Why You Get Acid Reflux and How to Stop It

By Mae Summerville

Food is normally trapped in the stomach by the lower esophageal valve after it has passed through to stop this problem. It is when the esophageal sphincter does not close after food has passed through that the stomach fluids try to escape upwards and that is why it is called acid reflux.Medical science prefers to call the condition: gastroesophageal reflux disorder. At the moment it is considered that a poor diet is the underlying reason for the acid reflux problem but not the main cause of the condition,overeating could also add to the problem and cause unnecessary stress on the stomach and its ability to process food.

It is never wise to eat large amounts at is puts a significant strain on the stomach muscles which in turn results in pressure within the gut itself.something has to give; this being the acid which returns or refluxes back up the esophagus bringing with it the very unpleasant heartburn. Since this valve protects your esophagus from your stomach acid, you need to take care this valve does not allow digested acidic food to pass back into the esophagus. This can be achieved by consuming smaller meals; the incidences of heartburn should reduce. To maintain health your digestive system needs to be healthy so requires looking after if you want to remain in good health as well.this is because the stomach is not only responsible for breaking down our food but also for preparing this food to be converted to specific nutrients that every person needs.

Using drugs and other acid reducing drugs readily available from drugstores will block the natural processes of your stomach on a temporary basis,the problem is these short term remedies can create other problems as they interfere with the natural functioning of the digestive system. It may take a while but the best solution is to make adjustments to your drinking and eating habits which may have caused the acid reflux condition,this should be done for a period of a few months to strengthen your stomach's normal processes. If you can reduce the heartburn occurrences, in time you may well be able to slowly start eating those dishes that have needed to be cut out.

Lifestyle changes extend beyond those of just eating habits as other contributing factors to acid reflux can be:

*Smoking *Food allergies *Prescription medication *Too much alcohol *Lying down after a meal

All this comes down to a lifestyle change which ultimately only you can control,the number of heartburn episodes that occur should diminish. So by watching what you eat and taking care of your health, you stand a better chance of avoiding and clearing acid reflux disorder,this is a decision which only you can make but it should not take Einstein to know what the choice should be!

About the Author:

Kelly Williams is an author and wedding planner. She has several websites that offer cheap wedding chair covers and wedding decorations.

Benefits of drinking water: Get the facts how water can cure you

By Nicos Stylianou

Some time ago I read a book which was called "Your Body's Many Cries For Water". What was very interesting for me to learn, were the many benefits of drinking water on our general health.

Besides the other very interesting facts which stress the importance of drinking water, the author makes special reference to some common ailments that almost all of us suffer from now and then and shows that their most probable cause is dehydration. Below, I give you some examples:

Headaches and migraines

We all suffer from headaches, or even worse migraines from time to time. Some of us more and some others less severely. What you might find surprising to find out, is that more often than not, we should blame ourselves for not drinking enough water.

The medical explanation goes like this: When our brain, which is mainly composed of water (75% to be exact), senses that its water level is dangerously low, it produces histamines which cause the familiar symptoms of a headache, i.e. pain and the feeling of being tired. These symptoms intend to force us into reducing our activity level. This will in turn help preserve the minimum water level in our brain that will allow it to function without a problem.

More often than not, a big glass of pure water and a 20 minute break will work better than any pain killer medication to make our headache go away!

Sore Back

Second in my list of the benefits of drinking water comes another ailment which is one of the leading causes for loss of workdays and for the creation of a lot of distress and pain. This is none other than the back pain.

Let me elaborate on this.

As you might probably know, our backbone is made up of a number of discs. While externally these discs are made up of a hard shell, internally they are filled with water. When the level of water inside is adequate, then they provide ample support to the disc, helping it cope with the pressure exerted on them when we move our upper body.

Being flexible, our discs respond to the varying pressure exerted on them when we move our upper body, by shifting their shape. When they do this, water that stands around in our body is sucked inside the discs. As long as there is enough water around, then our discs have no problem, as they are properly filled with fluid.

The problem begins when we don't replenish our body's natural stock of water by drinking enough quantities. When the discs are shifting, then there is not enough water around them to be sucked inside, as explained above. The result is devastating: The internal fluids are gradually depleted and so the outer shell of the discs is no longer supported. Without this support, our poor discs are helpless, as the whole weight of the body is shifted on them! Pain and swelling ensues, putting us in distress and agony.

High blood pressure

The importance of drinking water is also manifested in the case of hypertension, that is the increase in pressure exerted by our blood circulatory system on the arteries.

You probably don't know this, but it has long been established that hypertension more often than not occurs when the total volume of our blood goes down. Considering now that more than 80% of our blood consists of water, then it is easy to realize that dehydration can very well lead to blood volume loss.

When the total volume of our blood decreases, then an alert is triggered in our body. What follows is that our blood circulatory system self-adjusts by guiding all blood flow to the most active organs, switching everything else off. Hypertension inevitably ensues, as a consequence of this blood redistribution.

To summarize, it goes without saying that improving your quality of life can be as simple as getting into the habit of drinking more water each and every day.

Having said the above, I can't emphasize enough the importance of making sure that the quality of water that you and your family consume at your house, is top quality. You see, it is not at all guaranteed that the water you get now is what your body should be getting. There are numerous statistics saying that both tap and bottled water maybe of questionable quality. Make sure that you thoroughly investigate your options on what actions to take to have clean, healthy water at your home.

About the Author:

Nicos Stylianou is a firm believer that drinking healthy, pure water is crucial to better health. Visit his nutrition guide website now to become better informed and find out what he recommends.

Arthritis Help and Pain Relief

By Julieanne van Zyl

Arthritis pain relief is something that many individuals are seeking. Distressing millions of individuals globally, arthritis is a incapacitating condition that is essentially a very painful inflammation of the joints. Over one hundred different types of arthritis have been identified. Many types become so severe that the sufferer's entire life style is totally disrupted. Prescription drugs and over the counter drugs are used to provide you with arthritis help. These drugs, however, may have unfavorable reactions or reduce the effectiveness of other medications that you may be taking. If narcotics have been prescribed to help you deal with the pain, then you risk becoming addicted and needing bigger and bigger doses to give you arthritis help.

A growing number of folks are turning to natural remedies for their arthritis. Natural remedies will have fewer side effects and can be just as helpful as the prescription medications.

One of the cheapest yet most helpful ways of dealing arthritis pain relief, is Epsom salt. The reason for this is in the anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic properties of magnesium which is a basic element of Epsom salts. Magnesium sulphate is readily absorbed through the skin. Add two cups of Epsom salts to a bathtub of hot water. The hotter the water is, the better it works. Lay in the bath for thirty minutes and add hot water as needed to %maintain& the temperature. The anti-inflammatory properties of the Epsom salt together with the heat from the bath will reduce the pain from arthritis. However if pregnant or suffering from heart disease it would be prudent for you to check with your doctor before taking very hot baths.

Another natural arthritis remedy just as helpful as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for reducing arthritis pain, is Glucosamine Sulfate. Glucosamine moreover, does not damage your stomach lining like the NSAIDs can do. Use the liquid form of glucosamine sulfate, because it has a better absorption rate. Don't use glucosamine sulfate that has NaCl or KCL listed in the ingredients. These will be listed as salt and potassium. The two ingredients will reduce the helpful amount of glucosamine you will receive in each dose.

Other natural remedies that have proven to be highly beneficial in providing arthritis help, are Devil's claw, Feverfew and Ginger. Devil's claw has anti-inflammatory properties. The recommended dose is 1,000 milligrams twice a day. Feverfew has been used for centuries as a highly helpful anti-inflammatory. The recommended dose of feverfew is 250 milligrams twice a day. According to one study, Ginger was helpful in providing relief from pain and swelling of arthritis in seventy-five percent of the subjects studied. Many folks drink ginger tea or apply ginger compresses to get arthritis pain relief and reduce swelling.

Vitamins beneficial in reducing arthritis pain and swelling are C, A, B-complex and Vitamin E. These vitamins have been proven to increase collagen production and repair connective tissue. Adding Omega 3 fatty acids can provide arthritis help and reduce swelling. In addition, the outer rind of the mangosteen fruit has anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, a mangosteen juice containing a high content of the outer rind (called pericarp) can reduce inflammation causing the arthritis pain. Mangosteen has no known side effects.

If your option is to use natural remedies to treat your arthritis pain and swelling, make sure you check with your medical practitioner first. He or she can make sure that these natural remedies will not interact with any prescription medication you may be taking, and then you may get arthritis pain relief.

About the Author:

If you are looking for alternative ways to relieve pain from arthritis, our blog has a tremendous amount of pain from arthritis relief information. Go to the thiswebsitefor detailed information about arthritis help using natural remedies.

What are Your Options on Cure for Toenail Fungus?

By Rashel Dan

If you're looking for cure for toenail fungus, there are several options. It's only natural to want to get rid of the condition. Having toenail fungus is very embarrassing. Infected nails are very unsightly, and may throw people off. People with extreme cases of toenail fungus can't help but lose their self-esteem, as they won't be confident enough to show their toenails in public. Fortunately, there are different types of treatment one can get for toenail fungus. Although efficiency varies, it still counts to try out the various options and see what works best.

What is toenail fungus?

Toenail fungus is known as Onychomycosis in the medical field. It describes both fungus and yeast infections in the nail. The fungus thrives underneath the nail, where it is dark, warm and moist. It occurs twice as often in men than in women. There are several risk factors for catching toenail fungus. This includes the increasing age, gender, sweaty feet, nail trauma, poor hygiene, poor circulation, foot fungus and a weakened immune system.

Where and how you can develop toenail fungus?

Fungus thrive on moisture. Showering facilities, spas, saunas, and public swimming pools are some of the places where you can pick up toenail fungus. Also, if your feet are damp and moist, you are more likely to become infected. Having closed shoes that offer no ventilation and wearing socks that do not absorb moisture may also bring about toenail fungus. Frequent nail trauma may also increase the chance of infection.

How you can spot toenail fungus?

It's easy to spot the condition. Infected nails are discolored, developing into a yellowish or brownish color. In some cases, it could turn black. Little white spots can also be noticed in other cases. The toenails may emit a foul smell. Growth and texture of nails are irregular. The nails become brittle and crumbly. If left untreated, it could bring discomfort and pain especially when walking and running.

What are your cure options for toenail fungus?

Luckily, as previously mentioned, you can find several forms of cure for toenail fungus. There are home remedies that you can use to treat toenail fungus. The common ones include using vinegar, mouthwash, and toothpaste. Others apply diluted bleach to the affected toenails and soak them in seawater or rum. Vitamin E could also be used by rubbing it into the affected nails. However, all these are ineffective in eliminating toenail fungus. It could even irritate your skin, such as by using bleach.

Of course, you can also opt for prescription treatment. However, there are disadvantages that come along with it. The cost of such treatments can be very high. It could go as high as a hundred dollars per week. And, it could cause side effects that may affect the liver and kidney, among others.

Lastly, you can try a topical solution. This is the better choice since it is effective and safe. It gets rid of toenail fungus fast and promotes healthier looking nails in a small amount of time. Choose one that uses the power of natural oils from plants such as tea tree oil, jojoba oil, almond oil, and other all natural ingredients. Because it is natural, you are assured that it is safe and does not produce side effects. Those are some options on cure for toenail fungus. Remember, prevention is still the best cure, so take some preventive measures to avoid developing toenail fungus.

About the Author:

Don't run the risk of complications and get rid of nail fungus the natural way. Try the safest products as cure for toenail fungus.

Acupuncture Treatment Review

By Amanda Gamdana

One of the techniques of Traditional Chinese Medicine that is very close to Acupressure is Acupuncture. Like acupressure, this method uses the points of energy in the body called meridians; here fine needles penetrate the skin at those points - the method boosts good health and treats poor health.

In times of good health, the energy flows freely through the meridians but injuries and disease tend to block the flow. It is brought down to a simplistic explanation of getting the Qi or Chi to flow without any blockage through the human body in order to maintain a state of good health. You'll find that there are 14 meridians on the body and these have 365 points for acupuncture.

Trapped energy or Chi is stimulated and released by inserting special needles at specific locations or through acupressure depending on the nature of the illness. It is something like clearing the blocks in the path of the river to allow its free flow again. Chi may also flow either too quickly or too slowly, in which case acupuncture is used to regulate the stream of energy.

Within China, this particular form of medicine has been being practiced for a minimum of four thousand years, with all of these needles being found within archaeology digs of the late Shang Dynasty. Acupuncture is of three kinds: traditional Yin/Yang Theory, Five Elements and the Western or medical acupuncture. Though the diagnostic approach used by all the three methods is similar, the causes attributed to the illness and the treatment of the illness varies from one method to the other.

The basis of five element acupuncture is the five element cycle seen in Chinese medicine; the underlying belief is that an illness can be due to a physical cause or emotional stress. Based on this it is thought that only if inner stress is taken care off then physical illness or symptoms can be cured. Since the main emphasis within the five elements theory focuses on treating an illness's underlying cause, one should realize that it can be a very slow process in order to reach a complete recovery even though it is quite possible. According to the Yin/Yang theory the overall balance of the Yin and Yang has to be maintained for good health. Combinations of the different acupuncture points on the meridians are simultaneously stimulated so that more than one element is affected.

Western acupuncture combines Eastern and Western medical techniques and its focus is more on urgent short term treatment. There are two sub-categories of the medical aspect, the first, anesthetic acupuncture, is used in surgical and dental procedures. The second one is the 'symptomatic' one, or also known as first-aid and is not used mainly to cure illnesses but used along with analgesics as a pain reliever and has a temporary effect.

Well documented, reliable medical research has shown acupuncture to be successful in treating high blood pressure and migraines, allergies, depression, arthritis, asthma and gynecological problems including infertility. The treatment works best where the illness does not respond to conventional medication, is a persistent one or it is lifestyle related.

About the Author:

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