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Excess stomach acid leaking up into the lower throat or esophagus is what causes heart burn symptoms. The term reflux means to flow back. Acid reflux is simply a medical term for stomach acid flowing back out of the stomach and into the esophagus. GARD is an acronym sometimes used by doctors to describe acid burn heart reflux, which can be a chronic condition. Gastrointestinal acid reflux disease (GARD), acid reflux disease, acid burn, heart reflux and indigestion are all terms used to describe the same symptoms.

When looking at what causes heartburn, acid burn heart, reflux or even GARD some people are interested in what foods, beverages and other things that may lead to the symptoms. The idea being that if you can avoid certain things, you may be able to avoid the symptoms. Everyone has heartburn occasionally, but those who experience it frequently may be bringing it on themselves to a certain extent.

Many people who suffer from acid reflux are not willing to give up the foods that they love in order to prevent symptoms, but some people do learn to change their diets and/or their lifestyles in order to help control their problem. Fried, spicy and highly acidic foods like tomatoes or citrus fruits may sometimes be what causes heart burn symptoms. In addition, simply overeating may be what causes heart burn in some people. Obese people commonly experience the acid, burn heart, reflux symptoms. In this case, eating smaller meals, more frequently may help to reduce or relieve symptoms.

Another medical condition may be what causes heart burn, acid, burn heart, reflux symptoms in some people. A hernia is a medical term used to describe the protrusion of an organ or other bodily structure through the wall that normally contains it. A hiatal hernia is the protrusion of part of the stomach into the lower esophagus. It is easy to understand why those with a hiatal hernia experience heartburn and this is one of the reasons that people who are experiencing frequent heartburn should have their symptoms evaluated by a physician.

In order to learn what causes heart burn in your own case, you may want to keep a food diary. Even a morning cup of coffee can be what causes heart burn in some people, while others will not experience any acid burn heart reflux symptoms at all after drinking coffee. Some will only experience symptoms after several cups. Once you know that your symptoms are not related to another medical condition, it is possible to determine what causes heart burn in your case and it is possible to treat the symptoms when occasionally you eat or drink the wrong things.

For more information about heartburn and other digestive problems, visit www.digestive-disorders-guide.com

Patsy Hamilton writes informational articles for the Digestive Disorders Guide. Visit us at http://www.digestive-disorders-guide.com

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If you have a tendency to get heartburn, you may need to keep a food diary or a “heartburn” diary in order to determine exactly what foods trigger your symptoms. Physicians and other experts do suggest certain foods not to eat with heartburn and things to eat with heartburn. Food is not the only factor that can bring on heartburn. Stress, smoking, alcoholic, caffeinated and carbonated beverages may all lead to heartburn. Large meals, eating too quickly, exercising or going to bed too soon after eating may all lead to heartburn. If avoiding certain foods does not help to prevent heartburn, you may need to look at the other causes.

Most of the foods not to eat with heartburn are fatty, fried, spicy or highly acidic. Oranges and tomatoes are examples of highly acidic foods. Choosing things to eat with heartburn tendencies is not that complicated, if you can avoid fatty, fried, spicy and acidic foods.

Meats that may bring on heartburn are those that are fried, have a lot of visible fat or that have been flavored with garlic or onion. Pork and bacon are examples of foods not to eat with heartburn tendencies. Grilled or baked white meat chicken or fish are examples of things to eat with heartburn problems.

When it comes to vegetables, most are safe, unless you add butter or other oils. Broccoli, cauliflower, peas, green beans, carrots and spinach are just some examples of things to eat with heartburn tendencies. Vegetables that have a tendency to bring on heartburn include tomatoes, onions and peppers. These are commonly accepted as foods not to eat with heartburn. Rhubarb has even been known to relieve symptoms of heartburn. Chewing on a chunk of rhubarb is a folk remedy for treating heartburn and indigestion.

How about fruits? Fruits are important in the diet and most can be things to eat with heartburn tendencies, except citrus fruits. Apples and bananas are better choices than oranges and tangerines.

Most dairy products are safe, unless they are high in fat. Whole fat cheeses are foods not to eat with heartburn tendencies. Low fat cottage cheese, low fat milk and yogurt are examples of things to eat with heartburn problems.

When planning a menu, it is important to look at spices as well as foods not eat with heartburn and things to eat with heartburn. Garlic may bring on heartburn, while gingerroot has a tendency to relieve heartburn, so it stands to reason that adding ginger for flavor will not bring on heartburn.

None of this is meant to take the place of your physician’s advice. Chronic heartburn symptoms should be evaluated by your doctor. Changing diet alone may not be enough to relieve or prevent heartburn. Foods that cause heartburn in some people do not cause heartburn in everyone. Neither are the foods mentioned a complete list of foods not to eat with heartburn or things to eat with heartburn, this article is simply an accumulation of personal experience and experts recommendations.

For more information about heartburn, visit www.digestive-disorders-guide.com.

Patsy Hamilton writes informational articles for the Digestive Disorders Guide. Visit us at http://www.digestive-disorders-guide.com

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There was a time when following the accepted traditions was something one did without question. If the tradition of your tribe demanded that a boy face his fears through some horrifying act in order to be recognized as a man then that is exactly what he did.

In the modern world that sort of blind obedience to tradition is a bit more difficult to find. Many of us have grown up in a culture defined by mini revolutions. We question more. If we don’t like the answers we receive, we are inclined to stand against the flow that is, if it suits us.

What if we applied a little bit of that revolutionary spirit to cholesterol management? What if we took prevention a little bit more seriously?

Lowering cholesterol risk is, of course, serious business. An imbalanced cholesterol profile can lead to a number of chronic heart health issues. I am not debating that issue.

Nor am I challenging the accepted methods designed to reduce cholesterol risk. It is important to keep our HDL cholesterol high and our triglycerides within an acceptable range. It is especially important to keep our LDL cholesterol in check. That is why the primary focus of cholesterol management is the reduction of LDL. This is good and proper.

But why is LDL cholesterol so important? Well for starters high LDL levels contribute to the development of coronary heart disease (CHD). Particularly, high LDL levels promote the development of atherosclerosis that nasty build-up on the inside of our arteries.

So it makes sense to focus on LDL reduction to lower cholesterol risk.

But here is a twist that you may not have considered. Evidence has been mounting for some time that the level of LDL cholesterol in our systems may not be what causes atherosclerosis (artery clogging plaque). Rather it is actually the oxidation of LDL that promotes atherosclerosis and therefore CHD. In light of this evidence it is reasonable to assume that therapy should focus on suppressing LDL oxidation as well as lowering LDL levels.

Oxidation is a process that happens to our cells in the presence of oxygen. When oxygen comes in contact with certain molecules the reaction leaves some of the atoms with unpaired electrons. They are then known as free radicals. These free radicals attack healthy cells in our bodies doing damage to cell membranes and DNA. The result is improperly functioning cells or even cell death. This process is blamed for many chronic conditions including my favorite aging.

When LDL cholesterol becomes oxidized it reacts differently than ‘healthy’ LDL. In short, it builds up on the inside of our arteries.

We have all heard of antioxidants. As the name implies, antioxidants oppose the activities of free radicals. They prevent the process of oxidation. It makes sense then to consider antioxidants as an important part of preventing coronary heart disease.

Even if you may not have thought of this it is possible you are already doing something about it. Many of us supplement with vitamin-E for a healthy heart. Vitamin-E has long been recognized as a powerful antioxidant.

But vitamin-E alone may not be enough. If you are serious about cholesterol management you might want to add a few more antioxidants to your arsenal. Here are three that have been shown to be very effective in preventing LDL oxidation.

The first two we will look at together. Catechins and theaflavins have been shown to work well together to reduce LDL oxidation. Where do we find these little gems?

Catechins and theaflavins are found in green and black teas. There is a whole list of them. Which ones are better? A study done in China on the effectiveness of catechins and theaflavins to reduce LDL oxidation indicated that both green and black teas provided effective antioxidant powers. In fact, these flavonoids seem to work best together. In other words, consuming a complex of catechins and theaflavins from green and black teas provides the most comprehensive antioxidant influence.

There is, however, another champion antioxidant that has received abundant study in relation to LDL oxidation. That champion is COQ10.

CoQ10 is perhaps best known as a necessary coenzyme in the process of producing cellular energy. It is extremely important for the proper functioning of large organs like the heart.

But CoQ10 is also a very strong antioxidant. It has been demonstrated to be more effective in preventing LDL oxidation than vitamin-E. In fact, CoQ10 is known to regenerate vitamin-E that has been depleted in its antioxidant warfare. Which should you take? Both. CoQ10 and vitamin-E work best in tandem. That is normally how antioxidants function.

By all means keep your LDL low. But also consider efforts to keep your LDL healthy. LDL that has undergone oxidation is bad news for heart health. CoQ10, vitamin-E, theaflavins and catechins can all help in the antioxidant war to prevent coronary heart disease.

For more information and LDL oxidation and antioxidants please use the links below:

CoQ10 and Cholesterol

CoQ10 Supplements

Optimal Heart Health Home Page

Optimal-Heart-Health.com is dedicated to promoting heart health by natural means. If you are concerned with doing everything you can to have a healthy heart then you don’t want to be uninformed.

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