Are you experiencing frequent and extended heartburn on a regular basis? This might indicate that you are having gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). It is a type of digestive disorder that affects your lower esophageal sphincters. The condition involves the return of the stomach s content back to your esophagus. Although heartburns are common, GERD involves chronic heartburns, which require an adequate treatment. 

Here the some important reasons why you should not ignore the symptoms of GERD:

Esophagitis: In case of GERD, the food, acid and digestive juices flow back from the stomach to the esophagus. This leads to irritation and swelling with time, which is called esophagitis. In case you have acid exposure in your esophagus for a few weeks, inflammation of the lining is indicated. This can be very painful and uncomfortable, making the esophagus more prone to scarring and further erosion.
Esophageal stricture: If esophagitis continues for a long time, scar tissues can lead to the narrowing of the esophagus. This is known as a stricture, which makes swallowing very difficult and painful. Large chunks of food may get stuck and you are more likely to choke while eating or drinking. You may tend to avoid food and water because of esophageal stricture, which may result in weight loss.
Throat and voice problems: Apart from heartburn, several other symptoms may also appear because of GERD. These are called cases of silent reflux where you may not experience heartburn. Instead, other issues are indicated which include voice hoarseness, voice changes, sore throat and chronic coughing.
Breathing problems: If stomach acid is inhaled after regurgitation, the symptoms of asthma and pneumonia may worsen because of GERD. Shortness of breath and breathing difficulties are likely, even without any lung problem.
Tooth decay: When the stomach acids and digestive juices go back to the esophagus and into the mouth, it leaves a sour taste. In case it occurs frequently, it wears away your tooth enamel and results in tooth decay. People experiencing acid reflux induced erosion may be unaware of the damage being caused until it reaches peak stages.
Esophageal ulcers: Stomach acid may result in the wearing away of the esophageal lining, resulting in ulcers and sores. These esophageal ulcers are different from stomach ulcers, which occur from bacteria. Patients with esophageal ulcers may vomit blood, and notice blood in stool. It is usually darker than its usual shade and may have the texture of coffee ground like particles.
It is important for you to visit a doctor immediately after experiencing the symptoms of GERD. This condition may cause severe distress if you let it advance, and hence, early diagnosis and treatment are very important.

GERD - Reasons Why You Should Not Ignore The Signs!

The only thing that can ruin a great meal is the feel of a bloated tummy afterwards! Usually any abnormal swelling or increase in diameter of the abdominal area is termed as bloating. The condition has become very common and is experienced by people around the world. Poor diet, sedentary lifestyle, high level of stress and need for daily medications seem to be making people more prone to this epidemic. It can sometimes also be a result of an underlying health issue that you might be unaware of. The good thing is that there are signs of it which can be watched out for.

What to Keep an Eye Out For: To start off, there is the sign which is considered to be rather obvious by many flatulence. If a person wants to get rid of flatulence for an extended period, he or she should consider this to be a warning.

Bloating itself can be a sign for other problems which are deeper. The prime example of this happens to be coeliac disease. A bloating of the stomach which is accompanied by pain and a puzzling loss of weight could be signs of this disease.

If a fever seems to keep recurring without a cause which is explainable, it could be a sign of bloating. As a matter of fact, this sign along with bloating also does signal some infection, which should be looked at immediately by a medical professional. Also, too much stress on a person could be a sign of impending bloating issues.

Getting Rid of Bloating: In order to cure bloating which is caused by flatulence, an easy and elementary solution is to eat your food slowly and to chew properly. In serious case, seeking adequate medical help is important.

When a person finds that he or she seems to be suffering from bloating very often, it is a good idea to maintain a food diary. This will help find whether there are certain trigger foods which cause bloating. The pattern can be discussed with your doctor and concrete steps can be taken towards a complete solution.

Simple lifestyle changes beyond the diet can also make a difference. These include correction of sleeping and eating habits of a person. You are also required to be very regular with this.

Bloating always has some signs which are associated with its causes so it makes good sense to be aware of the same as the saying goes, 'a stitch in time saves nine'!

Warning Signs of Bloating? How to Treat It?

Read to know why choosing diet drinks over regular beverages is not good for your health. The diet contains aspartame which is reportedly 200 times sweeter than table sugar. It adversely effects the brain, increases belly fat, headache, abdominal pain etc. 

Diet Drinks vs. Regular Beverages: Which is Worse For Your Health?

There has been an intense debate, which is in the loop for years and has been raging back and forth regarding the deficiencies of a vegetarian diet versus the perils of a non-vegetarian one. This heated debate is both accurate as well as unfounded. Probably, that s the entire reason it is still a debate. In fact, if you look into the diet of both groups, you will be able to identify the fact that, there is a space for healthy living in both.

Vegetarian Diet

In a vegetarian diet, the food intake of a person is confined to a large variety of foods derived from plants along with milk and dairy. And, any form of meat and products derived from animals are completely avoided.

Pros

Vegetarians have been noted to consume lesser amount of proteins, but they do not suffer from problems related to a high protein diet, such as osteoporosis (characterized by brittle and weak bones) and kidney failure.
The diet includes high level of antioxidants such as vitamin E & C as well as carotene, which is available in vegetables and fruits.
Additionally, they consume less amount of saturated fats.
Cons

Deficiency of vitamin B12 is common amongst vegetarians, as it is mainly available in meat, eggs and fish. Deficiency of vitamin B12 can yield rare symptoms such as increased fatigue, shortness of breath and a temporary loss of body balance.
Lack of protein, as stated above, along with iron and zinc deficiency is also common. 
Symptoms of protein deficiency can be troublesome and include signs like

Sluggish metabolism
Loss of body muscles (as the body tries to derive the regular protein intake from your muscles, thus making them weak),
Trouble gaining or losing weight
Persistent fatigue
Longer healing time in case of wounds and injuries
Pain in joints
Drastic changes in blood sugar level that might result in diabetes
A weak immune system makes you vulnerable to all kinds of diseases.
Non-vegetarian Diet

A non-vegetarian diet includes all forms of plant foods as well as foods and by-products that are derived from animals, such as poultry, fish, meat, etc.

Pros 

Vitamin B12 is present in adequate level since they are derived from sources such as meat, eggs and fish. Adequate intake of proteins is never an issue for  non-vegetarians
Cons

Meat products are loaded with saturated fats, which increase the risk of heart diseases. Studies have shown that people consuming non-vegetarian diets:
Have shorter lifespan and are more vulnerable to chronic diseases.
Tend to develop diabetes, heart diseases and hypertension.
Usually non vegetarians eat less amount of vegetables and fruits than what is recommended.  
If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Dietitian/Nutritionist.

Vegetarian vs Non Vegetarian Diet - Which is Better?

GERD or acid reflux is caused by the regurgitation of acidic liquid stomach contents back up into the esophagus. It is a long-term condition where stomach contents come back upwards from the gastro-intestinal tract resulting in either symptoms or complications. It is a commonly occurring digestion condition. A burning sensation in the chest is usually caused by acid reflux which radiates up from the stomach to the mid-chest or throat. This condition is also known as the heartburn. A sour taste in the back of the mouth is a common experience amongst the patients. Long term reflux of gastric contents causes the condition to become chronic which can lead to difficulty in swallowing. In some cases the erosion of the tract lining can also cause breathing problems.

Symptoms:

Heartburn is a burning sensation felt in the retrosternal area. Most commonly it occurs post-prandial or nocturnally. Consumption of fatty foods, spicy foods, acidic foods aggravates the condition. Burning sensation is relieved with antacids, water or milk.
Perception of gastric content reflux in the mouth or hypopharynx is termed as acid regurgitation. It is also known as water brash. A bitter or acidic taste is felt in the mouth.
Other symptoms include dysphagia, odynophagia, nausea, chest pain, dyspepsia, epigastric fullness, bloating, frequent belching
Extra-esophageal symptoms like chronic cough, hoarseness, laryngitis, dysfunction of the vocal cords, bronchospasm can also be observed.
Complications:

Peptic stricture
Ulcers of the esophagus
Metaplastic disease (Barrett s esophagus)
Dysplastic disease (Adenocarcinoma)
Laryngitis or bronchitis
Pulmonary disease
Fluid in the sinuses and the middle ear
Diagnosis:
The diagnosis of GERD is made by its most commonly presenting symptom- heartburn. To confirm the diagnosis of GERD, the physicians treat patients with medications for suppression of the production of acid by stomach. If heartburn diminishes to a large extent by the medications, diagnosis of GERD is considered confirmed.

Conditions like an ulcer caused by bacterial infection, mimic the symptoms of GERD. To get a clearer diagnosis, an endoscopy is then performed. The common diagnostic modality for GERD is Upper intestinal gastro-endoscopy. A tube containing an optical system for visualization is swallowed, the tube progresses down the gastrointestinal tract, and then the lining of the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum can be examined. A normal esophagus is observed in most patients with symptoms of reflux. 

However, sometimes the lining of the esophagus appears inflamed. If erosions (superficial breaks in the esophageal lining) or ulcers (deeper breaks in the lining) are seen, a diagnosis of GERD can be made definitely. Other complications of GERD like ulcers, strictures, and Barrett's esophagus are also identified. Biopsies also may be obtained. Other common problems that may be causing GERD like symptoms can be diagnosed (for example ulcers, inflammation, or cancers of the stomach or duodenum) with EGD. Previously, barium meal x-ray was undertaken to diagnose GERD. It is now discontinued.

Other tests that are carried out are esophageal acid testing, esophageal motility testing, gastric emptying studies and acid perfusion test.

Treatment:

Lifestyle modifications   Avoiding acidic foods, quitting smoking, weight loss, abstaining from alcohol consumption improves symptoms in people with GERD.
Medications   Proton pump inhibitors (Pantoprazole, Omeprazole, Rabeprazole), H2 receptor blockers (Ranitidine, Cimetidine) and antacids.
Surgery   In cases where the proton pump inhibitors are unsuccessful in relieving symptoms of GERD, a surgical procedure called Nissen fundo-plication is done.

GERD - Complications Associated With It!

Over the past several years, the prevalence of GERD (Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease) has increased in our communities due to unhealthy lifestyle and that can potentially lead to serious medical complications if left untreated. 

GERD is characterized by symptoms and/or tissue damage that results from repeated or prolonged exposure of the lining of the esophagus to acidic contents from the stomach and occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) does not seal off the esophagus from the stomach.

The two most frequently reported symptoms of GERD are heartburn, which can be described as a burning discomfort that begins behind the breastbone and radiates to the neck and throat, and acid regurgitation, which is characterized as a bitter, sour tasting fluid. One out of five people experience heartburn or acid regurgitation on a weekly basis and two out of five people experience heartburn or acid regurgitation at least once a month.

However, some patients may present with atypical symptoms such as a cough, asthma, laryngitis, or chest pain, and other patients with GERD experience no symptoms at all. 

Causes

1) Eating food while not feeling hungry
2) Eating in haste and in indigestion
3) Eating stale food
4) Eating spicy, hot  & tangy, fermented, stale food on a regular basis.
5) Excess consumption of tea, coffee
6) Sleeping immediately after meals
7) Drinking alcohol & smoking in excess
8) Mental stress
9) Staying awake at night, disturbed
sleep
10) Eating late at night.

Signs and symptoms:

Difficulty in swallowing
Regurgitation of food
Belching
Bitter taste in mouth
Discomfort or pain in upper abdomen
Dry cough
Anorexia ( loss of appetite )
Excessive thirst
Heartburn especially after meals and at night
Loss of taste
Nausea & vomitting
Bloating
Giddiness
Treatment in Ayurveda focuses on:

1) Improving appetite
2) Help nourishment of body
3) Regulating the acid metabolism in the body
4) Improve the ability of digestion & absorption
5) Treat inflammation and cause healing of the digestive tracts
6) Protecting the intestinal layers from ill effects of acid 

Do's & Don'ts for GERD:

Do's

1) Eat light to digest food
2) Eat only when one is hungry
3) Gap between two meals should not be more than 6 hrs
4) Eat fruits  daily 
5) Food good for GERD - Old caged rice, Jowar roti, Moongdal, Bittergourd, pumpkin, dates, pomegranate, Indian gooseberry,  Lemon, mint, mangosteen, turmeric, coriander, cumin, asafoetida, coconut, cowghee, cow milk, fresh buttermilk .
6) Drink lukewarm water half hour after meals
7) Walk after every meal
8) Daily exercise for atleast 45 min

Dont's
1) Very spicy & hot, excessive consumption of chillies & curd
2) Excess tea, coffee & fermented food
3) Excess stress & negative thinking
4) Sedentary lifestyle
5) Excess smoking & drinking
6) Drinking excessive water 
7) Sleeping immediately after meals
8) Sleeping in the afternoon
9) Staying awake late night

Symptoms of GERD are very commonly found in the population. If it is not taken care of, it can lead to complications like Barrett's oesophagus, oesophagitis, ulcers, Ca oesophagus, bleeding, scarring and difficulty in swallowing. Ayurveda has a complete holistic approach in treating GERD. Treating on time helps in avoiding complications in future.

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease And Ayurveda!

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