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Are you aware that 95 million people in the United States experience heartburn, acid reflux and other symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)? And with our fast-food diets, those numbers are increasing. No one can escape this malady: adults, children, and even infants are affected by or experience acid reflux, heartburn, or GERD. That’s why it’s important to get on a diet for GERD and learn what foods you can eat.
What Causes Heartburn GERD?
The physical cause of heartburn, acid reflux or GERD is when the lower esophageal sphincter (a band at the top of the stomach) relaxes, stomach acid bubbles up into the esophagus and literally burns it, thus the name heartburn
Trigger Events
Things than can trigger this back-flow of acid into the esophagus include eating certain foods that relax that sphincter. An increase of anxiety or stress in your life, lack of exercise, and a fast-food diet all are major contributors to a life lived with GERD. All of these events have an effect in the body-the body increases the production of acid, the lower sphincter releases, and a backflow of acid into the esophagus results.
Increased Acid Can Cause Other Problems
Recent findings show that an acidic condition in the body creates an environment suitable for the growing of viruses, certain bacteria, and cancer. There are also findings that tell us that the increase in the production of acid in the body can also be related to digestive respiratory issues (like asthma), kidney problems and associated heart disorders as well.
What Are The Symptoms of Acid Reflux?
Burning in the chest, a small tight cough, constipation, and/or diarrhea, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), fibromyalgia (muscle pain), difficulty in swallowing, increased headaches, vomiting, and insomnia, increased flatulence and burping, and a sour taste in the mouth are all indications that your system has become acidic and acid has invaded the esophagus.
There Are Natural Solutions
Why would you want to take medicines prescribed by a doctor, usually called proton-pump inhibitors, which are really only meant to be taken no more than two weeks AND can seriously increase acid production in the body?
Doctors routinely like to throw pills at physical symptoms; they rarely address the cause or approach healing from a “whole” or holistic point of view. If you find a doctor that does, stick with him or her.
Traditional western medicine systems are designed to keep you ill, not make you better. This is the only way doctors get paid: when you’re sick. And it’s the only way these huge pharmaceutical companies can continue making the big bucks. They pump out medicines that 1) Don’t cure the problem and 2) Lead to serious complications that must be addressed with ANOTHER pill that is twice as bad or worse.
On the other hand, traditional eastern medical practices are designed to keep you from getting sick, and these can lead to some pretty astonishing results. Go to an acupuncturist if want to achieve pain-free results almost immediately. You will be surprised. But go a certified practicing acupuncturist with some time under the belt.
What Foods Are You Combining?
Food combining is also a cause for acid production. Most people aren’t aware of the fact that foods fall into one of two categories (and sometimes in between) acid-causing or alkaline-causing.
You can eat acid-causing foods in moderation if your system is in balance. If it’s not, watch out. And when you combine certain foods, you can end up with a tummy ache that will send you howling.
Eat Smaller Meals More Often
And try and not combine foods. Foods that are alkaline based include the following:
Vegetables: Asparagus, Artichokes, Cabbage, Lettuce, Onion, Cauliflower, Radish, Swede, Lambs Lettuce, Peas, Courgette, Red Cabbage, Leeks, Watercress, Spinach, Turnip, Chives, Carrot, Green Beans, Beetroot, Garlic, Celery, Grasses (straw, wheat and barley), Cucumber, Broccoli, Kale, and Brussels Sprouts.
Seeds: Almonds, Pumpkin, Sunflower, Sesame, Flax, Buckwheat Groats, Spelt, Lentils, Cumin Seeds, or Any sprouted seed.
Drinks: Green Drinks, Fresh vegetable juice, water with a pH balance of 7.0 or greater, Lemon water (pure water + fresh lemon or lime), herbal tea, vegetable broth, non-sweetened Soy Milk or Almond Milk.
Whole Grains Any bread containing whole wheat grains will be immensely better for you than plain white bread.
Fats & Oils: Flax, Hemp, Avocado, Olive Evening Primrose, Borage, Coconut Oil, and other Oil Blends (such as Udo’s Choice).
A diet for GERD will consist of primarily alkaline foods until you get your acid production in control.
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Source by Jenny Long