Acid Reflux: How And Why .
The main cause of Acid Reflux. happening in our bodies is the consumption of large amounts of foods, considered as acidic in nature. It all has to do with the quality of the muscles that participate in your digestion process. Muscles help transport food down your food pipe, into the stomach, and then onwards into the intestines. Entering the food pipe, entering the stomach and exiting the stomach, the food encounters valves that control entry,exit and backflow, and the various muscles help push the food along by squeezing and relaxing the pipes alternately. In particular, the LES or Lower Esophageal Sphincter muscle controls entry into and prevents backflow from the stomach into the esophagus or food pipe.
Sometimes, due to weakening of these various muscles, food stays longer in the stomach. Malfunctioning valves, also manage to allow food into areas where it should not go, such as backward from the stomach into the food pipe. Of course, this backflow contains food, digested by stomach acids, and that’s why we get the sour warm sensation in our throats. In addition, sometimes, this acid is harmful to the walls of our food pipe, which end up getting scarred.
This, then, is the cause of getting an “obstructed “ feeling, as if food is stuck in your throat. With weak muscles, disobedient muscles, and irregular digestive processing in the chest and stomach area, it affects other systems too. Stress prone people often get breathing problems as a result.
Contrary to popular belief, eating acidic foods does not cause one's stomach, blood, or entire body to become more acidic. The stomach itself adds hydrochloric acid in the process of digestion. So acid reflux, is all about foods, which after processing in the stomach, have an acidic resultant residue.
Folks with Acid Reflux problems should avoid caffeine, peppermint, spearmint, alcohol, and even chocolate. Carbonated drinks are NOT a good idea for those with Acid Reflux symptoms. Avoiding of fatty foods, processed foods, and planned disinterest in things like fast food (hot dogs, pizzas, burgers…), has been known to work positively for those worried about Acid Reflux.
You are what you eat. It’s all about maintaining the acid-alkaline balance in your body. You may eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, avoiding certain acidic fruits like oranges, tomatoes, grapefruit etc. Add multigrain items to your diet. Increase the proteins (to strengthen your muscles), and if you insist on being carnivorous, restrict your self to white meat and poultry, prepared in a low fat manner --
Exercising, avoiding obesity, stress, and getting good sleep reduce the probability of suffering from acid reflux disease.
