Treating GERD and Acid Reflux with Probiotics | Baby care ...

It hits you late at night, usually without warning, and often just as you?ve just laid down for bed and a good night?s sleep. Maybe it starts with a belch or two, or maybe just a sour taste in the back of your mouth. Whatever it was you ate for dinner is now coming back for a second visit. You may have heard that it?s incurable, and all you can do is suffer, popping antacids (and stronger pills) for the rest of your life to mitigate the discomfort.

Actually, you?ve been? misinformed. Treating and often even curing this malady can be as simple as an occasional dietary change, available at the local grocery store.

This ailment is pretty common these days. The conflict is in how to cure it, or what to do to relieve the situation. According to most people, this is a disease known as acid-reflux, or Gastric Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), a natural part of the aging process for all of us, which must be treated and medicated with a variety of over-the-counter and even prescription drugs.

If you watch TV or turn on the radio?or even pick up a magazine now and then?you?ve likely seen or heard way too many advertisements for Prilosec OTC, Zantac, Tagamet or a broad variety of other OTC remedies for heartburn and other gastric distress. Meanwhile, if you?ve presented your symptoms to a conventional physician, the reaction has often been a prescription for Omeprazole, Nexium, Prevacid, Protonix or some other Pharma-created concoction, containing a proton pump inhibiting (ppi) agent.

Each of these medications attempts to mask the symptoms of GERD or acid-reflux, in part by blocking actions within the digestive system that otherwise occur normally (including the production of stomach-acid, without which normal digestion is nearly impossible). The proton pump is an enzyme, located within the tissues of the stomach, that?s responsible for producing stomach acid. When too much acid is produced, the stomach, esophagus, and even the upper portion of the intestines can become irritated. PPIs work by binding to the gastric acid pump and slightly altering its chemical makeup, hindering the pump from releasing large amounts of acid.

However, these normal functions, if blocked for too long, can cause far more serious digestive disorders. (The doctors even tell you when they prescribe one of these ppi pills that you should stop taking them after two weeks at most.)

What?s worse, after you?ve completed the prescribed regimen of one of these masking agents, and stop taking it as you?re supposed to, you might find yourself right back where you started, with that burning sensation back in your stomach. None of these pills has ever been shown to cure the disease, only to hide its effects for a while. (This could be why Prilosec OTC has become a regular part of some people?s daily pill-popping routines.) Meanwhile, like any other medication, these remedies have been shown to have a long list of side-effects, including:

anxietydiarrheaskin rash or itchingstomach painnauseavomitingconstipationrectal bleedingdepression

In addition, long-term effects (due largely to the suppression of stomach-acid production) can include extra production of the hormone ?gastrin,? which signals the stomach to increase acid production. According to several sources, this has been linked to the growth of esophageal, pancreatic, and gastric cancer cells. Even worse, this weakening of stomach acid limits its normal abilities to kill most bacteria and fungi as soon as they enter the gut. Low stomach acid levels have also been linked to candida overgrowth and bacterial infections, often leading to gastritis, ulcers, stomach cancer or even heart failure.

So it would seem common sense that over-reliance on these ppi pills is not the way to combat acid reflux for any length of time.

But what about a cure for this condition? Does such a thing even exist? According to many naturopathic healers, the answer is a resounding YES! And (as is often the case in these matters) it?s not an issue of medication, but of diet and common sense. (According to one source, merely eating a fresh apple each day (or when heartburn symptoms show up) can hold your gastric-distress symptoms at bay. This would seem to give a new ending to the old ?apple a day? nostrum.)

The real answer seems to be increasing the amount of probiotics in your body?s digestive system. Probiotics is the generic term given to over 400 types of good bacteria that exist in our gastrointestinal tracts. Given a good balance of these probiotics your immune system can fight illness and disease, and your intestinal tract remains balanced. They are also essential in controling acid reflux and heartburn, as well as preventing the over-colonization of disease causing micro-organisms such as salmonella and E. coli.

There are also a variety of ?natural healing? websites out there, all offering one or more ?miracle cures? for acid reflux and GERD. Some of these promise that, ?for only $19.95, with a full money-back guarantee,? they?ll reveal the secrets to naturally healing your wounded digestive system, and restore you to full recovery from the evils of heartburn and reflux.

However, a few changes in your diet may be the only thing standing in the way of your own healing in this regard. Probiotics are available in such foods as yogurt (the kind with active bacteria cultures), milk, miso, some juices and soy drinks, or sauerkraut (homemade kind is best). Meanwhile, as a dietary supplement, flax oil has often been found to be a good source. Each of these food sources helps us to maintain sufficient gut flora. If you?d like to increase the effects, simply adding digestive enzymes to your intake can help.

Adding more probiotics to your diet, may also have positive effects on treating diarrhea, vaginal yeast and urinary tract infections, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).? It may also help to stop the recurrence of bladder cancer, and even prevent or reduce colds and flu. Some studies have even shown reductions in missed work, and improvements of overall health, simply by adding the probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri to the person?s diet.

Meanwhile, the webmd.com web site cautions that, ?The FDA does not regulate probiotics as it does prescription medications, because probiotics are in the same category as food and supplements. With growing evidence for their effectiveness, however, the FDA is reviewing their status and may regulate them more closely in the future.?

They further recommend that, ?For now, the best advice is to choose products from well-known companies, especially those that have been tested in research studies. Reliable products should indicate the name of the precise probiotic organisms they contain, as well as how many organisms a single dose provides. Many products also provide information on the scientific studies they use for their recommendations.?

Of course, if you choose to heal yourself with a good diet and other truly ?natural? methods, will it really matter what companies you buy your products from?

By Steve Trinward

Have you ever heard of GERD? It stands for Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease. You may know it as Acid Reflux, or Acid Reflux Disease. Regardless of what it is called, it is extremely? You may have heard of GERD, or Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease, but the chances are greater that you?ve heard of Acid Reflux Disease, which is the same thing. What you may not? Are you one of the 60 million Americans who suffer from acid reflux? Acid reflux is technically called Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, or GERD and the symptoms of Acid Reflux? If you have GERD, or Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease ? commonly known as Acid Reflux, you probably experience symptoms regularly. Did you know, however, that if you follow a? If you have Acid Reflux Disease, also known as GERD or Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease, you need relief. While relief can be found at your doctor?s office, you may prefer natural?steve. July 29th, 2011

Source: http://www.womenfavor.com/health-personal-care/treating-gerd-and-acid-reflux-with-probiotics-3.html

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