Monday, July 18, 2011

Herbal remedy for acid reflux that spells relief

An Herbal Remedy for Acid Reflux makes sense so you do not have to live with the discomfort you are having now.

Does your morning coffee cause you pain? Are you frustrated when a night out dining with friends ends in hardship instead of relaxed conversation? Do you spend more time than you would like checking out the ant-acids at the candy counter? Start thinking of using an herbal remedy for acid reflux to relieve you of the pain.

Acid reflux occurs when the acid content of the stomach makes its way back into the esophagus. A burning sensation and even a bitter taste are experienced by heartburn sufferers.

If you are suffering more than twice a week you may have acid reflux disease - also known as GERD. Why is this imperative?

GERD (Gastroesophageal reflux disease) does not all cause all heartburn. Heartburn can be initiated by a variety of factors but if you have regular episodes of heartburn there are things you can do to help. Heartburn is one of the symptoms of acid reflux.

If you have regular heartburn the first thing you should do is stay away from regular use of antacids. Antacids can relieve the pain of occasional heartburn, but because they are designed to neutralize the acids in your stomach they can concern the stomach to create MORE acid - a cycle called 'acid rebound'. Some medications can also cause diarrhea or constipation or even increase the risk of food poisoning by inhibiting the increase of good bacteria.

Some foods such as caffeine, alcohol, citrus, chocolate, minty, spicy or tomato-based foods as well as fatty or fried foods, onions or garlic can initiate a bout of acid reflux.

Being overweight or smoking also increases the risk of GERD and lifestyle changes may help to control the symptoms. Almost anyone is at risk. But it should be noted that pregnant women, children, overweight individuals and smokers are all likely candidates.

Activities such as lying down after a meal, bending forward, lifting heavy items or digesting large meals can bring acid reflux on. Avoiding these activities after a meal, eating smaller portions and raising the head of your bed several inches may help.

Young babies have immature digestive systems. National Digestive Diseases (NDDIC) says that most children outgrow GERD by the time they are one year old. However, because the symptoms are punishing precautions like frequent burping and keeping the infant upright for 30 minutes after eating can reduce the occurrence.

Older children may have to take similar precautions in diet and activity as adults. You should always discuss withlt}} your doctor when you suspect GERD to avoid future complications.

Being overweight or pregnant increases the pressure in the abdomen. 25% of pregnant women experience heartburn at some time during their pregnancy.

If you suspect GERD it is important to contact your doctor as there can be harmful side effects of persistent heartburn including scaring of the esophagus, asthma, erosion of the teeth and even worsened risk of esophageal cancer. Frequent, persistent heartburn can also be a symptom of other serious conditions and should be checked on by a professional.

Widely used heartburn and ulcer drugs such as Nexium, Pepcid and Prilosec can make people more susceptible to pneumonia, probably because they reduce germ-killing stomach acid, Dutch researchers found in a study of more than 300,000 patients.

Some natural products such as orange peel extract are being researched for their abilities to curb heartburn.

There are three herbs that are well known for soothing stomach muscles which are chamomile, gentian, and ginger. If your problem does not respond successfully to natural remedies within a few days, please see your health care provider.

In today's world more and more herbal remedies are being accepted. The need for many people to move away from drugs is at hand. For some individuals the drugs that are being taken for other ailments are not mixing well with the drugs for the new illness. An herbal remedy for acid reflux restores what you lack.

In closing an herbal remedy for acid reflux makes sense. It is the safer way to treat your body.

Celiac Disease In Toddlers

Celiac Disease affects people of all ages, even toddlers. This disease attacks the small intestine and will not allow it to absorb certain nutrients. Gluten is the culprit and it is found in pizza crust, bread, cookies and other foods that contain wheat, rye, or barley.

Celiac Disease in toddlers might be more common than you think. If you have a child who is not growing normally, has bowel issues, slow hair growth, is moody, has eczema, is extra thin, then you may want to consider a gluten free diet for your child. It is best to figure this out at an early age so that no more damage can be done to the small intestine.

As my son started eating solid foods, we noticed that he started to get really thin. Our pediatrician was concerned because his growth had flattened out. He had really bad eczema flare ups all over his body and on his face. His hair was coming in very slow as were his teeth.

After seeing a growth specialist, Celiac Disease was mentioned as a possible reason as to why my son's growth was stunted. His blood test did not show Celiac but because he had no appetite, he was only drinking milk for the days leading up to the doctor's visit. Gluten needs to be consumed for it to show up, and even then it may not be the most accurate test. What the test did show was that his nutrition levels were all very low which is an indicator of Celiac Disease.

After changing his diet, our follow up visit with the doctor convinced him that Celiac Disease was the reason for the growth and other health issues. He could not believe how much better my son looked in 3 months.

Celiac Disease in toddlers can be tough to deal with if you don't know where to start. Educating yourself about which foods contain gluten, and how to keep your kitchen gluten free are essential. Pediatricians don't always know much about this disease and may think that your child just has a food allergy.

If your child has some or all of these symptoms then changing his or her diet is a good place to start. If you don't see results then at least you can rule Celiac out. But if you do get results, then you know that simply changing your child's eating habits are what is needed and not something more serious.