Health With Ganoderma

Heartburn, Acid Reflux, GERD: Serious Side Effects, Serious Consequences
heartburn-treatmentWhen does an upset stomach indicate more than overindulgence?

Answer: when it’s acid reflux. And Acid Reflux, also known as Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is a serious medical condition. Not only is it uncomfortable and painful, left untreated it can lead to ulcers, stomach cancer and cancer of the oesophagus. Treated in early stages, it’s manageable.

An occasional queasy upset tummy is one thing and mostly a result of overindulgence. Several episodes of this a week, over a period of time is quite another. Either you’re a serial bad eater and heavy drinker, or…guess what…you’ve got Acid Reflux!
Ouch, up it comes again. Why acid reflux occurs.

Basic physiology. Food and drink go from the mouth to the stomach via the oesophagus. Between them, lies a gateway - the Lower Oesophageal Sphincter.

This should be a one-way gate. But when it doesn’t close properly, a flow of gastric juice goes the other way. In short, stomach acid splashes back up irritating and inflaming the oesophagus causing heartburn.

The stomach, being made of stern stuff, is lined with special cells that prevent stomach acids and pepsin that digest our food, digesting itself! But the oesophagus doesn’t have these, and over time, this repeated splashing burns and scars the walls.

There are causes other than a faulty gate, including the inability of the stomach to empty itself completely, food sensitivities, inadequate enzymes, acid and mucus production, antioxidant imbalance, poor nutrition and excessive use of alcohol.

Quite a list, but in short, some things should stay down, not come back up.
Heartburn’s nothing to do with the heart, except you think you’re going to die!

Heartburn is called that because it’s a searing pain, akin to the symptom of a heart attack. Now, if you run along to the doctor, and find out you haven’t in fact suffered a heart attack, you could be easily lulled into a false sense of security. Not that you should feel secure with any strong pain, but there are people who live in a state of denial.

But beware! The risk of a real heart attack being dismissed as ‘just another Acid Reflux episode’ is quite real. And sadly it does happen - too often with fatal results.

So the message is, ignore warning signs at your peril!
The anti-social (and unpleasant) side effects: burps, coughing, wheezing and snoring.

Aside from serious conditions that can result from untreated Acid Reflux - and the pain of course - there are a few unpleasant side effects.

Some are social – sneezing, wheezing, burping and snoring (sounds like some of the 7 dwarfs) driving the people around you crazy. Others though, are more serious, like tooth decay, asthma, continuous coughing and loss of breath.

Acid reflux isn’t confined to your insides! Its effects are widespread.
And then there are things that go bump in the night.

Attacks of Acid Reflux mostly occur during the day, but when they happen at night, the symptoms are more severe. Though similar to daytime attacks, nighttime attacks include snoring, restlessness, fatigue and even abnormal breathing.

That’s because when lying down, gravity’s not on your side. The stomach acid is allowed a free run along your oesophagus (hence the increase in pain), and up into your mouth (hence the restlessness, and fatigue of a poor night’s sleep).

You can’t close your eyes and will this away! It’s only going to get worse.
Stomach ulcers used to be the province of tycoons (so the story went).

We know a lot better now. Stomach ulcers aren’t actually caused by stress. Nor by spicy food, chocolate, fatty fried foods and too much wine and beer. They’re actually caused when there’s too much of a good thing - in this case, a bacterium called Helicobacter Pylori.

H. Pylori occurs normally in the stomach, but extended vomiting and irritation of the stomach wall associated with frequent heartburn means the stomach produces too much acid. This eventually leads to ulcerations of its walls.

Now it’s a vicious circle. The Helicobacter loves these ulcers and thrives. It crowds out the stomach's normal flora, causing pain and inflammation, and making the ulcers bigger. Worse, it is shown to be the cause of gastric cancer.

It took some dedicated scientists to work this out. Now we’re all the wiser and tycoons can get on with what it is they do.
And the oesophagus doesn’t escape unscathed either.

There are a diverse group of organisms that thrive in the esophagus. You only have to look at what goes in your mouth and where’s it come from to know this to be a self-evident truth.

The oesophagus ordinarily has a lovely smooth cell lining. But in patients with reflux disease it’s transformed into an abnormal and coarse wall. That’s because lengthy vomiting continually irritates the lining of the esophagus resulting in a condition called Barrett's Oesophagus.

When bacteria in the stomach moves up and meets the now damaged oesophageal lining, further irritation and infection occurs, and with it, the potential of cancer. Though it’s not been clinically proved there’s a cause and effect link that bacteria inhabiting the oesophagus can cause cancer, it has been substantiated that it can otherwise cause a shifting of normal oesophageal cells.

And any shift in normal cells spells potential trouble.
So what do I do about curing my acid reflux?

There are several schools of thought. But natural remedies, prescription medicines, surgery, diet and lifestyle can all play a part.

Know what you’re dealing with first. Get a proper diagnosis. It’s a no-brainer and should be done sooner rather than later - before the condition becomes advanced.

Do you have stomach ulcers? Do you have a physiological problem? Is it diet related or genetic? These questions need to be addressed.

If the more serious Acid Reflux or gerd are diagnosed, you need to be ready for the long haul. But although medical and even surgical treatments may be warranted, a healthy diet is paramount.

Over the counter heartburn remedies like antacids, are quick fixes, but only relieve symptoms.

A better heartburn treatment is to add more alkaline foods like the super herb Ganoderma to the diet. Of course, recognition and subsequent avoidance of foods that trigger heartburn and gerd are another.

Whatever you do, just don’t ignore the early warning signs.
Lifestyle, posture and diet. Tackle heartburn on several fronts.

You don’t have to be Einstein to connect the dots. And many people who have heartburn or Acid Reflux are aware of what’s responsible for their symptoms.

So first steps first - reduce the acid in the stomach! An alkaline super herb like Ganoderma will help. But there are some extra steps to take.

Proper eating is one big factor. A large meal can trigger an attack by expanding the stomach and increasing pressure on the oesophageal sphincter. So it’s forced open and acids splash back up. Beat this by eating small meals at intervals instead of sitting down to a stomach-bursting feast.
Bolting food down stops the pre-digestion in the mouth, making the stomach work that much harder, pumping in more acid to cope with the workload. So chew your food properly.
Hunching over a meal squashes the stomach, forcing acid leakage (as does being overweight). So sit up straight - just like you were told to do as a little kid.
Certain foods are renowned for triggering attacks, so eliminate them! Things like spicy foods, chocolates, and fried and fatty foods. You can introduce small quantities back when your condition’s stable, but for now, give your stomach some relief.
Neutralise the excess acids by supplementing your diet with highly alkaline foods like Ganoderma and wheat grass. Especially good too are paw paw (papaya), fresh apples, whole grain bread, live yoghurt, garlic, parsley and almonds. In fact, eat lots more fresh fruit and vegetables generally.
Even if you’re not one for prescription medicines, don’t throw the notion away entirely. If your situation is serious, (such as stomach ulcers) you may need a course of antibiotics quick smart. Get good advice.
Stress does play a role. Just look at how a high stress scenario like public speaking can make some people physically sick. So try making lifestyle changes to help reduce Acid Reflux attacks. Go Zen, chill out, play with the dog or smell the roses.
Finally, maintain your body weight, avoid alcohol, caffeine and fizzy drinks and don’t wear tight fitting clothes around the waist. (no more skinny jeans for YOU). And definitely, don’t go to sleep on a full stomach!

Relief and repair of Acid Reflux starts with attitude, lifestyle and diet, together with a good dose of Ganoderma.