Heartburn Remedy Tips

from Paul Courtney


Is Chronic Heartburn A Sign Of Other Problems?

For heartburn symptoms to be deemed chronic, it would have to occur more than three times a week for a period of two or three weeks. If you are suffering from continual heartburn it is important to check if there have been any alterations in diet, excessive consumption of alcohol,increased stress or the taking of strong medications on a regular basis.

For chronic heartburn to be confirmed a substantial change must have occured, if the person’s diet or other aspects of their lifestyle have not changed, it could be a sign of other medical problems. It is important to be aware of the circumstances as persons using self-treatment to combat chronic heartburn may be masking the symptoms of these more serious problems

Typically, heartburn is caused by the contents in the stomach being pushed back into the esophagus, causing the acid in the stomach to irritate its sensitive lining. There are many causes of this such as:

- gastrointestinal reflux disease,

- a hiatal hernia

- or a blockage in the stomach.

When a person suffers from chronic heartburn it is advisable to check with a doctor to rule out any of these major problems.

Usually, when a person suffers from heartburn, it is not uncommon if dietary habits are inconsistent or they eat or drink something that is high in acidic content the digestive system works overtime producing excessive acids. In these cases and over the counter medication will usually quell the burning sensation and it will disappear once the substance has been processed. However, If it continues for several days during a week or two, chronic heartburn may be diagnosed and will be treated with prescription medications.

Extinguishing The Fire In The Belly

For those suffering from chronic heartburn, they are also at risk for developing ulcers in the esophagus as well as in the stomach. Many times, it is the result of the stomach being fooled into thinking more acid is needed to help with the digestive process that exacerbates the situation. Many believe falsely that drinking milk can calm an acid stomach when in reality milk may actually trigger the stomach’s acid pumps to produce more due to the added content in the stomach.

Anybody suffering from chronic heartburn will need to change their lifestyle to help eliminate the problem. This usually requires a change of diet(ie staying away from rich fatty foods that require a lot of digestion and sticking to more fresh fruit and vegetables that are much easier to digest). If it is determined the heartburn is being caused by prescription medication, the doctor may alter the dosage of the medication or change to another type if one is available. The patient may also be prescribed anti-acid medication until the offending medication is better accepted by the person and the side effects disappear.

Acid indigestion, as it is often called, can be an extremely uncomfortable feeling. It can also offer similar symptoms of a heart attack and should never be ignored. When a person is suffering from chronic heartburn, getting help from a doctor or other medical professional is recommended to prevent additional damage to the esophagus or to learn if it is hiding another, potentially dangerous, condition.

As with most other bodily functions, it is important to act swiftly to determine what the problem is, what causes the problem and what needs to be done to cure the problem before it gets worse, but more importantly why suffer at all when with a little thought and preventative action this discomfort can be completely avoided and other complications associated with it will never arise..

Author’s Biography: Paul Courtney contributes articles to various publications pertaining to Alternative and Herbal Medicine, for more information please visit http://www.heartburncurer.com

from Anna Hart

When acid reflux becomes a regular part of life, the sufferer is commonly advised to change his or her diet. Try to avoid citrus, Try to avoid acids. See if changes make it better. So you try. You experiment. And all the time, you’re wishing there were acid reflux cure recipes.

You finally go looking for such, and you find that there are cookbooks that focus on eating to avoid acid reflux. The trouble is that neither you nor your doctor can say for sure that your current diet is the problem. You have to put out money for an acid reflux cookbook only to learn that your acid reflux stems from another cause. You’d like to find someone that inserts one little word in the phrase acid reflux cure recipes.

Acid reflux FREE cure recipes!

If you could just find acid reflux free cure recipes, you would try them. If it turned out that they did help, you wouldn’t mind investing in one or two good acid reflux recipe cookbooks.

The author can’t take space here to give you a collection of acid reflux free cure recipes, but let me contribute to your search.

Acid Reflux Free Cure Recipes

Acid reflux free cure recipes have three things in common.

1. They eliminate or reduce portions of those foods that are typically difficult to digest.

2. They include or increase portions of those foods that are known to aid in digestion.

3. They are FREE!

Orange juice, for example, is acidic. Many people claim that it increases acid reflux. So replace breakfast orange juice with a ripe banana, which is easy to digest. Or opt for an apple.

Brownies and donuts are considered foods to be avoided by acid reflux sufferers. They tend to sit, undigested, in the stomach. Choose an easily digested dessert such as a fat free cookie or jelly beans.

Acid Reflux Recipe Ideas

Here are a handful of ideas for acid reflux recipes.

1. Waldorf salad, made with ripe, healthy apples, nuts, and raisins, is a good acid reflux cure recipe. Use any traditional Waldorf salad recipe, but substitute low-fat mayonnaise and sour cream. You will have a great-tasting salad that contains no recognized acid reflux trigger foods.

2. Beef stew is another great acid reflux cure recipe. Use any beef stew recipe you like, omitting the onions. Cut the fat from the beef. If the stew seems to trigger acid reflux, eat a smaller portion next time.

3. Gingerbread is a marvelous dessert for acid reflux sufferers. Find a recipe that uses canned pumpkin and wheat germ. Make it with unsweetened applesauce and low-fat buttermilk. Then resist the temptation to mound whipped cream on top of it! Try a low-fat imitation whip instead.

4. Roast turkey  is a good main course. Cranberries should be fine with it. Serve the potato baked instead of mashed.

5. Lowly meatloaf is thought to have no specific acid reflux triggers.

6. Spaghetti may cause acid reflux in some. You can reduce the possibilities by beginning with acid-free tomato sauce. Omit garlic and onion from your sauce, and try using more basil and less oregano. There are a number of Italian spices that are great in spaghetti sauce. Try fennel with basil.

7. Cheesecake, too, can be an acid reflux cure recipe. Make it with reduced fat or no-fat cheeses. Use egg whites and/or egg substitute.

While trying your acid reflux free cure recipes, learn what the actual cause of acid reflux is. You may be surprised to know that it is a muscular problem. There may be things you can do other than alter your diet.

CAUTION: The information presented here is for educational purposes only. If you have ongoing acid reflux problems, please see your physician for advice.