava and chamomile for people with
GERD or heartburn. |
| Chamomile |
9 |
herb helps
relieve esophageal irritation |
| Ginger |
8 |
serves as
a buffer to help with heartburn |
| Peppermint |
8 |
herb that
helps with heartburn, indigestion, and burping |
| Blessed
Thistle |
8 |
herb used
in Europe for almost any problem and used for many
inflammation problems and for heartburn. |
Other Changes To Make
-
drink 6-8 glasses of steam distilled or
filtered water a day
-
eat 50% raw fruits and vegetables (organic is best)
-
nuts, seeds, and whole grains are good
-
juice is good (make your
own with a juice machine)
-
do not worry as much about calories as eating the right foods
-
carrot and celery sticks are good to use as a snack
-
a colon cleansing can be very helpful - (do several times each year)
-
do not drink coffee, alcohol, soda pop, other junk food drinks
-
do not eat processed foods white sugar, white flour, etc...
-
use stress relief like going for walks in the park
(or the 10/90 rule - see
Stress)
-
brown rice is good to eat
-
avoid red meat and animal fats
-
reduce dairy products cheese, milk, and others
-
fast a few days a month
-
get at least 8 hours of sleep
-
exercise light to moderate amounts
-
avoid artificial sweeteners like Aspartame and NutraSweet
-
do not smoke and avoid second hand smoke
-
do not skip meals - just eat better and not as much at each meal
-
do not chew gum - it can cause you to feel hungry
-
do not watch too much TV try reading a book or something else
|
