Gastro-Oesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is a condition where stomach acid frequently flows back into the Oesophagus (tube connecting your mouth and stomach). If this happens more regularly and is left untreated, it can cause severe damage to the mucous lining of the Stomach and Oesophagus.
Gerd symptoms
- Heartburn
- Difficult in swallowing food.
- Sensitive toward hot and cold foods.
- Hoarse voice
- Bloating and constantly feeling sick
- Your symptoms will probably be worse by night or when lying down or bending over.
- Stomach acids cause an unpleasant sour taste in the mouth.
- Cough or hiccups that keep coming back.
Causes of Heartburn and Acid Reflux Symptoms
Excess intake of caffeinated beverages like coffee, tea and soft drinks,
Irregular meal timings, eating more of restaurant foods.
Stress, anxiety can cause the production of excess gastric acids damaging the stomach lining.
Long term use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and antibiotics can cause gastro oesophageal reflux disease.
Chronic disease condition.
Alcohol and smoking
A condition called hiatus hernia –when a part of your stomach moves up into your chest.
How to get this in control
Most of the time, you can manage with lifestyle and diet modifications and some over-the-counter medication.
Few tips that can help you heal are:
Avoid foods that trigger your symptoms: Foods like tomatoes, onions, raw vegetable juices, excess salts, excess sugars, unhealthy fats can aggravate the symptoms.
Maintain a food journal and identify what foods make your GERD worse; eliminate those foods from your diet until the symptoms come down.
Divide your big meal into small frequent meals:
The whole idea of eating a small regular meal is to decrease the load on the stomach.
Eat Probiotics and Prebiotics Daily:
Probiotics are live active cultures of good bacteria found primarily in fermented foods. They colonize your gut and keep the harmful bacteria at bay. Prebiotics are non — digestible fibres that help in the growth of good bacteria.
Foods like banana, garlic, tofu have good Prebiotic properties. They are fermented in the colon, and the fermentation process contributes to a healthy environment to improve your gut function. Avoid sleeping immediately after eating – This habit can make the digestion process slow, causing discomfort and bloating.
Stress and Anxiety:
Our body has a good mind-gut connection.The moment you are stressed, your gut senses the stress and secrete unwanted acids in the stomach damaging the mucous layer of your stomach. So, manages your stress and anxiety. Seek professional help if needed.
Stay Hydrated:
If you are not staying hydrated, you are more easily prone to ulcers because the stomach needs water to produce digestive acids.
Studies have shown that staying hydrated can help to decrease the symptoms. Also, the absorption of nutrients into the cells will increase if you stay enough hydrated.
Regular your Sleep Schedules:
Follow regular sleep timings. Lack of sleep can also make your body stressed, which release the excess of stress hormones. This can cause an imbalance in gut bacteria, decrease the supply of blood and oxygen flow to your stomach, which can aggravate GERD.
Take Home Message:
Follow a healthy lifestyle, balanced nutrition, create a stress-free work environment, avoid processed foods, and most importantly, practice mindful eating to come out of this condition.
Symptoms can be lessened by following a Nutri diet, staying at a healthy weight, and avoiding triggers. Healthcare practitioners may give medications like proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and H2 blockers to lower the production of stomach acid.
Surgery may be considered in extreme situations. People with GERD must collaborate closely with their medical professionals to create a customised treatment plan that takes into account their unique requirements and symptoms. It’s essential to conduct routine monitoring and follow-up to guarantee efficient treatment and avoid problems from untreated GERD.
