Effectively Manage Acid Reflux Using Natural Remedies – Acid Reflux and Constipation, (Chicken or the Egg?)
Those suffering acid reflux often tend to also suffer constipation.
Researchers have often written this off as the side effects of acid reflux medications, specifically PPIs.
A new study published in journal Esophagus put this theory to a test and the results were quite surprising.
The Japanese scientists identified 179 people who had all been on PPIs or other acid-suppressive therapy for more than a year.
118 of these had been diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD): 83 with inflammatory erosive acid reflux and 35 with non-erosive reflux disease, with the regurgitated stomach contents being mostly nonacidic.
The remaining 61 subjects had been prescribed acid-suppressive treatment for conditions other than gastroesophageal reflux disease; we’ll call them the non-GERD group.
The subjects’ average age was around 69 years and the researchers excluded age, sex, and body mass index from affecting their results.
They found that laxative use for constipation was much higher in the GERD than in the non-GERD group, with 38.1 percent of the former group versus 21.3 percent of the latter group using them.
As they were all on PPIs and other acid-suppressive drugs, it was clearly not the PPIs that caused the constipation, and sex, age, and body mass index were also irrelevant.
This suggests that there is a relationship between GERD and constipation, but it doesn’t establish whether the former causes the latter, whether the latter causes the former, or whether they are both produced by some third factor.
There are some good reasons to suspect that the two may be brought on by the same unhealthy eating habits and that typical remedies for constipation can clear up both.
Effectively Manage Acid Reflux Using Natural Remedies – For Acid Reflux, No One is Too Young
Is it true or just plain misconception that acid reflux affects only stressed out adults and not youngsters?
Studies show that the above statement is just a misconception, and that more than 5% of youngsters in the age bracket of 10 to 17 years suffer from acid reflux. And the figure continues to increase in the age bracket of 18-25 years.
The ‘Ashlee Simpson incident’
Doctors knew all along that kids too can suffer from acid reflux, but the general public became aware of this fact only when pop star Ashlee Simpson was reported to be suffering from acid reflux. While performing on Saturday Night Live in October 2004, her condition became so bad that she had to lip-sync her own song on live TV. Ashlee’s representatives claimed that acid reflux had caused damage to her vocal cards. She was all of twenty years old at the time.
While Simpson’s detractors naturally rebuked the claim and said that this was just an excuse, the incident drove home one important message: acid reflux doesn’t discriminate, at least not on the basis of age, and strikes youngsters and adults alike.
What causes acid reflux in young adults?
Research points out that the exact cause of acid reflux is not the same for everyone. Generally, in young adults, the cause of acid reflux is not based on some physical conditions such as a poorly functioning stomach valve or hiatal hernia.
Some causes of acid reflux in youngsters are:
- Allergies
- Chronic ear infections
- Alcohol
- Smoking
- Poor diet
- Excessive exercise or lack of exercise
- Digestive problems
- Obesity
The condition of acid reflux can be controlled and treated. The key is to recognize the condition before it is too late. If you are careless in recognizing the condition, acid reflux can cause permanent damage to your esophagus and may also lead to other serious ailments such as respiratory problems.
Symptoms of Acid Reflux
To recognize the condition, you need to be aware of its symptoms. It is a cause of worry if your kid shows any of the following early symptoms of acid reflux:
- Pain or burning sensation in the chest
- Problem in swallowing food
- Regurgitation of gastric acid
- Vomiting
Acid Reflux and natural health remedies
Acid reflux is one of many health conditions that can often be effectively managed using natural health remedies. A balanced diet and regular exercise are two natural remedies that help not only in curbing the pain and symptoms of acid reflux, but also in dealing with the underlying causes of the condition.
If you wish to know more about how to help deal with acid reflux naturally, refer to our guide on Acid Reflux.
Effectively Manage Acid Reflux Using Natural Remedies – Research Shows Acid Reflux Treatment with PPI drugs Has Side Effects
Those who suffer from acid reflux know that this health condition typically reoccurs time and again if the root problem is not addressed. Acid reflux is a health condition in which the gastric acid produced by our body regurgitates upwards.
The most common symptoms of this health condition include: heartburn, pain in the chest or neck, and vomiting.
Allopathic treatment for Acid Reflux
The stages of acid reflux can be broadly divided into two categories: mild and severe.
While mild acid reflux is treated with antacids, in severe cases, the patients are given PPI (Proton Pump Inhibitors) drugs. PPI drugs make sure the body produces a lesser quantity of gastric acids. When less stomach acid is produced, the chances of stomach acid regurgitating towards the esophagus also reduces.
PPI drugs are used extensively to treat acid reflux. However, the latest studies show that these drugs are not free of side effects.
Side effects associated with PPI drugs
The two most common side effects associated with PPI drugs are:
- Continuous use of PPI may adversely affect the body’s capability to absorb calcium. This in turn can lead to weaker bones and put the acid reflux patients at an increased risk to hip fractures and broken bones.
- Reduces the body’s capability to absorb iron and vitamin B12, putting the patients at an increased risk to diarrhea and pneumonia.
The conventional treatments for acid reflux have some side effects associated with them and also deny patients the knowledge that this condition can be prevented, as well as controlled, by making smart lifestyle choices and adopting a healthy diet.
A holistic approach is productive for acid reflux patients
To treat acid reflux, adopt a balanced diet, and more importantly- adhere to it. Also, follow a healthy lifestyle and spend some time exercising or doing some other physical activity.
A balanced diet and regular physical activity go a long way in effectively tackling the condition of acid reflux, minus the side effects.
To learn how to effectively manage acid reflux using natural remedies, watch this video – How To Stop Acid Reflux | How To Treat Acid Reflux
Refer to our acid reflux guide to learn more on how to treat acid reflux naturally.
This post is from Scott Davis’ Acid Reflux Solution. This program helps you to cure your heartburn and acid reflux by using natural remedies to quickly heal your stomach without dangerous medicine or risky surgeries. It can also help you to remove some disorders of acid reflux such as constipation or IBS.
To find out more about the program, go to Effectively Manage Acid Reflux Using Natural Remedies
