Acid reflux, or medically known as Gastro-esophageal-reflux disease, is a condition where the acidic gastric content (food chyme) flows back to the lower end of the esophagus (food tube). A round muscle band in the esophagus in the third part of the esophagus to prevent the backflow. When any dysfunction occurs here, GERD develops. The reason can be many, such as acidic food ingestion, abnormal food intake, alcohol or smoking addiction, drug abuse, etc.
About food, high cholesterol and low fiber foods are mainly responsible for causing acid reflux. Not only this, junks and processed foods are responsible for gastritis, IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease), and such.
The first symptom of GERD is heartburn. The patient comes with severe non-cardiac, lower chest pain in the OPD and non-productive or dry cough, nausea, vomiting, and such are secondary signs to prove.
Treatment Of GERD
Conventionally doctors start the treatment with triple therapy and PPI (Proton Pump Inhibitors). These drugs are very safe to ingest and are available as OTC (Over Counter) medications. It means you can buy the pills even without a proper prescription from anywhere. Omeprazole, Rabeprazole is some generic names of drugs of this category.
Once you start to show improvements, your physicians may proceed with another mild class or different drugs. This therapy is long term. Because every time you eat something absurd, the event will re-appear. To prevent the reflux (กรดไหลย้อน) and heal the damage, it needs time.
For healing, only drug therapy works less. As you will eat every day, the GIT (Gastro Intestinal tract) won’t get the proper time to rejuvenate. Only a moderating lifestyle may help you with the issue. Here are some lifestyle tips to achieve better digestive health.
Eat less and frequently is the basic rule of a healthy life. You can divide the total amount allotted for the day in five to six portions. This tip will save the system from extra load because extra food digestion will require excess acid. Gastric juice is a concentrated Hydrochloric acid (PH 1.5-2). So, more acid raises the chance of reflux and heartburn.
Try to maintain a schedule of eating. Our brain gets used to a routine of releasing digestive acids and enzymes on a preset time of eating. So if you don’t eat someday precisely on time, the acid will come to the stomach nonetheless. What will the acid do there? Of course, burn the walls of the stomach and backflow. So eating on time saves you a lot of pain and medicine bills. About a menu follow minimalism. A vegan diet is best for people with already present GERD. Because meat, pork, or any flesh is protein, means acid.
Most vegetables are alkaline, watery, and contain loads of fibers. They help to hold the water in the gut to neutralize the acid and prevent constipation. Bananas, Fennel seeds are cheap and extremely helpful options on a regular diet. Apart from helping you out with acid reflux, banana acts as natural anti-depressants. Fennel has some magical medicinal value. So it is all in one superfood for skin and health.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy showed a better response in the treatment of GERD than drugs alone. It means training up your brain to lead a healthy life and improving your mental health because stress and anxiety are significant triggers for acid reflux.
Conclusion
A healthy gut ensures a happy day. Heartburn, nausea, and inflammation may seem simple, but they are the earliest signs of some deadly disease. So be careful while you have time still.
