It is an all too common story to have someone you know (it may even be you), who suffers with reflux. It is becoming more and more common as the ‘normal’ diet shifts to one that is geared toward convenience and comfort. Reflux is a sign that your body delivers to you to show you that your digestion is not in balance.
Acid reflux has now gotten to the point that it is considered to be an epidemic in that it effects all age groups. Even 50 percent of infants suffer from acid reflux in the first months of life.
What people do not realize is the hidden message that acid reflux is sending us. This is a message of poor digestive function and impending malnourishment. Consider that poor digestion is a gateway to the onset of more severe degenerative conditions.
Do you know what the signs of acid reflux are and how to identify them?
acid regurgitation, causing a burning in the oesophagus and an unpleasant taste in the mouth.
hoarseness,
belching,
chronic throat clearing and sore throat,
persistent cough,
difficulty swallowing,
nausea,
asthma and wheezing and persistent hiccups.
In infants and children symptoms may vary a little to include things such as
frequent ear infections,
excessive crying,
nausea with or without vomiting,
excessive coughing,
respiratory problems,
refusing food,
excessive belching and burping.
Reflux is a result of the gastric acid being not where it is supposed to be (in the stomach) due to a combination of factors (poor muscle tone or hiatus hernia). Stomach acid is extremely important to good digestion and it is important to note that sufficient acid content is vital to health.
Under normal circumstances stomach acid not only helps break down protein into usable components, it also destroys food-borne viruses, pathogenic bacteria and parasites. But with low acid, one of the body’s first lines of defense against harmful microorganisms becomes compromised. By contrast, a good stomach acid is associated with high levels of beneficial flora in the intestinal tract.
There are many ways to recover digestive function and no longer suffer from acid reflux and this is best talked through with a practitioner.