Archive for the ‘Diet’ Category

The term heartburn is used to describe a feeling that people get that isn’t actually anything to do with their heart at all. That awful sensation that wells up in your chest isn’t even remotely related to your heart; it actually starts in your gut. Heartburn or acid reflux as it’s otherwise known starts with a problem with the control of the acid in your stomach.

The pain you feel during a bout of heartburn is down to the acid from your stomach moving back up your throat towards your mouth. Now bearing in mind that the acid in your stomach is hydrochloric acid (strong enough to melt metal) your throat (your esophagus) is going to be severely irritated by this acid. It’s actually burning away at your flesh which is what causes that intense pain in and around your chest.

How often you actually get heartburn and how severe it is depends on a lot of factors such as stress and especially what types of foods you eat a lot. For some people heartburn is a just a passing nuisance pain. For other folks out there it’s a constant battle against a painful problem they’d much rather get rid of.

When you get an attack of heartburn the way it appears varies from person to person. Some people feel a burning sensation in their throat, some people can’t stop burping and some others even begin to choke. Overall the most common sign of acid reflux is that nasty taste of vomit in the back of your mouth.

So what causes this problem?

Basically there’s a valve in your stomach designed to keep the acid down there. Sometimes this valve gets jammed open and the acid in your stomach escapes and flows up towards your throat. This happens a lot when people are laying down – maybe having a nap after a meal. Heartburn itself can be made far worse by your diet – eating spicy foods definitely won’t help.

Is it treatable?

Sure. There are dozens of treatments out there for heartburn/acid reflux and you’ll be spoiled for choice when choosing one. Actually there’s that many options out there just making the choice can be a headache. Some people even go as far as having surgery….which is a bit drastic no?

If you’re like me you probably prefer to go the “natural route” for treating a problem like this. Especially considering the fact that most acid reflux “cures” can only be used for 2 weeks and then you have to stop. Not really a cure is it?

Want to find out how you can cure your heartburn with a totally natural heartburn remedy?

There are very few medical conditions nowadays that just have one way to fix. With most, there is either no known solution, or there are many, all taking slightly different routes to reach the same end result; a cure. With acid reflux, there are many arguments saying that a simple lifestyle change will be adequate, but antacids are recommended by many doctors.

No one particularly likes the thought of chemicals, or anything that sounds like one, so unless you know already, you’re probably wondering just what exactly antacids are. The name is basically a contraction of anti-acid, and really needs no further explanation. They are compounds which when mixed with acid cause the acid to become weaker, the more you take the weaker the acid gets. Antacids enter the body in exactly the same way as food does, and they have their effect in the stomach.

Clearly you don’t want to take too many, this would in fact increase reflux (just not acidic) as food wouldn’t be broken down and would fester in the stomach until some more acid came along, and would in fact cause extremely serious problems. However, they are great for just taking the edge off your bubbling stomach, and calming it down a bit.

Read more about a natural medicine for acid reflux now at www.refluxnow.com

There are two reasons that your LES might not function properly. The first of these is that the actual muscle in the sphincter itself performs a weak contraction (where the muscle squeezes in). When the muscle in the LES contracts in a weak manner it’s ability to stop acid and partially digested food “leaking” back out of your stomach is reduced quite a bit. The second reason is something called a transient relaxation. This is where the muscle relaxes for too long (instead of contracting) which again allows acid reflux to occur.

Even people who don’t normally suffer from acid reflux can bring on an attack of acid reflux by eating a really big meal. When your stomach becomes overfull the LES simply can’t cope with the pressure and stomach acid and food can again leak out and cause you problems. The moral of the story here is to eat enough to feel full but don’t overdo it.

Learn more about the causes of acid reflux.

Most people wind up chewing fistfuls of antacids or chuggins antacid drinks to quench the fire in their chest and stomach when acid reflux strikes. The problem is that antacids don’t actually cure the problem – they just cover it up for a while and then it comes back worse than ever. Antacids can have numerous side effects such as dizziness, vomiting, diarrhea and can’t be given to children under 6 years of age. Antacids can also worsen kidney problems in people prone to such kidney diseases.

Refluxamine is your best alternative to antacids for quenching that acid reflux fire.

Then you can take this list with you to the supermarket and try to find low carbohydrate alternatives to everything you can. This way, you are far less likely to want the real thing, and delay your weight loss. To further help this possible problem, get rid of anything you’re not meant to eat from the cupboards.

Learn more abou how you can live a low carb lifestyle.

Source: http://www.low-carb-advice.com

However, if you are diabetic, ketosis can lead to a condition called ketoacidosis, which results in the blood becoming more acidic. This will then cause symptoms including confusion, vomiting, and can even go as far as causing comas and death.

If you want to know if your body is carrying out ketosis, head down to your local chemist and buy ketone testing strips. These operate in a very similar way to universal indicator strips (if you can remember your old chemistry lessons) and will turn purple if ketones are contained in the urine.

How ketosis helps burn fat.

The low carbohydrate diet devised by Dr Atkins works on the principle that by limiting the supply of carbohydrates to the body, you can still operate without a problem, only your body uses fat to create energy instead of using carbs. This works because you eat fat instead of carbohydrates (to stop your craving for carbs) and because this fat is burnt immediately and not absorbed, it does not make you fatter, and in fact reduces your overall body mass in fat. In short; eating more fat means you end up with less fat.

One of the most tempting times to stray from the diet will be when you are out at parties, as the high carbohydrate food on offer there like crisps, cake, rolls etc, will be too much for some, and they will break their promises of not touching these items. To avoid this, make sure that before you leave your home you’re stuffed full of non carb food, so feel much less of an urge, as it is common to arrive at parties feeling pretty hungry.

Get more tips and ideas on low carb dieting.

The low carbohydrate diet works on the fact that carbohydrates are the body’s first source of energy, and fats the second. When you run out of carbohydrates, your body resorts to something called ketosis, which causes fat to be burnt for energy instead. This means that as fat is burnt, you will lose weight.

Article source: http://www.low-carb-advice.com