Acid Reflux Heart Burn

Anna Hart asked:


Some people think ahead, and plan a drink with meals that will help avoid acid reflux. Others Wait, and look for a drink that will relieve acid reflux. Whichever your style, here are a few tips on what to drink for acid reflux.

Acid Reflux - What Not to Drink

There are four beverages you may want to avoid if you have trouble with acid reflux: alcohol, coffee, peppermint tea, and milk.

1. Alcohol: There is some debate about whether or not alcohol causes acid reflux. Some warn against all alcohol, while others caution only against a very dry white wine, which tends to have high acidity. If you have acid reflux on a frequent basis, you may want to experiment as to whether it is worse or better after drinking alcohol.

2. Coffee: There is an ongoing debate as to whether coffee is to blame for acid reflux. People have thought so for many years. In fact, people believed this so strongly that coffee companies finally decided there was a market for a “smoother” coffee that did not cause acid reflux. A relatively recent study by Stanford University researchers, however, found no scientific evidence to support the notion that eliminating coffee gives relief from acid reflux. The study, which appeared in the May 2006 issue of “The Archives of Internal Medicine,” evaluated published medical reports from 1975 to 2004 on heartburn.

3. Peppermint: Many people suggest avoiding products containing peppermint. Peppermint tea, which sounds so soothing, can increase acid reflux. Peppermint appears to permit the passage of acid from stomach to esophagus.

4. Milk: Many doctors agree that drinking milk with meals may cause acid reflux in adults. Non-professionals believe milk neutralizes stomach acid, making it difficult to digest food. The result can be acid reflux.

Acid Reflux - What to Drink

There are a number of drinks you may want to try for acid reflux. Most fall under the category of folk remedy, but many people get relief with them. This information is for educational purposes only, of course. Please seek advice from your physician before drinking any of these.

1. Slippery Elm Bark Tea: Health food stores usually have slippery elm bark tea. Drink the bark tea with your meal to avoid acid reflux. Bark tea coats the esophagus lining, reducing its sensitivity to acid. If you want to make the tea at home, try to purchase the shredded bark. Use the inner part of the bark, and steep it in hot water for your acid reflux tea. This makes a thick beverage, with a consistency similar to runny gelatin. If it is too thick for you, simply add more hot water.

2. Ginger Tea: Ginger tea also is available in health food stores, and is helpful for acid reflux when used either with the meal or immediately following the meal. It is easily made at home. Use 1 teaspoon of freshly grated ginger root, or 1,000 mg of ginger powder. If neither is available, use ground ginger from the spice rack. Steep the ginger in 1 cup boiling water for 5 minutes, and then sip. Ginger is helpful for indigestion and acid reflux, especially if caused by spicy foods.

3. Licorice Tea: Licorice tea is also effective in the battle against acid reflux. Purchase your tea, or make it by placing 1 teaspoon of licorice root in 1 1/4 cups of boiling water. Turn the heat low, and simmer the tea for 10 to 15 minutes in a covered pan. Remove from heat, and stir in 2 teaspoons of dried chamomile. Cover and allow your acid reflux tea to steep for 10 minutes. Strain it before drinking.

CAUTION: NEVER use licorice tea for acid reflux if you have high blood pressure (hypertension).

4. Clove-Ade: If you prefer a cold drink rather than tea, you may get relief from acid reflux by drinking a glass of clove-ade. Simply add a few drops of clove oil to a glass of cold water. Stir, and sip the clove-ade slowly to offset acid reflux.

5. Banana Milk-less Smoothies: Bananas seem to be very effective as an acid reflux fighter. Bananas become a natural antacid in the body. Banana milk-less smoothies are a cool way to use the banana’s ability to fight acid reflux. Start smoothies the night before by placing 1 banana, peeled and cut in pieces, into a freezer container. The next day, put the frozen banana chunks in a blender with 3 cups of soy milk, 1 cup of frozen strawberries, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Add sugar or other sweetener to taste, and blend until smooth. Sip slowly to relieve acid reflux.

Heartburn, acid reflux, GERD, or indigestion: people have found relief for all of them by abstaining from drinking certain beverages, making a point of drinking other beverages.

Charles Stewart Richey asked:


Recent statistics from the US Department of Health and Human Services suggest that over seven million people suffer from severe acid reflux in the U.S. alone. It is estimated that over fifteen million Americans suffer from chronic heartburn, as well.

The incidence of acid reflux is greater in people over the age of forty, but it can affect anyone, even infants. Acid reflux affects people of every age, socioeconomic class and race.

Simply put, acid reflux occurs when stomach acid splashes up through the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) into the esophagus and throat. This reflux of acid can be the result of many things including diet, alcohol consumption, smoking, hiatal hernia, stress and even pregnancy. When this refluxed acid hits the tender lining of the esophagus, it causes a painful burning sensation in the chest and, or throat. Other symptoms include difficulty in swallowing (dysphagia), hoarseness, asthma and dental erosion.

If left untreated, this condition can evolve into more severe and life threatening diseases like Barrett’s Esophagus, which is a precursor cancer. In an attempt to avoid the more serious consequences of acid reflux, people are resorting more and more to pharmaceutical drugs.

There are three classifications of drugs which treat and acid reflux. The first of these are antacids, which neutralize the acid in your stomach and are at best only a temporary fix. They are loaded with harmful ingredients such as sodium and aluminum. The next group of drugs is called H2 Blockers. They reduce the amount of acid that the stomach produces and provide longer lasting relief than antacids. Finally there are the PPI drugs (proton pump inhibitors), which shut off the proton pumps in the stomach that manufacture hydrochloric acid.

PPI drugs should only be used for eight weeks, at most. It says so right on the package. Doctors certainly know this but allow if not encourage most patients to continue taking these drugs on a permanent basis.

PPI drugs actually shut down the pumps that produce the stomach acid necessary to digest and assimilate food. This is an essential function of our physical anatomy. Another point of concern is that stomach acid keeps very dangerous bacteria, which live in the stomach and intestines, in check.

There are, unfortunately, no studies that can determine the long term effects of these drugs. We do, however, know what the potential harmful side effects are and there are hundreds of them. They include: allergic reaction, back and chest pain, fatigue, fever, flu-like disorder, hypertension, constipation, GI hemorrhage, vomiting, tinnitus, anemia, vitamin B12 deficiency, weight gain, arthritis, fibromyalgia syndrome, anorexia, depression, dizziness, impotence, insomnia, migraine, visual field defect, menstrual disorder, asthma aggravated, pharyngitis, acne, taste loss, fungal infection and Barrett’s esophagus just to mention a few!

The medical community would have us believe that drugs are the only answer to the problem of acid reflux. Doctors are not taught nutrition or natural healing techniques in med school. As a result they depend on prescription drugs to treat the symptoms of acid reflux disease. They unfortunately know nothing about how to cure the condition itself.

PPI drugs are very big business. Annual global sales for PPI drugs alone reached well over six billion dollars in 2002. One can only guess what those statistics are today. One can only imagine the extent of the damage these drugs are causing people all over the world.

I am happy to say that we are not limited to pharmaceuticals in order to rid ourselves of the acid reflux condition. There are many alternative techniques and procedures which can be employed to accomplish that end. As a veteran of the acid reflux drug battle, I am living proof that one can heal themselves of acid reflux by using what I call natural medicine.

When I found out that my doctor had exhausted all possibilities of helping me, outside of the PPI drug regime, I knew that I was on my on. I had to heal myself. To my surprise, through research and study, I found that curing acid reflux disease is really quite simple.

With a few modest changes in lifestyle and with the help of several natural remedies, one can absolutely win the battle against acid reflux without the use of drugs.

There are many natural ingredients found in any health store, which can help during the acid reflux recovery period. Herbs, such as marshmallow, slippery elm and bladderwrack have wonderful healing properties. Aloe vera, licorice and natural honey can sooth the esophagus and assist in the healing process. Chewing gum between meals actually neutralizes stomach acid.

There are many simple things which contribute to the acid reflux condition which most people overlook; insufficient water consumption is one of them. Eating too rapidly and chewing food improperly is another.

Eating smaller, more frequent meals is helpful. Substituting Kukicha Twig tea for coffee makes the body more alkaline. Have fruit, like bananas and melons instead of cereal for breakfast. Snacks of walnuts, almonds and more fruit will keep you going throughout the day. At dinner eat lightly and at least two hours before retiring. You certainly don’t have to starve yourself, but try to stay away from those acid reflux “trigger” foods.

It does take a new approach to life, in general, to heal a stubborn acid reflux condition. Think of it as an exciting challenge. You will feel so much better and your health will improve. It will have been worth the effort.

In a society where convenience sometimes takes precedence over common sense, pills have taken the place of ancient healing techniques and natural therapies. Drugs taken on a regular basis can be more dangerous than the illness itself.

Take command of your health and use natural resources to free yourself of those acid reflux drugs.

© 2006 Wind Publishing

For free recipes, articles and information, visit: http://www.refluxgoneforever.com

Jc P asked:


I have acid reflux and its pretty bad. I know alcohol is not good, but i am looking for a drink that is better to drink than others with acid reflux, any ideas?

Groshan Fabiola asked:


Gastro-esophageal reflux disease, also known as acid reflux, is a physiological disorder that causes regurgitation of the stomachs’ content inside the esophagus and oral cavity. The disease generally occurs as a consequence of increased abdominal pressure, compromised activity of the lower esophageal sphincter (muscular valve that connects the esophagus to the stomach) or inappropriate diet and bad eating habits. Acid reflux has a pronounced recurrent character and it generates symptoms such as heartburn, throat inflammation and soreness, difficulty swallowing and difficulty breathing.

Common in people of all ages, acid reflux is a topical problem in present. Although acid reflux is not considered to be a serious affection, people confronted with recurrent symptoms can in time develop various complications. Sometimes, untreated acid reflux disease can even facilitate the occurrence of esophageal cancer.

The treatment of acid reflux disease generally involves medications that are aimed at controlling the stomach’s production of gastric acid. The most common medications used in the treatment of acid reflux disease are antacids. Generally prescribed for ulcer sufferers, antacids can temporarily relieve the symptoms generated by acid reflux disease as well. Antacids reduce the acidity of the stomach, thus ameliorating heartburn and other symptoms generated by acid reflux. Although they have limited action, antacids are safe and they can be purchased from any drugstore without medical prescription.

Stronger medications such as Pepcid, Tagamet, Zantac and Axid can provide better results for people with acid reflux. These medications act by temporarily blocking the stomach cells that produce gastric acid and pepsin. Combined with antacids, drugs such as Pepcid, Tagamet, Zantac and Axid are usually effective in the treatment of acid reflux disease. However, due to the recurrent character of acid reflux, patients often need long-term treatments. If over-the-counter medications can’t provide relief for your symptoms, you should see a doctor in order to receive more suitable medications.

Although acid reflux can be controlled with the means of medication treatments, in special cases the disease may also involve surgery. The surgical treatment of acid reflux is usually recommended for patients who need large doses of medications to relieve their symptoms. Statistics indicate that more than 80 percent of acid reflux disease sufferers experience a recurrence of their symptoms soon after completing the treatment prescribed by the doctor. Thus, acid reflux surgery is probably the best alternative to medication treatments, as it can permanently correct any physiological abnormalities linked with this type of disease.

The surgical treatment of acid reflux disease involves increasing the pressure at the level of the esophagus, tightening the walls of the lower esophageal tract or reshaping the esophageal sphincter. The medical procedures used in the surgical treatment of acid reflux disease are quick and reliable, and they involve few risks. Surgery is considered to be the best means of overcoming acid reflux disease in present.

If you want to find great information about many acid reflux subjects like acid reflux treatment, acid reflux symptoms, acid reflux diet or many more please visit us at http://www.acid-reflux-info-guide.com .

… asked:


occasionally I breathe in, and I get a sharp pain in my chest and I can’t move or breathe out fast until it goes away. I feel like I have to hold my chest, and I go stiff. I’mnot sure if that is what heartburn is. It usually happens near my rib.
Do you mean something like a side stitch, where you get that pain after you run? Well, I usually get those pains lower. These ones are higher, and not always near the rib. Sometimes it’s in the middle of my chest. Can’t explain it.