Heartburn / Acid Reflux

Ginger Tea Helps Digestive Problems

Ginger is a fairly well known root, used in preparing many dishes.  I even had ginger pancakes when I was in Holland (can't say that I was a big fan, but they certainly were memorable).  But did you know ginger can help with digestive ailments?  Here's what Anil Minocha, M.D. has to say in Natural Stomach Care:

"Ginger--This ubiquitous and delicious root helps just about any digestive problem you can think of.  Use it as a general stomach tonic, as an anti-inflammatory for the bowels, as a digestive stimulant, and as an aid for leaky gut.  Westerners prefer the dried or crystallized root, but the more potent form is prepared the Eastern way by purchasing a stalk of fresh ginger root, peeling, slicing a one-inch piece into several smaller pieces, and boiling for twenty minutes.  Add some honey and drink a cup of fresh ginger tea twice a day."

--pg. 305 of Natural Stomach Care: Treating and Preventing Digestive Disorders with the Best of Eastern and Western Healing Therapies

Avoiding Heartburn Over the Holidays

There always seem to be a lot more fatty and sugary foods around the holidays than are good for you, and for some, they can lead to heartburn troubles.  According to a news article on "Avoiding Holiday Heartburn," foods full of fat and sugar can "trigger acid reflux because they weaken the esophageal sphincter. This muscle at the end of the esophagus acts as a one-way valve to the stomach. Normally, this muscle relaxes when you swallow to let food enter your stomach. It closes to prevent stomach acid from reentering the esophagus."  In addition, foods full of fat tend to sit in the stomach longer, which can contribute to acid reflux.

The answer is to simply eat in moderation and avoiding filling yourself to a level of discomfort.  Also make substitutions for fatty foods when possible (let veggies take up a large portion of your plate, with stuffing, fatty meats, butter, and calorie-laden sides being kept to small servings).  Just take a single small slice of pumpkin pie instead of 1/4 of the pie.  If you're having turkey, choose the light meat (very low in fat) over the dark meat.  Skip the second servings (you can always eat a small meal of leftovers later if you are hungry then).  And just because this is a holiday doesn't mean you shouldn't get some exercise.  A half hour walk after dinner can help food digest and stave off heartburn symptoms.

Caffeine May Cause Heartburn

I was reading through an article on the side effects of caffeine (one of the things I'm having a hard time giving up completely is my diet coke--I'm still drinking about a can or bottle a day), and it doesn't look like small dosages bother most people, but apparently if you consume a lot of caffeine (i.e. 1000 mg or about ten 6-oz cups of coffee a day), then it could cause heartburn. 

Other side effects at that dosage can be problems with conception and bowel irregularity.  Even people who drink less aren't off the hook for side effects.  Those who consume 250 mg a day, may experience insomnia, restlessness, irritability, nervousness, headaches, hand tremors, extra heartbeats and an inability to concentrate.

Though I don't think many of us are willing to give up our caffeine beverage of choice (whether it's diet coke with lime, or the more popular coffee drinks), it's definitely a good idea to limit intake if possible...

Source: Caffeine from UM University Health Service

Diet Changes Are Helping

Okay, I haven't posted in a while, but I have some good news (for me, at least).  After fussing around and going half way with dietary changes (my nutritionist had me tested for food allergies, then told me to eliminate those foods I tested positive for -- gluten, dairy, eggs -- and I did that), I decided to try something a little more decisive.  I had eliminated the foods I wasn't supposed to eat, but I'd kind of found substitutes (gluten-free breads and sweets, soy milk/yogurt, etc.) and I wasn't seeing much improvement.

About a month ago, I stumbled across a book called the Paleo Diet, which talks all about how our modern foods screw up our bodies, and it's no surprise that we have everything from heartburn to heart disease to IBS to asthma and even acne. 

In this diet, you're supposed to predominantly eat lean meats and fish, vegetables, and fruit.  You can sprinkle in a few nuts and oils (healthy oils like olive, walnut, and flaxseed) here and there, but you don't eat any grains, processed foods, sweets, etc.

It's a very radical change, but it does make sense if you think about it.  People evolved eating meats, fish, veggies, and fruit and very little else.  It's what we're built to utilize.

Anyway, it's been hard changing my diet, and honestly I've only been doing it right for about two weeks, but I'm definitely noticing some changes.  I've been sleeping very well at night, falling asleep almost right away (I used to lie awake, just waiting for the heartburn/acid reflux.)  I also haven't had any of that traditional burning acid feeling that we associate with heartburn.

I'm not 100% yet (I still feel a little gas pressure in my chest, especially when I lie down), but I've seen positive enough results that I'm going to stick with this for a while.  I'm sure it takes time to heal damage from years of poor dietary choices.

The diet is supposed to be a permanent lifestyle change (the hardest thing for me is giving up sweets and bread), but you are allowed a couple of cheat meals ("open meals") a week, so you can still have your favorites once in a while.

For those who want more information, the book is available from Amazon: The Paleo Diet: Lose Weight and Get Healthy by Eating the Food You Were Designed to Eat

Avoid Tomatoes if You Have Indigestion Problems

Tomatoes are one of the most popular vegetables in the U.S., but did you know that until 80 years ago, they were regarded as an oddity or even poisonous?  Though they have some useful vitamins and nutrients, they actually contain solanine (a glycoalkaloid poison found in species of the nightshade family).  This substance can upset your calcium balance, so tomatoes should be avoided by people with arthritis or osteoporosis. 

Here's what The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia has to say about them:

"Tomatoes are on the macrobiotic 'use almost never' list because they are too yin, too acidic, and therefore--with long term use--weakening to the gastrointestinal tract... The acids of green tomatoes are especially detrimental to the kidneys."

Clearing Your Throat--Not Allergies But Acid Reflux?

If find yourself clearing your throat a lot, and you don't have a history of allergies, and you're not recovering from a cold, it could be a symptom of acid reflux.  Most people associate acid reflux with symptoms of heart burn, but you could actually have laryngopharyngeal reflux, or LPR.  This happens when small amounts of acid escape into the esophagus and splash down the windpipe, or pharynx, which causes tissue injury--especially to the voicebox, or larynx.  Doctors say that less than 14% of patients with LPR experience heartburn.   However, this is still a serious condition, and you should see a doctor.

Aside from frequent throat clearing, other symptoms of laryngopharyngeal reflux can include hoarseness, chronic cough, asthma (especially if you didn't have childhood asthma), tenderness in the voicebox region, and changes in the voice.

Source: "Clearing of Throat; Acid Reflux Linked"