Acupuncture as an Acid Reflux Natural Remedy - Fact or Fiction?

With the risk of side effects and the desire to avoid chemicals and drugs, an acid reflux natural remedy is an attractive solution for many heartburn sufferers.

For this reason and the increased interest in Chinese Medicine many people wonder if there's evidence behind the acupuncture therapies that are offered by many practitioners.

Firstly, let me say that it's hard to tell whether acupuncture will work for you, as there are so many different causes of the condition and everyone reacts differently.

However, within the past few years, there has been significant interest in this topic by the medical community. For example a Taiwanese gastroenterologist recently undertook two acupuncture experiments that were designed to study the effectiveness of traditional eastern medicine as an acid reflux natural remedy.

The study was published in the August 2005 issue of the American Journal of Physiology-Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology by Dr. Duowu Zhou, Wei Hao Chen, Katsuhiko Iwakiri, Rachael Rigda, Marcus Tippett and Richard H. Holloway of the Royal Adelaide Hospital, Australia.

In the two experiments it was reported that the transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxations (TLESR's), which directly effects acid reflux, were inhibited by electrical acupoint stimulation. This is a high-tech version of the traditional acupuncture procedure. The two experiments used stimulation that was barely felt on the Neiguan acupoint found on the wrist.

This stimulation reduced transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxations by a surprising 40% from 6 an hour to just to three and a half an hour. It was also significantly higher than the placebo group, which received "sham" stimulation on the hip, which lowered TLESR's by only 0.02 times per hour.

Of course, whether or not acupuncture would work for you is dependent upon your own unique condition. You may want to try the therapy more than once to test whether or not it will be successful in your own case. You may also want to try traditional forms of acupuncture as an acid reflux natural remedy. It has also been shown to be successful and is typically less expensive than the electrical acupoint stimulation. Moreover, it is more likely to be covered by your health insurance policy.

Acupuncture has been an acid reflux natural remedy for over two thousand years in Chinese medicine. The traditional form has been used up until and including current times to battle the symptoms of GERD, including pain, burning, nausea, and vomiting. Modern research has suggested - as in the case of the experiments at the Royal Adelaide Hospital - that acupuncture functions by altering the way that nerve cells signal one another, and can influence the way the central nervous system releases certain chemicals in the body. It is the recent study, though, that is the first to give evidence that it can, indeed, benefit the function of the lower esophageal sphincter.

Though the study used electro-acupoint instead of the stimulation of needles as the acid reflux natural remedy, the researchers don't see any reason that they should not offer similar results overall as they both apply stimulation to a specific acupuncture point.

As an alternative to acupuncture, with needles or electric stimulation, you could try acupressure. This involves applying pressure on acupuncture points with your fingers and thumbs. You could try this at home by applying pressure to the Neiguan or P6 point on your wrist. This is located on the inside of the wrist between the 2 large tendons. To find the spot for this acid reflux natural remedy hold your hand out and bend it toward you, the Neiguan or P6 point is in the middle of the wrist about two finger-widths from where the hand and wrist meet.

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Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/acupuncture-as-an-acid-reflux-natural-remedy-fact-or-fiction-658523.html

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Acid Reflux Bad Breath Prevention Experts Highly Recommend

Cases of acid reflux being reported to doctors are on the rise today, and not only are they noticing more and more cases but they're also noting that cases seem to be more severe as well. Of course there are a variety of reasons why so many have this painful and dangerous condition, and understanding those reasons is the first step toward acid reflux bad breath prevention.

There are many things you can do to hide or cover up your bad breath but usually prevention is a much better option! Realizing where the halitosis is coming from and how it's connected with acid reflux is the key to understanding acid reflux bad breath prevention. It's important because remedies and fixes for other causes of bad breath just aren't going to be as effective when it comes to bad breath caused by acid reflux, and no one wants to waste time or money on useless fixes for anything.

So when consider acid reflux bad breath prevention, it's important to understand how the two are related in the first place.

You may already know that acid reflux is the condition wherein stomach acid gets regurgitated past the opening of the stomach and goes back up into the esophagus. Sometimes it even travels as far as the throat and mouth. This is the connection between halitosis and acid reflux; bad breath prevention steps that you might take when your breath is caused by germs and bacteria aren't usually going to be as effective in these cases.

When you brush, floss and rinse your mouth you definitely get out food particles that are decaying and causing bad breath, but this isn't the same as acid reflux bad breath prevention. When those stomach acids travel back up the esophagus and reach as far as the throat and mouth, they coat the breath and cause halitosis.

Not only does the stomach acid itself have a bad odor but the process of food breaking down also contributes to this problem. These stomach acids are taking with them the odor of the foods in your stomach. You may notice that when you eat spicy foods your breath is different than when you eat meat or dairy. All these chemical processes involved in digestion affect the breath, but fortunately the best treatment options for acid reflux bad breath prevention are typically the same.

Experts usually recommend the best course of action for acid reflux bad breath prevention is to adjust one's diet as much as possible. You may hate the idea of giving up your spicy foods or red meat, but these foods contribute not just to bad breath but to the acid reflux that can hurt your entire system as well.

If you can't cut out these foods entirely, considering at least cutting down on your consumption of them. When having a spicy dish or a nice steak, reduce your serving size. Being mindful of your diet in this regard will help with acid reflux bad breath prevention.

Very often acid reflux is caused not just by what you eat by how much as well. The stomach produces acid in accordance with how much food it needs to digest at the moment and more food means more acid. Part of acid reflux bad breath prevention will then mean not forcing your stomach to produce all that excessive acid in the first place.

Another thing that will help you with acid reflux bad breath prevention is to drink plenty of water during your meals and throughout the day. Water helps the body to break down and move it along the digestive tract, so as this happens those stomach acids will be reduced and quelled. You don't want to gulp down water but should make it part of your meals and everyday routine. This might not seem like much by way of acid reflux bad breath prevention but helping your digestive process along can also help with the prevention of bad breath.

There are even many acid reflux bad breath prevention methods recommended by experts that are all-natural. For example parsley is a natural digestive aid which helps to settle the stomach and clean the mouth as well. Milk thistle is thought to clean out toxins from the digestive system. Silica also is said to aid digestion and to quell stomach acids.

Fennel seeds are also used to help the stomach, as is bee pollen. Odorless garlic and also help with acid reflux bad breath prevention as it encourages the good bacteria needed in the digestive system which in turn breaks down food and moves it along the intestines.

If you're looking for a homeopathic remedy and acid reflux bad breath prevention you should consider if you have other symptoms as well. Chronic indigestion, constipation, and other digestive disorders can be a signal of other symptoms that should be addressed along with your acid reflux and bad breath.

There are some prescription medications for acid reflux bad breath prevention that your doctor can recommend. Usually these contain an amount of chlorophyll which acts as a neutralizer for excessive stomach acid. Over the counter medications for indigestion and sour stomach typically contain an amount of chlorophyll; medication prescribed by the doctor usually has a higher concentration and should be used exactly as instructed.

A common mistake that many people make when it comes to acid reflux bad breath prevention is to try to overcorrect the problem and they take too many remedies or too much of any medication.

With all these medications and remedies available for acid reflux bad breath prevention, you may be wondering which one is the most commonly recommended by experts. In truth, making changes to your diet on your own is what many doctors and experts recommend! If you can cut back on the spicy and difficult to digest foods and be mindful of your portion sizes, you may have more success with acid reflux bad breath prevention than you would with any medication.

I hate bad breath especially bad breath caused by acid reflux.

However, I managed to cure my bad breath by doing the things I now share with you. I feel great and I smell much better than I used to. Find out what you can do about your bad breath and get a free report that helps you identify the major causes of bad breath that you need to know to treat your bad breath. Visit http://www.badbreathkiller.com today!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Darren_Wumoult

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How to Treat Acid Reflux During Pregnancy

Why does a pregnant lady experience acid reflux during pregnancy? Pregnancy and acid reflux go hand in hand to some women, which occur because of the following acid reflux causes.

First, it's because of an increase of hormone production when the woman is gets pregnant. This will lead to softening of ligaments, which should keep the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) firmly closed, to keep the gastric acid and food from going up. But when the LES is over relaxed, this will let the gastric acid and food to reflux back to the esophagus and throat.

Second, acid reflux during pregnancy happens because the changes in the body and the development of the baby produce more pressure in the woman's stomach. Thus, the stomach contents are forced right into the LES, and then to the esophagus.

However, there are some methods that a pregnant woman can apply to diminish the discomfort brought by acid reflux. The following are good tips, although they may not get rid of the heartburn completely.

1. Don't eat food that triggers acid reflux. Examples of this are chocolates, spicy foods, citrus fruits and juices, mustard, tomatoes and tomato based products, fatty foods, fried foods, and highly seasoned dishes. Ask medical specialists to know the complete list of foods to avoid acid reflux and safe food that you may consume.

2. Get rid of drinks which contain caffeine, like tea, coffee, and soda. Too much of these can cause the LES to loosen and let the acid into the esophagus.

3. Stay away from alcoholic drinks. This, along with caffeine causes the LES to over rest, hence, producing the same effect - triggering off acid reflux.

4. Don't eat large meals. It is recommended that having some small meals throughout the day is better.

5. Don't be haste when eating your meals. Chewing food slowly will really help you keep off acid reflux, so better chew slowly.

6. Rest for at least three hours after taking your last meal before sleeping.

7. A pregnant woman is suggested to take at least 8 to 10 glasses each day, though this must be done not just during meals. Through this, the stomach will expand, and applying more pressure to the LES, obliging it to open inappropriately. Therefore, it is really recommended to drink more water and other fluids in between meals.

8. While sleeping elevate the head of the bed for at least six to eight inches. Try to sleep with an elevated head and shoulders through a wedge pillow. Through sleeping this way, the gravity will work very hard that it will hold the stomach acids in the stomach, not in the esophagus. Talk to a physician for more suggestions to avoid nighttime acid reflux.

9. Stay away from tight fitting apparel. Tightness around the waist and stomach will trigger acid reflux as it stimulates uneasiness.

10. When bending, do it at the knees, not at the waist. This will keep too much pressure from being applied in the stomach .

11. Don't slouch; rather sit erect in a relaxing chair.

12. Maintain a sensible reasonable body weight, because too much weight and fatness will give more stress in your stomach. As a result, this will force stomach contents throughout the LES and to the esophagus.

13. Avoid smoking. Doctors say smoking could bring several effects to a pregnant woman, including heartburn.

Acid reflux during pregnancy is a problem you can avoid if you know how. Apparently not all pregnant ladies encounter this condition, although pregnancy and acid reflux go together to a number of women.

Would you like to know the best natural acid reflux treatment? It's the ebook "Heartburn No More" by Jeff Martin, who has found a totally holistic way of curing acid reflux. This has helped thousands of other people get rid of their acid reflux forever, and you might, too. Read my review on it on my Acid Reflux Natural Cure lens.

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