Acid Reflux – What It Is
Filed Under Health and Fitness | Leave a Comment
Acid Reflux is something we tend to hear about quite a bit these days. And yet, many people still aren’t clear about what this condition really is. For instance, did you know that acid reflux is often mistaken for heart burn? Did you know that children and infants suffer from it as well? The best way to treat this condition is to know exactly what it is.
GERD
Acid Reflux is the common name for the condition known as Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease or GERD. This occurs when there is a problem between the stomach and esophagus. When you eat, the food travels down your esophagus and enters the stomach, which is then closed off by something known as the esophageal sphincter. Normally, the foods, liquids and stomach acids stay in the stomach- but for a person with acid reflux, the stomach contents will re-enter the esophagus.
While the stomach is specially designed to deal with the acids that are produced during digestion, the esophagus is not. As a result, this ‘reflux’ can cause a burning sensation along the chest, throat and sometimes, the back of the mouth. It is this burning sensation that often leads people to mistakenly believe that they have heartburn.
What’s The Difference?
So how can you tell if you’ve got acid reflux or heartburn? Firstly, acid reflux will usually appear more than twice a week. It will also be accompanied by other symptoms like chest pains, dry cough and bad breath. You will also have a feeling that something is stuck in your throat and you may experience hoarseness when you awaken in the morning. Other symptoms include a sensation of being choked and difficulty in swallowing.
While these are the most common symptoms, it’s best to see a doctor to get professional diagnosis. Most patients will have to take acid-suppressive therapy in order to diagnose the condition. In some cases, additional tests such as an upper endoscopy, barium x-rays, Esophageal Manometry or an Esophageal PH Monitor Examination may also be prescribed.
If this condition is not treated quickly, it could lead to complications in the esophagus and stomach. Dealing with Acid Reflux quickly will put your health back on track and make life a lot more enjoyable for you.
Best Natural Remedy For Cold Sores
Filed Under Diseases, Conditions and Treatments, assorted viruses, is it contagious? | Leave a Comment
With cold and flu season not too far away, for some of us it is also cold sore season! Are you one of those people who suffers from cold sores during this time? They are aggravating and downright ugly! If you’re like me, you get sick to your stomach when you feel it coming, because you know you have at least two weeks before it will be gone. The following article gives some helpful tips and advice to help speed up the healing process:
Cold sores also called fever blisters. Cold sores are caused by a viral infection that attacks the skin and nervous system. They are sometimes confused with impetigo, which usually develops between the nose and upper lip. Fluid that weeps from impetigo is cloudy and honey-colored. Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus, and they’re contagious. Herpes simplex virus 1 and 2 are two strains of the Herpes virus family, Herpesviridae, which cause infections in humans. HSV establishes latency, during which the virus is present in the cell bodies of nerves which innervate the area of original outbreak. During reactivation, virus is produced in the cell and transported outwardly via the nerve cell’s axon to the skin.
Looking for a good home remedy for cold sores? While you will hear about all types and kinds of a home remedy for cold sores, there are a few that have been shown to work. For anyone who has suffered with a cold sore you know how painful it can be. And since they will typically last from 10-14 days, finding relief becomes a priority. Give one of these tips a try the next time you, or someone you know, develops a cold sore.
Aloe Vera – This home remedy for cold sores will work if you your cold sore does blister on you. Take a leaf from an aloe vera plant and rub the liquid from it onto your cold sore blister. It may sound strange, but it gives results. Do this a few times a day and at night. Within a day or two your cold sore will be gone. I know people who will grow aloe plants in their home just for this very reason.
Tea Tree Oil – Many people say this is the best home remedy for cold sores. This is a drink that contains tea tree oil, herbal sage, and violet. These ingredients are mixed together with a couple sage leaves and ginger powder, and put in with a cup of boiling water. Drink this 2-3 times a day and within a couple of days your cold sore will be gone.
Coconut Oil – Take 100ml of coconut oil, 2ml of dettol, and 3ml or carbolic acid and mix them together. Apply twice daily directly on your cold sore. Some people say this formula also works on boils and mosquito bites.
Other Home Remedy For Cold Sores – Witch hazel, spirit of camphor and lemon balm extract are said to work.
There are also some foods that you do not want to eat when experiencing a cold sore. These foods will only make the problem worse. Avoid eating chocolate, oatmeal, seeds, peas, nuts, and any wheat products. Why? Because arginine is in these foods and they are a cold sores friend. Other salty foods, and even coffee can cause a cold sore to linger.
The next time you feel a cold sore coming on, give one of these tips a try and see if it doesn’t give you the relief you’re looking for. Finally, a good home remedy for cold sores. You can find much more information on medication for cold sores at www.fastcoldsorestreatment.com
How To Heal Acid Reflux Without Medication
Filed Under Diseases, Conditions and Treatments | Leave a Comment
It is a rather sad reflection of society that so many of us use drugs, both illicit and regulated to help us with our problems. All too often, doctors over medicate for even the smallest of health complaints, and given the side effects and health risks of medication this should be an area of concern. It seems that the convenience of simply taking a pill to alleviate a problem (regardless of how temporary the relief maybe) is just too tempting for us, hence our dependency on medication.
In the context of acid reflux, this need to refrain from the natural instinct to rely on medication is even more imperative. At best, anti acid reflux medication provides temporary relief, which will as with most synthetic painkillers, wear off in time as our body develops a tolerance to it. Fortunately there are a number of non-medication methods that can be used to help more easily and effectively control and alleviate the symptoms of acid reflux.
Changing what you eat
Surprisingly, one of the most effective, powerful and efficient methods of controlling acid reflux also seems to be the most difficult to implement. Our diet has a direct effect on the amount of stomach acid we produce, and whilst we can assume on an intellectual level as to the relationship between something which brings us pain versus the potential pleasure, putting this into practice isn’t so easy.
Unfortunately, eating is one of the most fundamental habits we develop and given that it is something we have done, and will continue to do so for the rest of our lives, trying to break the patterns we have developed so far can be rather tricky.
Many of us rely on food as a means of solace whenever we suffer anger, depression or anxiety and so perhaps trying to break this cycle of negative emotions leading to “bad foods” should be considered. Chocolate, caffeine, red meat and alcohol are among the worst culprits for increasing the level of acidity in our stomach. However, you may not need to exercise total abstinence from all of your favorite foods and substances, even reducing your intake maybe sufficient to help you reduce the acid reflux to a more comfortable level.
Increasing your healthy food consumption
Working on a healthier diet does not just mean refraining from certain foods, but also ensuring that we increase our intake of others as well. Given that our stomach is acidic in nature, an increase in our daily consumption of foods that have a high alkali presence will help to alleviate the severity of the acid reflux. This can include most vegetables (spinach, broccoli and other dark leafy vegetables are excellent for this) as well as milk.
Surprising as it may sound, a change in sleeping position may also mark some improvement of symptoms, by using a pillow to ensure that you keep your head at least 6 inches above your stomach. If you find that your symptoms act up in the morning then this will be of especial benefit to you.
Agonizing and annoying pain in your chest and throat yet again? Why not discover how to defeat GERD once and for all with natural remedies for gerd. Click on over to RefluxNow.com for more free advice. « go back — keep looking »
