This post compliments of Ben Rubin NORTH ADAMS —
Millions of Americans reach for Tums or other antacids every day for relief from heartburn. But that common ailment could be a sign of the more serious acid reflux disease, which affects some 10 million Americans.

Acid reflux symptoms include a sour or acidic feeling in the mouth, difficulty swallowing, chest pain, coughing and, most commonly, a burning sensation in the front of the chest. Acid reflux can cause teeth erosion and difficulty sleeping, and asthma in children,
Dr. Chi Zhang, a gastroenterologist at North Adams Regional Hospital since 2004, said 14 percent of Americans claim to suffer from reflux once a week. 7% twice a week, and 4% report a daily problem.

Apple Cider Vinegar

I know it sounds wrong, but Vinegar can actually help heartburn, as heartburn is sometimes caused by a LACK of stomach acid. Here’s a quote taken from another website:” Often, especially as we age, we have to deal with indigestion or heartburn. Sometimes the treatment is worse the the symptom: Antacids are not always the best remedy. Our stomachs produce less acid over time – and that causes the same symptoms as too much acid. When we medicate with a substance that allows our stomachs to produce even less acid, we’re just making the situation worse.Vinegar to the rescue!

The acid in vinegar will help digest your food, and over a period of time, alleviate heartburn if yours is caused by a lack of stomach acid.”I tried it out and it seemed to work in about 10 min.

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is a term used to describe the variety of symptoms and forms of tissue damage resulting from chronic reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus.

Over 15 million Americans suffer from daily heartburn, the most common symptom of GERD. In addition to heartburn, other symptoms associated with GERD include regurgitation, chest pain, hoarseness, wheezing, and chronic cough.
GERD is a major healthcare problem with many sufferers reporting worse emotional well-being than patients with diabetes or high blood pressure. Normally, a muscular valve at the end of the esophagus called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) keeps stomach contents from refluxing into the esophagus. However, in GERD, the LES is weak or relaxes too frequently, allowing stomach contents to flow freely into the esophagus. Left untreated, GERD can lead to a variety of esophageal complications including inflammation, ulceration, bleeding, and strictures. In addition, GERD patients are at risk to develop a pre-cancerous condition known as Barretts esophagus.

The Full-Thickness Plicator Procedure is a non-surgical, endoscopic GERD treatment based on the proven principles of anti-reflux surgery. The procedure allows the physician to create a full-thickness plication at the gastroesophageal junction under direct endoscopic visualization; enhancing the competency of the gastric cardia and restoring the normal anti-reflux barrier. Patients are treated on an outpatient basis and usually are able to return to normal activities the following day.

A mainstream pharmaceutical company is blitzing the airwaves promoting yet another solution to one the side effects of their popularly prescribed pain medications. Targeting seniors (the biggest consumers of pain meds), the manufacturer of the acid-reducing drug promises their product will protect users from the most dangerous potential side effects of painkillers, stomach ulcers and bleeding.

Absent from their ads is any information about a serious risk associated with this secondary treatment. In an apparent trend, pharmaceutical fortunes are now being enlarged by creating antidotes for the side effects of other popular medications they manufacture. A built-in, self-perpetuating stream of sales seems guaranteed for the pharmaceutical industry while seniors scramble to pay and take ever greater risks with their health. The average senior uses six prescription medications a day and some take as many as 20, putting their complete faith in the latest (and costliest) drugs on the market.

Consumers should be aware, however, that there are potentially serious side effects from this seemingly benign class of acid-reducing medications. In addition, the prolonged use of acid-reducers will have a broader impact than pain killers, appealing as they do to all segments of the adult population. That danger is Vitamin B-12 Deficiency and it is very real

Drinking carbonated soft drinks and being overweight may be the two most prevalent causes of nighttime heartburn, according to a new study.

Heartburn at night, or nocturnal gastroesophageal reflux, is quite common. An estimated 44 percent of Americans suffer from it at least once a month. In the new study, researchers at the University of Arizona, Boston University, Johns Hopkins and the University of Minnesota surveyed more than 15,000 patients to try to determine the reasons for the pain. Their results were published in the May issue of the journal Chest. Nighttime heartburn can be more serious than the daytime type. It tends to be longer lasting, causes more damage to the esophagus and has a greater risk of leading to esophageal cancer. “At night it can be happening without your realizing it,” said Dr. Stuart F. Quan, a co-author of the paper and professor of medicine at the University of Arizona.

“The acid reflux doesn’t necessarily wake you up. So there is that much more exposure time.” In addition to high body mass index, a common indicator of obesity, and consumption of one or more carbonated drinks a day, the study found other good predictors of nighttime heartburn: snoring, hypertension, asthma and the use of some sleeping pills

I have been I asked to report on natural remedies for acid reflux/heartburn and have noted these from the International Home Remedies Site

These remedies were written by ESL students and are not sanctioned by the medical establishment. All of them use herbs and other natural ingredients. I will update and add to these regularly.

Ingredients:

Baking Soda/Ice Breakers Hot Cinnamon Instructions: I have just been awakened from a great sleep to find that I am in the midst of an acid reflux burning event. After grabbing some baking soda, which helped a bit, I instinctively thought to get a piece of Ice Breaker’s gum and now I am just fine. I was completely shocked to find this same gum listed by another respondent. It works!!!

Can Heartburn, G.E.R.D., Acid Reflux, and Acid Indigestion Really be Cured?

The simple answer is YES! In most cases, these conditions can be corrected without drugs, exercise or some crazy diet for the rest of your life. I was fortunate to review William Lagadyns new publication Cure Your Heartburn . He was a former sufferer of G.E.R.D. and acid reflux. In Williams own words, “Once I discovered exactly what was happening to my body I was able to clear up my problems once and for all No more heartburn!! Haven’t had it for 5 years, and I can eat or drink anything that I want…Feels Great! I am not a doctor, but I have been told many times, that my knowledge of heartburn and acid reflux is more than their doctors tell them.

I know, you will say it is hard to believe, because we have been conditioned to take drugs to help our Heartburn, Acid Indigestion, GERD, Reflux, Acid Reflux or whatever else they are calling it now-a-days. Basically all these conditions have just about the same symptoms, just different names.

It all boils down to having chest discomfort or burning symptoms due to the acidic fumes from your stomach coming in contact with your digestive organs In all fairness to the medical community, they try and help us the best they possibly can. They don’t have the time to do research on much of anything so they have to rely on medical journals, and try to keep up with all the new procedures in medicine. I reside in Canada, and my full time job is helping people all over the world, cure their heartburn and acid reflux.” The book is well written and contains a wealth of information for sufferers of  Acid Reflux Syndrome.