Symptoms of GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease)

The most common symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is regular heartburn, a painful, burning feeling in the middle of your chest, in the middle of your abdomen, and behind your breastbone. Not all adults with GERD have heartburn. GERD is characterized by symptoms and/or tissue damage that results from repeated or prolonged exposure of the lining of the esophagus to contents from the stomach. If tissue damage is present, the individual is said to have esophagitis or erosive GERD. The presence of symptoms with no evident tissue damage is referred to as non-erosive GERD. GERD symptoms are often persistent, such as chronic heartburn and regurgitation of acid. But sometimes there are no apparent symptoms, and the presence of GERD is revealed when complications become evident. Symptoms of GERD vary from person to person. The majority of people with GERD have mild symptoms, with no visible evidence of tissue damage and little risk of developing complications.

Other common GERD symptoms include :

1.    Bad breath

2.    Regurgitation, the backflow of stomach fluids into your mouth

3.   respiratory problems  such as Asthma. Asthma and GERD often occur together. Some theories about the connection between GERD and asthma are: Small amounts of stomach acid backing up into the esophagus can lead to changes in the immune system that trigger asthma. Acid leaking from the lower esophagus stimulates the vagus nerves, which run through the gastrointestinal tract. These stimulated nerves cause the nearby airways in the lung to constrict, producing asthma symptoms. Acid backup that reaches the mouth may be inhaled (aspirated) into the airways. Here, the acid triggers a reaction in the airways that causes asthma symptoms. There is some evidence that asthma triggers GERD, but in patients who have both conditions, treating GERD does not appear to improve asthma. Other Respiratory and Airway Conditions. Studies indicate an association between GERD and various upper respiratory problems that occur in the sinuses, ear and nasal passages, and airways of the lung. People with GERD appear to have an above-average risk for chronic bronchitis, chronic sinusitis, emphysema, pulmonary fibrosis (lung scarring), and recurrent pneumonia. If a person inhales fluid from the esophagus into the lungs, serious pneumonia can occur. It is not yet known whether treating GERD would also reduce the risk for these respiratory conditions.

4.   Nausea
5.   pain in your chest or the upper part of your abdomen
6.   problems swallowing or painful swallowing
7.   vomiting
8.   Sharp or burning chest pain behind the breastbone. This is also known as heartburn. It is the    most common symptom of GERD. Heartburn may be worse when you eat, bend over or lie down.
9.   Hoarseness, especially in the morning
10.   Coughing, wheezing or repeatedly needing to clear your throat

Chest pain may indicate acid reflux. Nevertheless, this kind of pain or discomfort should prompt urgent medical evaluation. Possible heart conditions must always be excluded first. Relief of symptoms after a two-week trial therapy with a proton pump inhibitor (a prescription medication that inhibits gastric acid secretion) is an indication that GERD is the cause. This can also be confirmed with pH monitoring, which measures the level of acid refluxing into the esophagus and as high as the larynx.

What Is Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)?

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a chronic digestive disease. GERD occurs when stomach acid or, occasionally, stomach content, flows back into your food pipe (esophagus). The backwash (reflux) irritates the lining of your esophagus and causes GERD. Most people can manage the discomfort of GERD with lifestyle changes and over-the-counter medications. But some people with GERD may need stronger medications, or even surgery, to reduce symptoms.
When the stomach contents move backward into the esophagus, this is known as gastroesophageal reflux. (Because the stomach makes acid to help a person digest food, gastroesophageal reflux is also known as acid reflux.) Almost everyone has this type of reflux at some time. Often a person isn't even aware this is happening.

Both acid reflux and heartburn are common digestive conditions that many people experience from time to time. When these signs and symptoms occur at least twice each week or interfere with your daily life, or when your doctor can see damage to your esophagus, you may be diagnosed with GERD.
Sometimes reflux causes the burning sensation of heartburn that most of us occasionally feel. But although lots of people have heartburn from time to time, that doesn't mean that they have GERD. When a person has GERD, heartburn or other symptoms happen much more often and cause serious discomfort.

GERD can be a problem if it's not treated because, over time, the reflux of stomach acid damages the tissue lining the esophagus, causing inflammation and pain. In adults, long-lasting, untreated GERD can lead to permanent damage of the esophagus and sometimes even cancer.
GERD is usually caused by changes in the barrier between the stomach and the esophagus, including abnormal relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter, which normally holds the top of the stomach closed, impaired expulsion of gastric reflux from the esophagus, or a hiatal hernia. These changes may be permanent or temporary.

How to Overcome Emotional Eating

Eating is a part of life.  Your body gets its nutrients from food.  Sometimes we can go overboard with our eating habits and it can result in gaining weight.  One issue with food is emotional eating. 

The problem of emotional eating may end with the scale but it begins in the mind.  Stress takes its toll on your life.  When your defenses are compromised your health takes a hit and so do your emotions. 

Everyone has good days and bad days.  How we deal with the bad ones brings emotional eating into play.  You look for comfort for your hurts.  People who turn to food for comfort find a coping mechanism that won’t judge them, hurt them or tell them “no.” To complicate the issue, eating pleasurable foods can stimulate the release of endorphins just like exercise.  So, after you eat, you feel better.

Emotional eaters use food to relieve stress.  They hide behind the food instead of seeking solutions to the problems.  This is not uncommon when the stressor is something horrible such as physical abuse or a death.

But, how do you know you are using food in this way?  The first sign is obvious.  You will gain weight if you eat too much.  In light of the weight gain, examine other areas of your life:

* Have you been under stress lately at work or at home?
* Has anything traumatic happened in the last year?
* Are you dealing with a problem but haven’t found a solution?

Answering “yes” to any of these questions could mean that you are an emotional eater.  You eat but you are not necessarily hungry at the time.  The foods that you choose are what we term “comfort foods”:

* High fat foods like French fries, fried foods
* High carb foods like macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes
* Sugary foods like ice cream, donuts, cookies, cake

There is help for emotional eaters.  The first step is recognizing that you have a problem.  You’ll experience feelings of helplessness and guilt.  The guilt is over potentially ruining your health and the helplessness lies in the fact that you don’t see a way out.

Secondly, seek counseling.  There are many types of counselors out there that can meet your need.  Emotional eating has nothing to do with dieting or changing your eating habits but gaining control over your emotions. 

A counselor might suggest things like visualization, practicing problem solving skills, relaxation techniques and family support.  Visualization helps you to see your problems in a realistic way and not blown out of proportion.  You will also learn to see food as nutrition for the body and not an emotional crutch.

Thirdly, your family can learn your triggers for stress and be on the lookout for changes in your eating habits.  They can help you be aware of the foods you are eating, assist you in making healthy food choices and exercise along with you.  Proper diet and exercise increases immunity, blood flow and positive thinking.  Yoga enhances the mind/body connection so you don’t eat when you aren’t hungry.

Finding new ways to solve your problems and deal with stress will push food out of the equation.  You’ll feel good about finding solutions which will replace the dependence on food.  

EFFICACY LEAVES KATUK

Benefits katuk leaf has been known since hundreds of years ago. This plant is very well known as a plant that can be launched breast milk, but it actually leaves katuk have benefits that far outweigh the smooth milk. Katuk leaves are typical plant Indonesia that can be processed as food. Many people are not aware that these plants could actually be consumed vegetables daily. Therefore, make sure to consider for cooking leaves katuk as our daily menu. Here are some of the benefits that we can get if we consume leaves katuk :

1. Benefits Leaves katuk To Streamlining and increasing breastfeedingnursing mothers are strongly advised to diligently consume leaves katuk and can be processed into  vegetable. Because calcium and minerals in the leaves is very helpful katuk pregnant women and nursing mothers to produce more breast milk.2. Leaves katuk have the necessary amount of vitamin A body for cell growth, prevention of eye diseases, enhancing the immune system and guard skin health.3. Leaves katuk believed to increase endurance because katuk leaves have a very high vitamin C content.4. Leaves katuk excellent calcium for bone growth that can prevent osteoporosis.5.  In addition to the benefits already mentioned, the man leaves katuk can also increase sperm count and increase fertility because they contain phytochemicals.