Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is a form of digestive disorder, which affects the lower oesophageal sphincters or the muscle ring present between the stomach and the food pipe. GERD incorporates the return of the contents of the stomach back to the oesophagus or food pipe. The functioning of the lower oesophageal sphincter is disrupted.

Causes

Hiatal hernia is a common cause of GERD. An unhealthy lifestyle and diet may also lead to GERD. Intake of an excess amount of chocolates, fried food, coffee or alcohol triggers the chance of a reflux. GERD also occurs in obese people and pregnant women.

Symptoms

Heartburn, also known as acid indigestion, is the primary symptom of GERD. The affected person may feel a burning chest pain which starts from behind the breastbone and reaches up to the throat. The feeling can be defined as food coming back to the throat with a bitter, acidic taste. The burning sensation may last as long as two hours.

Other symptoms include:

    Excess saliva secretion
    Chronic conditions of sore throat
    Laryngitis
    Gum inflammation
    Tooth cavities
    Unpleasant breath

In order to diagnose GERD, several tests may be conducted . They are:

    An X-Ray of the upper part of the digestive system.
    Endoscopy to examine the inner part of the oesophagus.
    Ambulatory acid test for monitoring the amount of acid within the oesophagus.
    An oesophageal impedance test to measure substance movement inside the oesophagus.

Treatment

    A person must make several changes to his daily lifestyle and diet plan for treatment of GERD.
    Food and beverages like chocolates, fatty food, coffee, alcohol and peppermint should be avoided in order to reduce the weakening of the lower oesophageal sphincter. Several food items irritate the damaged oesophageal lining and should also be avoided. They include citrus fruits, tomato and pepper.
    Smoking cigarettes results in weakening of the lower oesophageal sphincter and should be stopped to reduce GERD.
    One should elevate the head of the bed on which he or she sleeps on blocks measuring 6 inches. This reduces the heartburn as gravity minimizes stomach reflux to return to the oesophagus.
    Over the counter medicines can be used to cure GERD. Antacids are a good example and neutralize the acid in the oesophagus and stomach, reducing heartburn. Combining antacids with foaming agents is also effective. A foam barrier is formed over the stomach, preventing the occurrence of acid reflux.
    Medicines for reducing acid in the stomach are prescribed in cases of chronic GERD, which include H2 blockers by the likes of cimetidine, famotidine or nizatidine.

GERD is a digestive disorder, which causes disruption in digestion, as reflux from the stomach is returned to the oesophagus. Proper treatment measures should be taken.


Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)

The food you eat plays an important role in your gastrointestinal health. Some foods can be difficult to digest and lead to bloating and heartburn while others increase the healthy bacteria in your gut and make digestion easier. 

Here are ten things you should include in your diet for a healthy digestive system.

1. Bananas: Bananas help regulate bowel movements and help bind food waste together thus helping with irritable bowel syndrome and diarrhea. They also help restore the electrolyte and potassium balance in the stomach.

2. Oats: Oats are rich in fiber and low in calories. It is also a rich source of phosphorus, vitamin E and Zinc. Oats helps with the proper functioning of the digestive system and the extraction of waste.

3. Curd: Curd rice is the most well known home remedy for an upset stomach. Curd is a rich source of probiotics that helps restore the balance of healthy gut bacteria and eases digestion.

4. Coconut oil: Coconut oil is an excellent substitute for normal cooking oil or butter. Coconut oil has antimicrobial properties and fatty acids that ease the digestive system and boost immunity and energy levels.

5. Lentils: Lentils are rich in prebiotics and fiber. These prebiotics promote the growth of healthy gut bacteria and prevent harmful bacteria from causing stomach infections.

6. Ginger: Herbs and spices are very helpful with digestion. Amongst these, ginger is foremost. It can be used to treat a number of stomach infections such as bloating, nausea and diarrhea. Ginger also helps 
speed up the movement of food from the stomach to the intestines.

7. Vegetables: Vegetables are rich in fiber and probiotics. While beetroots help relieve constipation, sweet potatoes help treat ulcers and bowel problems. Other vegetables that aid digestion include cucumbers, tomatoes and carrots.

8. Brown rice: A certain amount of carbohydrates are essential for a well balanced diet. Brown rice has a high calorific value but is less fattening. Brown rice helps food move smoothly through the digestive system and hence promotes regularity.

9. Peppermint: Peppermint helps ease indigestion and symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. Peppermint can be had on its own as a flavoring agent in salads and on fruits or taken as a supplement.

10. Water: Water is crucial to healthy digestion. It helps smooth the movement of food through the digestive system and out of the bowels. Inadequate water is one of the most common causes of constipation. Ideally, you should have a minimum of 8 to 10 glasses of water a day.

10 Foods That Support Your Digestive Health

Foods That Make Your Stomach Bloat

Do you feel your stomach bloat after meals? If you notice, this doesn't happen after every meal? Only at times. And at other times when you eat specific foods. Well, there are foods cause your stomach to bloat, so the wise thing to do is to know about them and avoid them!

Here are a few of the biggest criminals:

1. Cold drinks: Yes, these carbonated drinks have numerous side effects on your health. One of them is that they bloat your tummy. Beer happens to fall in this category too.

2. Dairy Products: For the lactose intolerant, dairy products are almost like poison. The intolerance can be mild, moderate of severe, but one of the symptoms is gas. You can try to limit your consumption of dairy products.

3. Apples: Apples and pears are known to contain a high percentage of fiber. While they are important for us and should be eaten, if is good to know that they can affect sensitive tummies. Eat bit by bit, and if it helps, peel the skin and then eat.

4. Few Vegies: While they are excellent health foods, asparagus, cabbage and broccoli are the vegetables which cause gas in the stomach, which in turn leads to bloating of the tummy.

5. Sodium: Sodium is also another reason for bloated tummies, so it is advised to limit salt intake.

6. Fast Foods: Fast foods like sausages, fried foods, ice cream, sweetened products , etc are known to cause the belly to bloat.

7. Rice Preparations: Rice is known to swell up inside the stomach once it gets water, hence making the stomach feel bloated.

8. Hard Drinks: Alcohol is also said to add weight near the stomach and make it feel bloated.

The 8 Foods That Bloat Your Belly!

Foods that make your stomach bloat

Do you feel your stomach bloat after meals? if you notice, this doesn't happen after every meal? only at times. And at other times when you eat specific foods. Well, there are foods cause your stomach to bloat, so the wise thing to do is to know about them and avoid them! 

Here are a few of the biggest criminals:

1. Cold drinks: yes, these carbonated drinks have numerous side effects on your health. One of them is that they bloat your tummy. Beer happens to fall in this category too.

2. Dairy products: for the lactose intolerant, dairy products are almost like poison. The intolerance can be mild, moderate of severe, but one of the symptoms is gas. You can try to limit your consumption of dairy products.

3. Apples: apples and pears are known to contain high percentage of fiber. While they are important for us and should be eaten, if is good to know that they can affect sensitive tummies. Eat bit by bit, and if it helps, peel the skin and then eat.

4. Few veggies: while they are excellent health foods, asparagus, cabbage and broccoli are vegetable which cause gas in the stomach, which in turn leads to bloating of the tummy.

5. Sodium: sodium is also another reason for bloated tummies, so it is advised to limit salt intake.
6. Fast foods: fast foods like sausages, fried foods, ice cream, sweetened products, etc are known to cause the belly to bloat.

7. Rice preparations: rice is known to swell up inside the stomach once it gets water, hence making the stomach feel bloated.

8. Hard drinks: alcohol is also said to add on weight near the stomach and make it feel bloated.


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Bloating isn't a medical condition. It doesn't necessarily mean that a person has eaten too much. It can be a case of eating wrong food which has not been digested by the body. Bloating occurs when air and water get trapped inside the stomach or intestine. As a result, the stomach gets swollen well past its normal level.

Culprits of bloating:
Bloating can result from a number of cases. Fatty or junk foods are one of the biggest culprits of bloating. It hinders the digestion process and doesn't let the stomach empty on time. Carbohydrates too can cause bloating. Even carbonated drinks can play spoilsport. It creates bubbles in the stomach leading to indigestion and bloating. Some food items related to gas include cauliflower, lettuce, hard candy, beans, Brussels sprouts, broccoli etc. Apart from this, consumption of excessive junk food and soft drinks can lead to bloating.

Steps to avoid bloating:
The best way to avoid bloating is to refrain from bloat causing foods as mentioned earlier. If you wear dentures, it should be ensured that it fits properly. There are instances when excess air gets inside the stomach due to an improper fixture of denture leading to bloating. Eating or drinking slowly is another good way of staying away from bloating. When you eat slowly, there are fewer chances of extra air getting inside the stomach. In the case of beverage consumption, avoiding the straw is a good idea. This way the unwanted air cannot make their way inside the tummy and play foul.

Taking a small walk after every meal is another good way of staying away from bloating. This way the gas inside the tummy cannot rise above the surface. The practice of calming technique such as yoga, deep breathing and meditation also goes a long way in giving relief from bloating.

Some home remedies to get rid of bloating include:
a. A cup of ginger, lemon and honey in a cup of hot water once everyday
b. 1 cup of herbal peppermint tea freshly prepared in boiled water
c. In the case of regular stomach bloating, intake of one caraway seed on a daily basis fetches immediate results
d. Consumption of a cup of baked pumpkin twice a week
e. Consumption of warm lemon water before you start your day is another good way of keeping bloating at bay.

Bloating can also be a symptom of other intestinal related problems as well. If the general method of control and measured diet doesn't suffice, it is time to visit a doctor to find the underlying cause of your problem. Doctors perform a series of tests to understand the problem and prescribe the required medicine to control or cure the problem.

Bloating: The Causes & Solutions

A stressful event like speaking in public, going to a job interview can give you butterflies in your stomach that may literally make you want to run to the bathroom. Stress affects every aspect of our lives including digestion. This includes indigestion, heartburn and irritable bowel syndrome. When put in a stressful situation, the body releases hormones known as corticotropin-releasing hormone or CRH. This, in turn, signals the adrenal gland to pump out adrenaline and steroids that help with the body's flight or fight response. Here are a few ways stress affects the gastrointestinal system.Here are a few ways stress affects the gastrointestinal system.

Stress kills appetite: Stress eating is a real problem that results from the contradictory reactions of hormones. The hormones released by stress kill a person's appetite, but at the same time, the steroids released by these hormones make the person crave unhealthy foods like ice-cream, chocolate or potato chips. These foods aren't easy to digest and can cause indigestion, gas buildup and heart burn.
Stress leads to ulcers: Ulcers are caused by bacteria, but stress strengthens the infection and disturbs the balance of hydrochloric acid and protective secretions in the stomach. This increases the risk of ulcer formation in the stomach. Once the ulcers are present in the stomach, stress can worsen the symptoms.
Stress alters the gastrointestinal pathophysiology: Stress can cause changes in gastrointestinal secretions and reduce the amount of oxygen available to the digestive system. It also impairs gastroduodenal motility and amount of enzymes being secreted by the pancreas. Additionally, it interferes with the passage of food through the intestinal tract and alters colonic motility. Stress also affects the absorption of nutrients from the stomach and increases the blood flow to the digestive system by four times the normal amount thus decreasing metabolism rates.
Stress affects irritable bowel syndrome: Stress in itself does not cause irritable bowel syndrome but can worsen the situation. This is because stress can make the colon contract and cause abdominal pain. These contractions are usually uncoordinated and can lead to constipation. It also makes the body more sensitive to pain thus increasing discomfort.
Stress lowers immunity: A large part of the immune system is housed in the gut. Stress reduces the secretion of enzymes in the gut and leaves the digestive system vulnerable to bacterial infections. By weakening the immune system in the gut, stress also increases the risk of suffering from infections in other parts of the body.

Stress & Its Effects on Gastroenterology

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