Ella
Acid Reflux happens when the muscle which makes sure food stays in your stomach. This muscle is called the esophageal sphincter valve, or LES for short. When the muscle does not close properly or opens up when it shouldn’t, stomach acid can move up into the esophagus. This is very unpleasant and will cause a burning sensation in your chest or throat. If it happens frequently, doctors will say that you suffer from Acid Reflux.
It isn’t dangerous but can indicate that there is something wrong in this part of your body, and you should get it checked out. Most of the time, doctors will recommend an anti-acid and ask you to watch your diet.
Symptoms of Acid Reflux
The most common symptoms are a regurgitation of food and a burning sensation. But, if your stomach is producing excess acid, you may also find you are suffering from bloating, frequent hiccups, and burping. Other symptoms such as nausea, sore and inflamed throat as the throat react to the acid. Weight loss is another associated symptom, along with dark stools and maybe even vomiting.
The condition can become severe if you take certain medications such as painkillers and even some heart medications, and it is best to protect yourself against excess stomach acid on these occasions.
When does it happen?
It can happen anytime, really, but the first time you may notice it might be after a heavy meal. When you have eaten too much, your stomach may not be able to immediately process all of the food, and it sends a bit back up. It is never a good idea to rush your food. Instead, take your time and eat your food nice and slowly. Don’t drink too much wine with your meal, as this can encourage the condition.
Also, remember that a lot of wines are rich in sulfites. These can cause many problems with digestion and encourage your stomach to produce more stomach acid. This is not what you need, so think carefully about what you eat and drink.
If you are the sort of person who has a nap after a heavy meal, you may find that it happens after putting your head on that pillow. It is better to adapt the ancient Roman fashion and have a nap sitting slightly elevated. This helps the LES valve to stay closed and allows the stomach to get on with digesting your meal. So, it is a good idea to have a nap after a meal.
Snacking before bedtime can cause a reflux reaction, and you want to make sure that you don’t eat fruit before going to bed. Fruit can be acidic, and even a glass of orange juice can cause Acid Reflux.
Fried food is another common denominator, and even grilled food can cause a reaction. For some of us, fried food and grilled food can just be too much to cope with, and you should make sure that you know what you ate when your reflux action happens.
Most doctors will ask you about your diet when you suffer from the problem, and it is a good idea to make a mental note of that before you visit the doctor. Sadly, they will often forget what they asked and go on to look for other causes.
What Is In My Food?
What is in your food that can cause a reflux reaction? Some doctors are a bit skeptical when it comes to naturopaths or natural medicine. Most of the time, I think that they have a tendency to overcomplicate things, and instead of asking a person what they eat or what medications they take, they look for physical problems.
Most cases of Acid Reflux I have come across have all been down to food or medications. Physiologists know that 99% of cases are down to food, medication, and food.
So, what is in your food? We have mentioned wine and that it contains sulfites, but the food is also full of artificial ingredients. These artificial compounds cannot be digested most of the time, and the body does not recognize them as food. They are known to cause excess stomach acid to be produced as the stomach tries to digest them.
Conclusion
While Acid Reflux is not such a big deal, however, trying to solve the problem is a much bigger problem and means that we need to take responsibility for our health.
