Acid Reflux Diet NOT Antacids for GERD! Why?Heartburn Cure Drugs Boost Heart Attacks!TRY THIS FIRST: An acid reflux diet INSTEAD of MEDS. Why TRY THIS SIMPLE TEST to find out your best acid reflux heartburn cure? Why an acid reflux diet ONLY for GERD if you are taking blood thinners such Plavix? Why NOT take antacids? • An antacid - drug combination, commonly prescribed to thousands of heart attack survivors, has been found to significantly increase a person’s chance of suffering another heart attack, according to a new study. What are those drug interactions? • Antacids block the action of blood thinners like Plavix. Antacids interfere with the blood thinner Plavix, a study found, so that the blood ends up being “stickier” than it should be, and people are more likely to have another heart attack. Acid-lowering pills are among the most commonly prescribed drugs in the world, and they include omeprazole (Losec), lansoprazole (Pravecid) or rabeprozole (Pariet). • Study participants (13,000 people), who took Plavix in combination with certain acid suppressants were 40 per cent MORE LIKELY TO HAVE ANOTHER HEART ATTACK in the first three months after leaving the hospital! (Dr. David Juurlink, head of the division of clinical pharmacology and toxicology at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, and lead author of the study: Canadian Medical Association Journal, 2009.) • Natural Heart Disease Cure for YOUR Heart Disease Symptom? • Natural Blood Thinners as good as Blood Thinner Medication? • Coumadin Side Effects You Should Know GERD caused by Too Little Stomac Acid!Contrary to popular belief, GERD is NOT a disease of too much acid being produced.MOSTLY, IN AS MANY AS 95% OF HEARTBURN cases, there is actually too LITTLE stomach acid, rather than too much. • As you get older, your stomach makes less ACID (HCL) so it's more likely that you need MORE acid to PROCESS YOUR FOOD MORE QUICKLY and effectively, so it is OUT OF YOUR STOMACH FASTER! • Scroll down for a very simple self test you can do to see if you need MORE or LESS acid for effective digestion! Why? Because GERD is commonly related to hiatal hernia -- a condition in which the acid is coming out of your stomach, where it's supposed to remain. After food passes through your esophagus into your stomach, a muscular valve called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) is supposed to close to prevent food or acid from moving back up. Gastroesophageal reflux, GERD, occurs when the LES relaxes inappropriately, allowing acid from your stomach to flow (reflux) backward into your esophagus. If you have heartburn, you've likely been offered a prescription for a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) like Prilosec, Nexium and Prevacid instead of an acid reflux diet or supplements. PPIs suppress the production of stomach acid, and although in some severe cases this may be warranted (in 5% of cases) you will want to solve this without prescription drugs. Why? • Taking these drugs will only WORSEN your condition as well as have implications for heart disease. • WHY NOT DECREASE YOUR STOMACH ACID? Reducing acid in your stomach will lower your primary defense mechanism for food-borne infections, which will increase your risk of food poisoning and other bacteria. PPI drugs are also high risk for serious side effects, including: • Pneumonia • Bone loss • Hip fractures • Infection with Clostridium difficile, a harmful intestinal bacteria You'll also develop a dependence on them, so unfortunately you can't stop taking them without repercussions that might be worse than your original symptoms -- which can be avoided with an acid reflux diet. Heartburn Cure with Simple Stomach Acid Self -Test for GERDHeartburn has many causes, and may or may not be due to “too much” acid -- just because you have acid reflux symptoms, e.g. a burning sensation after eating.• THE MOST COMMON CAUSE of acid reflux symptoms is when the valve that keeps stomach acid in the stomach, is weakened or relaxed and doesn't do its job properly. You will therefore want to do a SELF-TEST to see whether you have TOO LITTLE or TOO MUCH hydrochloric acid (HCL) which is needed for the breakdown of many foods. • HCL levels often decline with age, and you can determine whether you need more or less HCL with this simple test: Here is an easy stomach acid self-test: • Take a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice. If this makes your acid reflux symptoms go away, then you need more stomach acid. If it makes your symptoms worse, then you have too much acid, and you should not take supplements that contain HCL. (From the book Prescription for Nutritional Healing, by Phyllis A. Balch, CNC, p. 511) You can easily create your own acid reflux diet to avoid taking prescription drugs and risking dependence and harmful drug interactions. Heartburn Cure: Finding Your Own Acid Reflux DietKeep a food journal to find out what you can and can’t eat:If you are prone to indigestion, consume well-balanced meals with plenty of fiber-rich foods such as fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains. • Find your heartburn triggers. Examples of foods and beverages that can trigger heartburn are coffee (including decaf), alcohol, fatty foods, caffeine-containing beverages and foods, onions, chocolate, citrus fruits or juices, tomatoes, but people will vary on these. • Add fresh papaya and pineapple to your diet, as these contain papain and bromelain, which are beneficial digestive enzymes. • Add acidophilus to your diet because a shortage of “friendly” bacteria is often the cause of indigestion. If you eat yogurt, make sure it has “active cultures” in it. • Add kefir to your diet by making it with a starter kit or buying it in the health food store. Kefir has more friendly bacteria than yogurt, and it 1) stimulates parastalsis in the intestinal tract and 2) increases the flow saliva and other digestive juices in the gastro-intestinal tract for better overall digestion. (this is why kefir is recommended as an infant, a convalescent and a post-operative food) • Limit your intake of lentils, peanuts and soybeans which contain enzyme inhibitors. • Avoid bakery products, beans, caffeine, pop, citrus juices, fried and fatty foods, pasta, peppers, potato chips and other snack foods, red meat, refined carbohydrates, especially sugar, tomatoes and salty or spicy foods. • If the results of the stomach acid self-test shows that you need more hydrochloric acid, sip 1 tablespoon of pure apple cider vinegar in a glass of water with each meal to aid digestion. Heartburn Cure: Exercise Benefits GERDThe right type of exercise has been found to improve GERD along with a acid reflux diet of high fiber.• Studies have found that short bouts of fairly moderate exercise at least a couple of times a week can cut the risk of gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD significantly, in part because it reduces body mass index, a primary risk factor. One study published in 2004, which included more than 3,000 people who reported reflux, found that a half-hour session of exercise once a week or more (along with regular consumption of high-fiber foods) helped cut the risk of the condition in half. MAKE SURE TO: 1) avoid food for two hours beforehand, and 2) steer clear of high-carbohydrate sports drinks. The TYPE OF EXERCISE is crucial: Scientists found that aerobic exercises with the highest “agitation of the body,” like vigorous running, consistently induced acid reflux, even in people who did not have chronic heartburn. • Less agitating exercise — pedaling on a stationary bike, for example — caused fewer problems. NO NO'S: BODY POSITION IS IMPORTANT. Bench presses, leg curls or any other exercise that involves lying flat sharply raise the risk of acid reflux. One study in 2009 showed that surfers have several times the risk of GERD as other athletes. “Paddling in the prone position on hard surfboard surfaces leads to increased intra-abdominal pressure,” the authors wrote. Heartburn Cure: Acid Reflux No-No’s• Don’t gulp down your food.Digestion starts in the mouth – chewing signals the rest of the digestive system to prepare to break down the food. • For an acid reflux diet, eat frequent smaller meals instead of three larger ones. This will help prevent excessive production of stomach acid. • Avoid eating a large meal before bed time. Stay up at least three hours after eating your last meal or large snack before going to bed. This gives acid levels a chance to decrease before lying down when heartburn is more likely to occur. • Do not eat when upset or overtired. • Eat slowly. Try to slow yourself down while eating is to put your fork or spoon down between bites. This may take a lot of re-learning! • Eat with your mouth closed. Swallowing air, talking while chewing, or gulping down food causes indigestion. • Don’t drink liquids with meals. Liquids dilute the stomach juices needed for digestion. Drink only warm liquids and digestive teas. Drinking a glass of lukewarm water or herbal tea after a meal can dilute and flush out stomach acid. • Conscious eating will be the basis of your new acid reflux diet and best heartburn remedy! Heartburn Cure: Natural Remedies for Acid RefluxHome remedies and natural supplements can be added into an acid reflux diet of high fiber foods:• Aloe vera is very is good for heartburn and other gastro intestinal symptoms. Take 1/4 cup of aloe vera juice on an empty stomach in the morning and again at bedtime. • Anise seeds can help relieve a sour stomach. Chew the whole seeds or grind them and sprinkle on food. • Catnip, chamomile, fennel, fenugreek, papaya and peppermint are all good for indigestion, and are good in soothing teas. • Fennel seeds can be chewed after eating. Candied fennel seeds are often offered in a restaurant after a meal at an East Indian restaurant, but you can get small quantities of fennel seeds in the bulk section of specialty stores or health food stores. The shelves in health food stores are full of natural acid reflux aides, and it is best to experiment with which ones work best, e.g. “Absorb Aid” from Nature’s Sources and "Acid-Ease" from Prevail Corp to have on hand when acid reflux symptoms can’t be avoided. • Pro-biotics and Vitamin D are essential for improving both YOUR INTESTINAL HEALTH and your IMMUNE SYSTEM. • ASK US FOR A RECOMMENDATION: Recommendation for Best Supplements:Why Antacids Can Make Things WorseMany people take antacids to relieve the discomfort of indigestion and heartburn, but these medications tend to make matters worse. Why?• Antacids neutralize the acid in the stomach, thus preventing proper digestion as well as interfering with the absorption of nutrients. This only leads to continued indigestion! • Antacids are useless for gas and bloating, so you will want to try supplements and an acid reflux diet to improve digestion. The most effective acid reflux diet, and remedy for gas and bloating, is to separate your carbohydrates from your proteins, and eating fruit separately. Even though this sounds impossible -- what, no tuna, egg or egg sandwiches? Suzanne Somers has perfected fine dining by as separating out carbohydrates and protein. The bonus? No more bloating and acid reflux, plus the added bonus of losing a LOT of weight! See: Suzanne Somers' Eat Great, Lose Weight The Most Common Cause of HeartburnWhen you have determined that too much acid is indeed your problem, here is what to consider next:Heartburn is caused when stomach acid refluxes -- backs up -- into the esophagus. A STOMACH VALVE PROBLEM INSTEAD? The most common cause of acid reflux symptoms is when the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), the valve that keeps stomach acid in the stomach, is weakened or relaxed and doesn't do its job properly. • Certain foods, such as chocolate, fried and fatty foods, peppermint, coffee, alcohol, sugars, can weaken or relax this sphincter, or LES. Exclude these from your acid reflux diet. If symptoms persist you will have to have your doctor rule out a hiatal hernia and acid reflux disease (GERD). Antacids Lead to Broken Bones: StudyLarge studies have found an increased hip fracture risk after just one year of treatment with antacid drugs.• These drugs, which include Losec, Prevacid, Nexium, Pantoloc and Pariet, are widely used and are potent acid-suppressing medicines. Hip fractures are a major source of disability, and they can be fatal: people who suffer a hip fracture have a 20 per cent risk of dying in the next six months. These pills are widely prescribed for peptic ulcers and acid reflux, or heartburn, and many people stay on them for years instead of finding a heartburn cure by changing to an acid reflux diet. • Taking these drugs for seven or more years increases that risk of hip fracture 4.5 fold, according to a study of 16,000 people, which appeared in the Canadian Medical Association Journal: lead author, Dr. Laura Targownik. Instead, doctors suggest that for milder cases of heartburn, over-the-counter antacids, or an acid reflux diet using milk or yogurt, may help, rather than the $1.1 billion per year spent in a country like Canada for these drugs (Losec, Prevacid, Nexium, Pantoloc and Pariet) called proton pump inhibitors. Dietary Supplements for Digestive Diseases• For digestive diseases such as GERD you will want to find out more about the protective role of cysteine-rich protein that raises glutathione levels or GSH.GSH is the body's protective molecule shown to be DEPLETED in these diseases. GSH protects the pancreas from inflammation and the large intestine (bowel) from colitis, inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease and cancer. • GSH also protects the esophagus from inflammation, so that it would be wise to incorporate into an acid reflux diet for such a chronic disease. Because GSH is depleted in these diseases you will want to increase the dietary pre-cursors needed, with proven pre-cursors. (Taking a Glutathione pill is ineffective, as it will get digested) • ASK US FOR SUPPLEMENTS FOR CROHN'S, ULCERATIVE COLITIS, CANCER, and INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE, and see also: • Crohns Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, Irritable Bowl Syndrome: New Health Discoveries Ask us for Supplements for Digestive Diseases:Ask us for a recommendation for clinically proven supplements for improving GSH glutathione for digestive diseases.Do GERD or Acid Reflux Symptoms Signal a Heart Attack?If with an acid reflux diet your symptoms persist, consult your health care provider.If the pain travels down your left arm, or if the sensation is accompanied by a feeling of weakness, dizziness, or shortness of breath, seek emergency medical help. • The early symptoms of a heart attack can be mistaken for those of indigestion, especially acid reflux and heartburn, and as a result, many people mistakenly dismiss them. • Adding fiber, fruits and vegetables as an acid reflux diet will also help protect against a heart attack and heart disease. Remember, that antacids e.g Losec, Prevacid, Nexium, Pantoloc and Pariet are among the most heavily promoted drugs on the market for heartburn. With more than $ 1.5 billion at stake, you are on your own for finding a better acid reflux diet to cure heartburn. • Womens Heart Disease: Different Heart Attack Symptoms? • Are Bleeding Strokes Warfarin Side Effects? • Dissolve Blood Clots Safely & Naturally? • Nobel Prize for Natural Heart Disease Cure? Heartburn Cure for GERD: Acid Reflux Diet or Antacids? Avoid Acid Reflux Cure Antacids that Boost Heart Attacks with Natural Remedies for Acid RefluxGO TO Health Discoveries HOME PAGE from GERD Acid Reflux Diet |