Acid Reflux GERD Weight Loss Diet Nutrition Tips Guide

Acid Reflux GERD With Common Symptoms

By Tracy Kerr-Walshe

Your stomach lining is tough as nails. It's built to handle the most dangerous kind of acid - the sort that burns holes through fabric. However, your esophagus is made of soft tissue and can be easily damaged as acid comes back up in the form of heartburn.

While it's not uncommon to have a heart pang here or a burp there, acid reflux GERD (or Gastroesophageal Reflux Disorder) is a serious condition that can cause other medical problems if left unchecked.

Many people are surprised to hear about the more subtle symptoms of acid reflux GERD. Other than the most common - regurgitation, difficulty swallowing (also known as dysphagia), abdominal and chest pain - there are disturbances created by stomach acid that may masquerade as other things.

Bitter Taste In The Mouth

For example, other less common symptoms include: asthma, chronic cough and a sore throat or water brash - the bitter, salty or sour taste in the mouth that occurs when the salivary glands are stimulated by acidreflux.

Generally, if you have chronic heartburn two or more days per week, despite treatment and diet alterations, then you should review your options and see your doctor about acid reflux.

Diagnostic Tests

When you see your doctor about acid reflux, there are several tests to determine if your heartburn may damage the esophagus or internal organs. The first test is called an Endoscopy, where a thin, flexible tube and video camera are passed into the mouth, down the esophagus and into the stomach.

Don't worry - you'll be sedated and you won't feel a thing! The second test your doctor may perform is called a Barium Esophagram. This test observes the shape of the esophagus, looking for abnormalities in the stomach and throat. You'll drink a chalky liquid containing barium, which coats the esophagus and stomach, and allows them to be viewed in an X-ray.

Measuring Acid Levels Over A 24 Hour Period

A third procedure, known as Esophageal pH Monitoring, tests for the amount of acid in the esophagus over time. In one variation of this test, a tiny tube goes in through the nose, into the esophagus and an acid monitor on the tip measures acid levels over a 24-hour period.

The other way to monitor consists of attaching a medicine capsule sized monitor during an endoscopy, which tests acid over a 48-hour period when the monitor is passed out like food. While these may seem uncomfortable, keep in mind that it's better than dealing with a rotted esophagus later!

Imbalance In Your Diet

Acid reflux GERD often points to dietary problems. Sometimes it's not always the spicy food or the red wine -- but rather, an imbalance of dietary needs, which results in the malfunctioning of the digestion process. Without the right combination of chemical triggers, the pancreas, intestines and stomach valves don't know when to act.

The leading cause of death in industrialized nations is diet-related heart and organ failure. By seeing your doctor about acid reflux, you can easily get a handle on the underlying cause of these uncomfortable symptoms.

Please Note: All information given on this site is for general information purposes and is not to replace any medical opinion or medical diagnosis given by a qualified medical doctor, a dietitian/nutritional expert or any other medical expert, as individual circumstances may vary. Please see your medical doctor, before any action is taken to alleviate symptoms.

This Article was about Acid Reflux GERD.

About the Author:
Tracy Kerr-Walshe is an author of articles on health, diet, weight loss and nutrition including Whole Foods, Organic Foods, Healthy Snacks, Effective Weight Loss, Full Body Detox, Juice Fasting.
Keep a lookout for more of her articles coming soon.

More About Acid Reflux

What is acid reflux?

The first thing you should know is that everyone has acid reflux. It is a natural process of the body. The stomach is filled with liquid that aids in digestion. During the process of digestion small amounts of this liquid is pushed back up into the esophagus. The liquid contain acid, Pepsin and a small amount of bile.

In many people the reflux does not harm them. But if there is any damage to the esophageal tissue the acid can begin eroding the lining further thus leading to discomfort and pain. Many things affect how much acid is produced by the stomach. Other factors such as smoking, weight and saliva production can have a tremendous affect on the reflux of liquids.