Acid Reflux, like an epidemic

I've really been wondering about the acid reflux disease/irritable bowel syndrome epidemic too. I think they have got to be related as your whole GI track is really one whole system. Anyhow I never thought about it or cared about it until a few months ago when I started suffering from both. It started out small, just waking up with acid in my throat here or there. Then in the morning after I'd eat breakfast I'd feel terrible indigestion and it was like I just couldn't digest anything and it would sit in my stomach forever and my throat would be all tight and uncomfortable. I started taking tums and rolaids and all that stuff and it didn't really help. Then I thought well maybe I am getting an ulcer so I stopped drinking coffee entirely. And stopped drinking wine or eating anything spicy. Still did not help. Then I thought maybe it was something else I was eating.. So I started eliminating things from my diet to see what helped or not..which was also a total crapshoot because sometimes I could eat something and be ok and other times I"d be up all night. The only times I knew I would feel ok is if I just ate steamed vegetables with no sauces or anything.. stuff like steamed squash and carrots. But who can eat like that forever right? So it was on and off for too long.
Then.. I should also mention I was REALLY stressed out at work at this time over one particular project. I was nervous all day at work just sitting in a cube and going home exhausted and just wanting to be able to eat something and relax..but I was afraid to eat anything and it was always hit or miss. I was so miserable. I was taking pepto every other day 'just in case' and then taking alka seltzer on top of that.
........I finally went to see a doctor and he told me that BOTH of these diseases are from STRESS and the medical community knows this. He said its from leading too hectic of a lifestyle, being stressed out and living life at too fast of a pace. As soon as I heard him say it that precisely I realized I had to consciously work on calming down and not getting so uptight about work. I made a serious effort to not sit there and hold grudges all day at my manager.. I started going for walks whenever I got the chance. I still watched what I ate, but I stopped taking the peptp and stuff becuase that was also throwing my whole system out of whack. Within about a month, the project I was working on ended......and amazingly all the stomach issues and most of the acid reflux issues also went away by themselves.
I still am wary of eating certain things and wake up sometimes with acid reflux if I eat too much before going to bed. I"ve particularly noticed that I can't eat things like sushi or soy sauce anymore because the salt makes my esophagus tighten up and start to burn almost instantaneously. No more salt bagels with creamcheese..the other day I ate yogurt and had indigestion for the rest of the day..so who knows! But its not nearly like it was before and thank GOD its over.
I"m not a doctor of course but I recommend to anyone that is experiencing these symptoms hard-core..that you re-evaluate what in your life is making you stressed out and also how much salt you ingest and if you are seriously overeating (as a way of dealing with the stress maybe hmm?) All of these things are recipes for disaster. Best of luck to anybody else who is suffering with this stuff.

Some things to consider. Eating cooked food can cause your body to have to produce acid to digest it. Ripe raw foods have their own enzymes in them, and require less or maybe no bodily enzymes to digest it. You can eat fresh ripe pineapple when you eat a meal of cooked meat to help in digestion for one thing.

Also, as allready been touched on processed foods can be a source of indigestion. These foods can also contain additives and preservatives that can wreak havoc on your digestion. Think about it, if something has some type of preservative in it, which gives it a long shelf life, how well do you think your body will digest this. This food has additives in it that keep it from breaking down, which is what your body needs to do to it to recieve benefit from it. Sounds like a clash to me.

The current supplementation I am doing is doing a sort of cleansing. I was eating smoked turkey ham the other day, and I realized just how nasty it was. It physically felt damaging as it went down my throat and into my stomach, a burning sensation. I guess it's the nitrates and smoked flavoring and everything that is the big problem.

Bottom line eat your food as close to its natural state as you can. Fresh salads, fresh fruits, etc. Obviously sometimes you cann't do that, but if you keep a good consistent practice of whole healthy nutrition you should be able to notice a difference. Organic food, free of pesticides and the like, can be helpful as well.

If you eat cooked food, consider using an enzyme supplement(s). I have used them safely for some time now, and have had decreased indigestion, and bodily cleansing. I eat them like candy, the ones I have taste like mints. Use caution with enzymes because there are instances where they may be unhelpful to a situation, like if you have ulcers, or are on blood thinners. Read the bottle they should tell you to ask a doctor about them in certain cases like this.

I don't see a doctor so I didn't ask anyone. Poor ol' sinful me, I never ask a doctors advice on my health. Of course I cann't recommend you do that though.

Personally, I think there are much better solutions than pricey harmful drugs and antacids.

Peace,

Troy

Just wanted to relay an acid-reflux story from my Family.

We got hit with a winter cold, my wife, being raised in Taiwan, a country with socialized medicine, followed her programming and went to the doctor. She was given some medecine..which caused acid reflux and vomitting, reporting this to the doctor, he gives her a script for acid reflux medecines, but the damage is already done, her throat was scarred by the vomitting, more drugs are given for that.

For a simple cold, that lasts three days, drugs were given 3 times, and more problems were caused by the drugs than by the original common cold.

A warning to all, if you are given drugs by your doctor, read up on the drug before even purchasing the script. You will find that many of the drugs on the market cause a dozen or more further complications. Dermatological drugs was the first time I discovered this, one rash lead to a dozen others...directly from the drugs I was given, it listed the additional diseases as complications of using these drugs right on the hidden "you have to ask for it" information sheets.

Originally posted by LadyV
Stress, Junk food, and a hectic life that causes us to eat too quickly! I have a real problem with this...I eat extremely fast because I am used to scarfing down my lunch at work in 10 minutes so I can get back to work, plus my job is extremely stressful.....

Right on the money. I used to have the problem because of low quality food, irregular eating patterns etc. I tried to lead a better organized life and it went away. Amen.

Guys, take the time to eat properly. No one should take away your freedom to sit down for around 30 minutes to an hour to properly eat your food, heck take at least 20 minutes. The time saved is not that significant. Then you sit there afterwords, uncomfortable, burping up half chewed chicken, and doesn't that cut into your moral and productivity? Man, just take the time to step away and nourish your body, it is your right, and nourishing your body is pretty much a necessity.

Troy

I find it interesting that you say reflux is a problem on an international level. Ive been thinking it may have to do with genetically engineered crops. I know Mansanto, GE and Biotech to mention a few are on a quest to experiment not only in the US but internationally. India just had a huge problem with Mansanto because of their deliberate and aggressive behavior when it came to pushing for genetically engineered crops. At the risk of sounding nutty, I think it has to be something that is new and unnatural. All of the other possible causes Ive read about have always existed except perhaps the newly lowered restrictions on poisons in our water but that would explain the illness in the US. Otherwise, overweight people, unhealthy eating habits, alcohol consumption, coffee and antibiotics have existed for a very long time. My uncle loves fatty pig meat, has cooked all his foods with lard and has had several cups of coffee a day for the last thirty years. Yet he does not have Acid Reflux. The only difference is he lives in Cuba and he is not exposed to Modern Western Science. Another factor I think could be artificial sweeteners such as aspartame which is a known poison and was denied for public consumption 16 times before 1981 when Reagans new appointee in the FDA allowed it for dry usage.
I was just diagnosed with AR after three weeks in hell unable to make my food stay in my stomach. Everything would come back up and sit in the back of my throat. No one could tell me what I had and so I lost my job, depleted my savings(no med insurance here) and lost 25lbs. (Im down to a size 2 and scared at this point). Finally, a doctor told me what it might be and put me on Protonix. I still have the symptoms although not as bad but the Protonix makes me itch terribly so my md put me on benedryl also. so now Im refluxing and doped up. I asked him how I was supposed to get a job like this he said choose between gagging on your food and being itchy and doped up. He says theres no cause, no cure and anyone can get it from an infant to a senior.
Thanks for the opportunity to share.

[edit on 22-4-2006 by nyfem]

Originally posted by RedBalloon
I'd suggest that diet is probably the biggest factor in GERD aka Acid Reflux. Fatty, salty diets with huge portions, to be exact. It so secret that an excess of these foods cause weight problems, and guess what group of people have a high incidence of GERD? The overweight. A lifetime of poor eating adds up and those over 50 have a heck of a time. Coffee, tea and alcohol don't seem to be so much a cause of GERD as they are aggrivators to a pre-existing condition. GERD, or acid reflux, is caused when the sphincter muscle that keeps food in your stomach weakens and allows food and acid to slip back out of the stomach into your esophagus.

The existance of hiatal hernias is also on the rise, and hiatal hernias are known to be a factor in GERD also. Hiatal hernias are born when part of your stomach protrudes up though your diaphragm up into your chest cavity and can store pockets of gastric acid. That acid then backs up into your esophagus, and that backup is again GERD.

I also wonder if the amount of time we spend horizontal also is a factor. Aren't those who lay around more usually overweight and like to indulge on less healthful foods?

Its not surprising that eating well and staying active is a way to combat GERD and just about every other disease or condition. Why is everyone so surprised that health problems plague Americans and are on the rise?

[edit on 6-3-2005 by RedBalloon]

Originally posted by nyfem

Originally posted by RedBalloon
I'd suggest that diet is probably the biggest factor in GERD aka Acid Reflux. Fatty, salty diets with huge portions, to be exact. It so secret that an excess of these foods cause weight problems, and guess what group of people have a high incidence of GERD? The overweight. A lifetime of poor eating adds up and those over 50 have a heck of a time. Coffee, tea and alcohol don't seem to be so much a cause of GERD as they are aggrivators to a pre-existing condition. GERD, or acid reflux, is caused when the sphincter muscle that keeps food in your stomach weakens and allows food and acid to slip back out of the stomach into your esophagus.

The existance of hiatal hernias is also on the rise, and hiatal hernias are known to be a factor in GERD also. Hiatal hernias are born when part of your stomach protrudes up though your diaphragm up into your chest cavity and can store pockets of gastric acid. That acid then backs up into your esophagus, and that backup is again GERD.

I also wonder if the amount of time we spend horizontal also is a factor. Aren't those who lay around more usually overweight and like to indulge on less healthful foods?

Its not surprising that eating well and staying active is a way to combat GERD and just about every other disease or condition. Why is everyone so surprised that health problems plague Americans and are on the rise?

[edit on 6-3-2005 by RedBalloon]

i weighed 125lbs at the onset of this illness, i neither ate nor fed my son fast food since the day he was born over 12 years ago and up until this illness I was walking or jogging with my dog daily for between 3 and 8 miles. so in my case the gerd has not been a product of being fat or lazy. i drank way too much coffee and had a high protein diet that at times was fatty but how do you explain small children that are being diagnosed with this illness. my doctor says his youngest patient with gerd is one year old.

I think it's all related to food allergies that have been artificially created from the oodles of toxins in our environment, water, and food supply. If the allergies are isolated and the specific food culprit(s) avoided, the symptoms vanish.

I had massive reflux and irritable bowel for 2 years, till my sister suggested it might be my diet. Stopped eating the thing that was causing the problem, and within about 2 weeks, things were almost back to normal. I lived on Mylanta II, rolaids, maalox and all that jazzola they use to give people for acid reflux. 2 Upper GIs and tons of antacids later, I found out it was iodine in egg shells (anything in a shell, contains iodine). Eventually, I could no longer eat peanuts or various other nuts as well, or any kind of shellfish, or even use betadine, topically.

MDs are really not very well trained in food allergies. That's a big grey area.

[edit on 22-4-2006 by undo]

A website I was at recently put up by a doctor that claimed expertise in this area claimed that acid reflux was in fact not that at all. It is caused by too little acid in the stomach whereby food is not properly digested. Since the stomach is not operating properly the valve between stomach and throat etc does not either.

That was the gist of what the guy was arguing. Myself I have no idea if this is correct or not.

denystatusquo,

it may be correct in some cases, but overall, i don't think so. a chiropractor i went to thought that was my problem and gave me hydrochloric acid tablets, which just made things worse. the only solution was to quit eating the thing i was allergic to, which at the time, i didn't know i was allergic to. the funny thing is the doctors put me on a bland diet, which contained the item i was allergic to. lol not their fault. they aren't trained in food allergies.

I've had irritable bowel syndrome since I was old enough to remember (I'm 42). When I was a young boy every year I'd have at least 3 bouts with strep throat and the flu or whatever. I'd always get a high fever and then I'd hallucinate wildly. I mean really flip out! It would only happen if I fell asleep with a fever. I'd awake to "unreality". Seeing giant chess pieces invading my bedroom, giant kangaroos, people morphing into animals. My parents used to have to hold me down and wipe me with wet, cold washcloths to break my fever. Well, after a couple years of this they took me to several doctors. One of the tests they did on me was hooking all those wires up to my forehead (EKG or EEG????), putting me in a dark room and asking me to fall asleep. They did brain wave tests on me and found out that my sleep waves were abnormal (beta, alpha, etc). They said that when I awoke in the wrong wave of sleep that that was when I was most prone to having a lower intestinal bowel attack. They said it's like having the lowest form of epilepsy. I would never experience a falling down, quivering seizure, but my lower intestine would. They said when this occcurs the rectum area shuts down and the intestine above it wants to move it out but the lower bowel/rectum won't cooperate. This is what produces the incredible pain and bloating. Your body is churning it back and forth inside.
Interesting, huh?

Wow i'm not alone ,I was diagnosed with AR and HH 8 YEARS AGO. I alway's hated taking pills but you got to take them to keep the acid in check.

I remember whhen i was young and in school i was constantly burping up acid ,i thought it was normal. I always ate good,and was never overweight.

Two weeks ago i was bored at work and was googleing every thing i could think of so i did a search on PROTONIX that is what i take.I was amazed to my horror that the side effects listed on this website did not match the script side effects-------rash,blood in stool,blurry vision,headach,numbness in fingers,this is the one that blew me away HYPOCOLESTORMEIA (SPELLING)

I had never had these symptoms in my life ,now i have them all.So i was so pissed off i decided not to take protonix ever again,,that lasted 8 days ,the pain in my stomach was so bad i thought i was going to die.
So i had no choice but to start the meds again.

Concerning these symptoms ,when i confronted my dr.about these symptoms he said non were from protonix even the skin dr. for the rash said there was no connection . Oh yea 2month's after taking protonix ,i was diagnosed with high cholestral which i believe is from that little oval yellow pill from hell.


I always had asked my dr. if there was a time limit to be on this medication and his answer was nooo. I believe i am probably a living lab rat for the pham companies since the script say's that trial's lasted 8 week to a year and i'm working on 8 years of this medication


Oh they also listed cancerous turmors on this site as side effects...

MY LIFE IS OVER

timoothy,

please do me a favor and try this out:

can you eat oatmeal? the old-fashioned quaker oats kind? takes five minutes to cook, but you can cook up a big pot of it, store the remainder in the fridge and reheat when ready to eat. oats are the most complete food you can eat. i think the only thing missing is high protein, which you can add by topping it with a sprinkling of shredded cheese or mixing in some organic milk (but you have to determine first, if your body is not allergic to the cheese or milk).

anyway, try eating only that and drinking only water. then once a day, include one food or drink, that you use to eat/drink before the oats diet, and see how your body reacts to that food or drink. if you're allergic to it, you should notice a change in the severity of your indigestion, bloat and so forth. don't drink anything with your meal. drink an hour before/after the meal. drink only water, unless you are testing a new drink for that day. on one of the days, don't drink water, but rather some other drink that doesn't seem to upset your digestion, to see if your water is the culprit or part of the problem.

initially, you may notice more bloat because oats are fibrous and people who have a messed up digestive system often have sluggish intestinal function. but if you stick with it, that will eventually iron itself out (unless you find you are allergic to oats or the sluggishness is related to something more severe).

when preparing the oatmeal, use a sprinkling of organic sea salt in the water. the best, readily available kind is "Celtic Sea Salt." make sure to keep a journal of what foods you have tried that didn't invoke a reaction and which foods that did. then simply avoid the foods that caused problems. you should eventually be able to tell what types of foods cause your stomach and perhaps nervous system, to spaz out.

here are a few common foods that induce allergic response:

1. eggs
2. nuts (this includes peanut butter, as well)
3. shellfish (this includes, shrimp, lobster, crab, oysters, snails
4. tomatoes and anything that includes tomatoes (ketchup, spaghetti sauce, salsa)
5. wheat (this includes breads and pastas made with wheat gluten)
6. corn
7. foods with specific types of food coloring, such as yellow dyes or red dyes
8. milk and milk products (lactose intolerance)
9. chlorinated or fluorinated water
10. coffee or caffeinated drinks, which includes caffeinated sodas like mountain dew, coke, pepsi, jolt, etc.

the list is much longer, but those are some of the main culprits. your body may differ. that's why it's necessary to isolate the problems, one food or drink at a time.


[edit on 23-4-2006 by undo]

Thanks undo ,i will try anything at this time .It's kinda funny that the dr.said i can eat anything while on this medication.You would think he would put me on a specific diet to cure this problem,but instead he jams these pills down my throat and tell's me i'm hooked on these for life.

thanks

timoothy,

you're welcome. also consider that continuously subjecting your system to something you're allergic to, creates an acidic environment, which leads to all sorts of medical problems. the oats diet with the celtic sea salt in the preparation water, will help reduce that acidity (unless, of course, you are allergic to the oats). most people with severe acidity find they can't wear jewelry that isn't 100 percent gold or silver because their skin will eat plating off jewelry. have you noticed this yourself? have you ever worn a piece of jewelry, such a ring or necklace, that was plated with silver but not silver all the way through, and 2 days later, you have a green circle around your neck or finger, where your skin has literally eaten the plating off the jewelry and the underlying metal is corroding?

EDIT: Whatever you do, don't stop your meds until you've verified with your doctor that you have isolated the problem and don't feel you need them, and heard what he has to say about it. He may encourage you to stay on them, cut back on the dosage, and then monitor your health to see if it's really true. Hopefully, the solution is as simple as a food/drink allergy that can be eliminated.

[edit on 23-4-2006 by undo]

Originally posted by dawnstar
there's a guy I was listening to, I believe he might have been on the art bell show, not sure...but he suggests trying to take a teaspoon of vineger when having problems with acids...
he take is that the anti-acids will kill all the acids in your stomach, and at least some are needed to digest your food. So, well, you stomach now has a bunch of food in it, with no acid to digest it...
which then signals the brain to produce acid in overdrive...

don't know, but it might be something worth trying....

Interesting post Tomorrow.
Lots of valuable information.

I took an early retirement from my job - which was usually a pleasure, but the last few months had gotten stressful.
One of those double-the-workload deals done by lots of companies and then they find the workload prior to was close to the limit.

The CEO and all got large raises, but that's beside the point here.


I notice that acid reflux hits me if I eat a lot of fiber.

Such as, cereal in the morning.

100% wheat bread sandwich for lunch.

And if dinner carries a lot of fiber, my acid reflux upon retiring for the night is higher.

Helpful things are less fiber and two pillows.
I've been thinking about raising the head of the bed up 2"- 4" to see if that helps.


I've noted in the past that I do better when I eat garden fresh tomatoes which adds acidity to the diet.
After remembering that - no garden this year - decided to try the teaspoon of (white) vinegar as Dawnstar posted above.

At first I wondered if it was the right thing to do, but after a minute of so things calmed down.
Symptoms were like a reflux attack, but dissipated quickly.

I slept well through the night and didn't experience reflux symptoms except for very mildly when I first laid down.
Didn't take long for it to go away.

I've read that many New Englanders serve a very small glass - not full - of vinegar with their evening meal.
Claims at the time were that they felt it was beneficial to their health.

I see TV ads that indicate you can take their advertised drugs/medicines and eat like a pig with no ill effect.
Those aren't doing the public any good and it behooves us to research and see just what does work for our own self.

For the record, I'm a little overweight - 195#, 6' tall - and eat reasonable quantities of food.
Fairly active as well.
My pal and I spend a lot of time exploring the desert in his Jeep - which entails some hiking when we get close to where we want to be.
I build and restore cars in my shop as a hobby.
As well as stay busy writing.

Seems to be lots of things that set off acid reflux. Good posts. One thing comes to mind from my own family history--continuing to eat huge farm meals while generations off the farm. I can remember Tums being a staple in the household. Now, my husband developed acid reflux--was it age, eating habits? Then he read about a girl's science experiment involving yogurt. He got to thinking about the water source at the last place he lived, so he tried yogurt (which he disliked, that's how desparate he was). It worked, after several cartons and several days.

Originally posted by denythestatusquo
A website I was at recently put up by a doctor that claimed expertise in this area claimed that acid reflux was in fact not that at all. It is caused by too little acid in the stomach whereby food is not properly digested. Since the stomach is not operating properly the valve between stomach and throat etc does not either.

That was the gist of what the guy was arguing. Myself I have no idea if this is correct or not.

Twice people mention "a guy," or "a doctor," when it was Kevin Trudeau who mentions it on his infomercial. A Google search will reveal either this guy is on the level, or some background check telling us he is no a nice person. Maybe he is a whistleblower, that's why all the dirt?

The book he promotes is Natural Cures They Don’t Want You To Know About. Regardless of what anyone says, every time I have a stomach acid problem, it goes away when I sip some vinegar. Maybe it is worth a try. Otherwise eating a little less might help.