Heartburn is a common digestive complaint which affects an estimated 15 million Americans every day, and 60 million once a month. Relief of mild heartburn is typically achieved through diet and lifestyle changes, although medication (eg. antacids) is usually necessary if the heartburn is caused by gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

What is Heartburn? What Are The Symptoms?

Heartburn is a digestive problem: it has nothing to do with your heart. It occurs when small amounts of stomach acid accidentally rise up the esophagus (the food canal running from the mouth to the stomach) causing symptoms like a burning pain in the chest which rises towards the throat. Sufferers may even taste the fluid in the back of the mouth, and this is called acid indigestion. In many cases the pain and burning sensation is relatively mild, but sometimes is so severe that patients think they are experiencing a heart attack.

What Are The Causes Of Heartburn?

In general, the immediate cause of heartburn is the acidic digestive juices which leave the stomach and rise up the esophagus. The acid burns the tissue of the esophagus causing inflammation and pain - a condition called esophagitis. Heartburn may also occur in pregnancy when the baby is pressing up against the underside of the diaphragm and squeezing the stomach. An occasional episode of acid-regurgitation or indigestion is quite normal. But persistent heartburn (eg. twice a week), is usually a sign of something more serious. The two most common underlying causes of heartburn symptoms are gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and hiatal hernia.

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

GERD is characterized by a failure of the muscular valve, known as the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), which is located at the bottom of the esophagus. The function of this valve is to keep acid in the stomach and prevent it leaking back up the esophagus. When this valve doesn’t work properly, reflux (leak-back) and heartburn can occur. Factors that contribute to gastroesophageal reflux disease include obesity, pregnancy, smoking and, in particular, hiatal hernia.

Hiatal Hernia

Hiatus or hiatal hernia is a condition in which part of the stomach herniates (protrudes) upwards into the chest through the hiatus (opening) in the diaphragm normally only occupied by the esophagus. This puts extra pressure on the LES valve preventing it from closing properly. As a result, stomach acid leaks into the esophagus causing heartburn. The underlying cause of hiatal hernia is unknown. Contributory factors include: obesity, pregnancy, constipation, abdominal muscle strain, and smoking.

Dietary Treatment For Heartburn

In cases of persistent heartburn, dietary improvements are not sufficient. So as well as advocating a digestion-friendly diet, your doctor is likely to recommend one or more of the following types of medication. Antacids to neutralize the acid in your stomach; H2 blockers or proton pump inhibitors to reduce acid production; or prokinetics to strengthen the lower esophageal sphincter and expedite stomach-emptying. However, if heartburn symptoms are mild and occur only from time to time, usually you will be advised to make the following changes to your diet.

If Overweight, Switch To A Healthy Weight Loss Diet

Obesity, especially excess fat on the chest and abdomen, is a common contributory factor to GERD and hiatal hernia, and therefore to heartburn. So if you are obese (BMI > 30), take steps to normalize your weight and thus reduce your risk or symptoms of heartburn. Choose a healthy calorie-controlled diet and customize it by following the eating tips below.

Stop Eating Large Meals

A big meal distends the stomach and causes a rise in the production of stomach acid. Both these factors lead to an increased risk of heartburn. So opt for 4-6 small meals or snacks, and allow a maximum of 3 hours between eating. In addition, choose foods that are “easier on the stomach” and more more easily digested.

Avoid Acidic Food

Reduce your intake of very acidic foods by avoiding items such as: tomatoes, tomato-based sauces, citrus fruits, rhubarb, gooseberries, unripe fruit, vinegar and acidic pickles or relishes.

Cut Down On Fatty and Spicy Food

Fried or very fatty foods, including candy, encourage indigestion and should be avoided or eaten sparingly. So go easy on butter, mayo, sausages, salami, pate, meat pies, and full-fat cheese. The same applies to very spicy food such as: black pepper, chili peppers, curry, mustard and other hot spices, as well as raw onions and garlic.

Avoid Carbonated Drinks

Fizzy or carbonated soft drinks cause belching and upward pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), increasing the likelihood of heartburn. The best drinks include: water, herbal teas or diluted non-citrus fruit juices. Please also note that some soft drinks (eg. cocoa, coffee, orange juice) are not helpful for heartburn as they can over-relax the LES, thus encouraging the backward flow of acid from the stomach.

Eat More Fiber, Especially Soluble Fiber

Constipation can lead to extra strain on abdominal muscles and increase the risk of heartburn. To prevent constipation, eat more high-fiber foods such as: oats, apples, pears, dried apricots and vegetables. When increasing fiber intake it’s also important to increase your water intake by at least 40 fl oz a day.

Reduce Alcohol Consumption

Alcohol is not helpful to heartburn for several reasons. So take steps to reduce your intake to one unit a day, or avoid it altogether. Alcohol is also a source of non-nutritious calories and can contribute to overweight.

Other Digestive Tips

For digestive disorders like heartburn, some dietitians and alternative health experts recommend patients to eat (or cook with) digestion-friendly aromatic herbs like basil, camomile, caraway, dill, fennel, rosemary and thyme. They also recommend that you end each meal with a glass of herbal tea (eg. camomile, fennel) to reduce acidity and wind.

Lifestyle Improvements To Reduce Heartburn

There are several lifestyle changes that can help to reduce the symptoms of heartburn. One obvious one is to stop smoking, as tobacco smoke increases acidity in the stomach. Other recommended changes include:

Avoid placing extra strain on your abdomen or chest. Wear loose-fitting clothes, and do not overstretch or lift heavy weights.

Do not lie down after eating, and try not to eat anything for at least three hours before going to bed. The less there is in your stomach when you come to lie down, the lower the risk of heartburn.

To minimize night-time discomfort, raise the head end of your bed by about 3 inches by using bed-blocks or by placing a solid object under the bed-legs. This helps to prevent stomach acid from leaking backwards into the esophagus. Do not use extra pillows - you simply end up with a stiff neck as well as heartburn!

Heartburn symptoms can be caused by certain over-the-counter drugs, such as aspirin, or other pain-killers or anti-inflammatories. So if you take this type of medication regularly, check with your doctor or pharmacist that it’s safe to continue.

Linda Smith B.Sc., RD, aged 51, is a qualified dietitian and nutritional consultant. She is part of the editorial team at Diet-i.com which provides a range of information about diet, nutrition and weight management to more than 5 million visitors per year.

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While acne is not completely understood, there is a substantial knowledge of the biology behind it.

The main cause is an oily substance produced by your body called sebum, whose main function is to help keep your skin and hair lubcricated. During the adolescent years, the body can overproduce sebum which then combines with dead skin cells and clogs pores.

The build-up of oil beneath the skin’s surface in these clogged pores creates an environment where bacteria can thrive. When these bacteria form, the skin become red and inflamed and causes what we call a pimple.

The overproduction of the substance sebum is brought on by testosterone. While this is a male hormone, it is present in both males and females. During puberty, the body starts to react to testosterone differently and this new reaction is what causes the skin to become more oily.

By the early 20’s, most people’s body acclimatizes to the presence of testosterone and the acne problem goes away.

Acne has been shown to be hereditary to a certain degree, but there is no conclusive reason that some people are affected while other aren’t. Some of the contributing factors appear to be stress, diet, skin type, and certain medications.

Some of the medications that often contribute to acne problems are anabolic steroids, halogens, androgens and lithium.

Diet-related factors seem to be primarily related to skim milk based products. While many people associate chocolate and greasy foods with pimples, there is in fact no evidence that they are actually related.

It is tempting to “pop” pimple but this can actually lead to a more severe problem. Squeezing the pimple can cause the bacteria to spread to the surrounding skin, which can lead to more pimples. Plus, squeezing them can lead to scarring of the skin, which in the worst cases may be permanent.

Even the simple - and often unconscious - act of touching your face can be a factor in acne. Our hands contain oils and bacteria that can lead to further problems for people who are suffering with acne.

This extends to anything that comes in contact with the face - telephones, glasses, sunglasses, hats, etc. Anything that could potentially be carrying bacteria could ultimately lead to a more serious acne problem.

John Lenaghan writes about acne control and other acne related topics on the Acne Squad website. For more information visit http://www.acnesquad.com

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The Problem: Symptoms are treated but not the cause of the symptom. An example of this is found in the common use of cream and drugs (Accutane) to treat acne. Furthermore, some acne medication has undesirable side effects and it can be different for each person. For example: A person who suffers from acne, who has never had dandruff problems before but after using Accutane for a few months begin to experience constant dandruff. This happened to me. However, it is quite common to see dandruff accompanied by acne.

Don’t get me wrong, these acne medications do work, but only as long as it can treat the acne faster than your body is producing the acne. If you stopped using these product to treat acne or your acne becomes worse, your acne will re-appear again, sometimes at a worsen state.

So what and where is the cause of your acne?
The cause of your acne lies within your body system. It is highly influenced by these three factors; your hormone imbalance, high toxic build up and your genetic tendencies. These undesirable factors have come about from the choices you have made in life. These choices include your diet, daily activities, thoughts, emotions and sleeping pattern.

Although you can’t do much about your genetic tendencies, you have the power to balance your hormone and flush out the toxic that has built up in your system. A quick way to begin is to incorporate daily exercise, and eat food that nourishes your vital organs and less food that assist in building up toxic waste. Also make sure that you sleep at the right time, preferably at least before midnight, to allow your vital organs to rest and do their job.

Research has shown that your liver and gall’s detoxification process works best during deep sleep state, between 11pm to 3am. In addition, lack of sleep and waking up too early damages your liver. Damaged liver will hamper your body’s ability to flush out the toxic waste in your system. If you keep this up, acne will be the least of your only problems. Notice that when you begin to initially increase your body’s detoxification capability, you may experience worse acne that is temporary.

By the way, be certain about the pain acne have caused you and the pleasure it has robbed you off in your life. Then go out and seek the right information and a winning game plan to fight acne then take action towards your acne free life. One more thing, watch your thoughts as they produce emotions. Negative emotions and thoughts will lower your immune system thus affecting your health and acne. Cheer up! You are on the right track, after all you have been through,

what don’t kill you will only make you stronger.

William Chai, an acne sufferer sharing his experience and research on acne, with you. He has tried many means of acne medication and treatments but without lasting result. Until now, his sheer determination and persistence has finally paid off after 8 long years of searching for a lasting solution to acne. He believes what he has found is the answer to all acne problems. Although it does the trick, it is not a quick fix cure. You are most welcome to visit his website: http://www.easyacnesolution.com

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