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Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) Defined: In plain English

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) Defined: In plain English Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is caused when the valve between the esophagus does not close properly and stomach acids push and irritate the delicate lining of the esophagus. The most common symptom of GERD is heartburn.

Although many people have heartburn it should not be confused with GERD. Although Buffer pH+ will help with occasional heartburn attack, GERD is a chronic and serious problem.

GERD is most commonly caused when you esophageal sphincter does not close properly. This little flap is opens when you swallow and then closes. When it becomes week or too relaxed, it doesn't close properly and doesn't stop stomach acids from going to the wrong place. It is proven that certain foods may cause this tiny muscle not to relax. Foods on this list include chocolate, onions, peppermint, coffee, high-sugar foods, and possibly high-fat foods. Other foods like oranges and pizza don't relax this muscle but they do further the problem if the esophagus is already inflamed.

So now that we gave you the formal definition. Here's are the clinical terms broken out in common terms:

Heartburn, acid reflux, gastroespohageal reflux, esophagitis.....all these terms are enough to make anybody's head spin. So let's start by breaking some of this down into plain English.

Heartburn

What is heartburn? The term "heartburn" can mean different things to different people, but it most commonly refers to the symptoms of acid reflux or gastroespohageal reflux. Some people will also use words like dyspeptic or indigestion, although those are more generally used to describe bloating, fullness, belching or feeling like you need to belch, or nausea. Heartburn is...well, basically, it's pain. It's your esophagus crying foul. Heartburn is generally described as a burning, tight, or uncomfortable feeling in the center of the chest, behind or near the breastbone. It's pain or discomfort in the esophagus caused by the lining of the esophagus being irritated when stomach acid backs up into the esophagus. The lining of the esophagus isn't designed to deal with stomach acid so, just like skinning your knee when you were a kid, the lining gets irritated and it hurts.

So what's chronic heartburn?

The American Heritage Dictionary defines chronic as "Lasting for a long period of time or marked by frequent recurrence". Heartburn is generally considered chronic if it occurs consistently 2 or more times a week. But even if it's not occuring that often for you, if it's occuring repetetively and often enough to bother you, it's worth consulting your physician.

Esophagitis

Esophagitis is the technical term for irritation and inflammation of the esophagus. Again, it's a symptom of the problem, or a result of the problem. The repeated backup of acid into the esophagus causes the irritation and inflammation. And if left untreated, it can eventually lead to bleeding or ulcers in the esophagus and other problems.

Acid Reflux/Gastroesophageal Reflux

Ahh, now here we go. This is the what's keeping you up nights. This is what makes you wish you had stock in antacids. This is what makes you look longingly at the local pizzeria as you drive by. You may have also heard acid reflux disease or gastroesphageal reflux disease (gerd), but we'll get to those in a minute. For the moment, let's leave the disease part off the end.

Acid reflux and gastroesophageal reflux are pretty much the same thing. Technically, one (acid reflux) refers to what is happening (acid is backing up into the esophagus) and the other (gastroesophageal reflux) refers to the system and organ being affected (the esophagus, part of the gastrointestinal system, is being irritated by the reflux of acid into it). Phew, okay, now that we got the technicalities out of the way, what IS it? (We're going to use the term acid reflux for the rest of this discussion because, hey, let's face it, it's shorter to type.) To understand what it is, let's start with a little basic biology. And I mean just a little, so hang in there. We all know that you eat by putting food in your mouth. And we know that that food then goes on to your stomach where all sorts of interesting chemical reactions go on and then the 'food' goes on to other parts of the body. For the purposes of this discussion we're not going any further than the stomach. Okay, so, you put food in your mouth and it ends up in your stomach. And how does it get to your stomach class? It travels down this nifty connecting tube called your esophagus. On a basic level, that's all your esophagus is, a road between your mouth and your stomach. (Yes, there are muscles and things involved and blah blah, we're trying to keep this simple). Now, and here's the important part, the esophagus was designed to be primarily a one way street. The food is supposed to go down and stay there. Sure, there are mechanisms for 'emergencies' to allow traffic to go the other way, but that's not supposed to happen on a regular basis. At the bottom of the tube (esophagus) there's a flap (the lower esophageal flap or lef) that's supposed to keep things that are in the stomach from getting up into the esophagus. And this little bugger is a big part of your problem. Basically, for folks who suffer from acid reflux, the flap isn't working properly and it's allowing acid to backup into the esophagus. And that irritates the esophagus and the esophagus creates pain to let you know it's irritated and you end up doing the frantic antacid dance. It's the flap's fault.

Who broke my flap and how do I fix it?

Well, um, basically, it's likely that you broke it. Hey, hey, don't shoot the messenger. But seriously, there are certain physical problems. like hiatal hernia, that can cause or contribute to an acid reflux problem. But for most folks who suffer with this it's something that developed over time.

So, what can you do to help fix it? The first thing to remember is that this is likely a problem that's been developing for awhile, so don't expect to fix it overnight. But don't be discouraged. For most people, it can be improved or cleared up. One of the keys to getting better is to stop the irritation. As long as the irritation continues, the pain will continue along with the likelihood of damage. So the first step is to prevent the reflux so that the irritation can heal. Now, one of the reasons that many people have difficulty in treating their reflux is that the recommendations they've been presented with seem unreasonable or too difficult to implement.

This is where we come in. As a long time reflux suffer, since I started this all natural homeopathic acid reflux medicine, I've been heartburn free and my reflux has healed. No nasty acid blockers, not nasty probes and surgeries. Just a few capsules a day and off I go.

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Buffer-pH+ Formulation

The Buffer-pH+ formulation starts with Sodium Bicarbonate, Potassium Bicarbonate, and Calcium carbonate. The carbonate complex helps maintain the pH in the body and acts as an antacid. These are also the key minerals the body robs from itself when the body is too acidic for a period of time. When the body continues to rob these key minerals for an extended period of time serious health issues can result.

* Sodium is principally involved in acid-base balance, along with nerve and muscle function.
* Potassium is also key in acid-alkaline balance and is critical to the disposal of bodily waste. Potassium also aids in regulating the transfer of nutrients to the cells.
* Calcium is a very important mineral for pH. So much so that when the body does not have enough to balance the pH it will begin to leech the Calcium it needs from your bones. Calcium has other important roles within the body such as regulating heart rhythm, energy production, vitality and endurance. Many people are deficient in calcium not because they do not get enough calcium from the foods they eat but because the body is too acidic and uses the calcium to buffer the acid in the body.
* Aloe Vera and Cucumber are plants that are considered to be highly alkaline forming. The cucumber and the Aloe Vera work together with the bicarbonate complex to adjust the pH in the stomach.


The Only Product Formulated to Balance pH AND Replace Leached Minerals

* There are other products that will help balance a person's pH. Coral Calciums will do a decent job with that. Unfortunately, they leave out a critical step. They do nothing to replenish the minerals that are leached while the body is in an acidic state. Your body craves a balanced state and does whatever it can to create that environment, even if that means leaching critical minerals such as calcium, potassium and sodium from your system. Buffer-pH+ acts synergistically to balance pH and replace those leached minerals.

Buffer-pH+ attacks the issue of pH imbalance on both critical levels. First, Buffer-pH+ balances the body's pH and then it replenishes the minerals that are leached when the body is in an acidic state. Ingredients such as Sodium Bicarbonate, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Bicarbonate, Berberine Alkaloid, Aloe Vera Extract and Cucumber work together as alkalizing agents. Sodium Bicarbonate, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Bicarbonate also act to replenish minerals that are leached in the body's struggle to balance itself. 14 homeopathic ingredients are included based on their ability to impact bodily functions and chemistry as it relates to pH imbalance. These 20 ingredients act synergistically to solve the problem of pH imbalance.

14 Homeopathic Ingredients Working Synergistically
Cell Salts Working to Balance Inside the Cell Wall
The homeopathic formulation begins with cell salts, which act in concert to balance the body's chemistry at a sub-cellular level. The common table salt (bad salt) is the wrong molecular size to pass through cell membranes. If we rely on our dietary salt intake to provide the critical salts that are necessary for optimal cellular function, we end up badly deficient. Cell salts (good salts) are the right molecular structure to pass through the cell membranes where they balance at a sub-cellular level. These cell salts include:

* Natrum Muriaticum
* Natrum Phosphoricum
* Natrum Sulfuricum
* Kali Carbonicum



* Kali Oxalicum
* Kali Phosphoricum
* Kali Sulfuricum
* Kali Muriticum

More Homeopathy to Attack an Imbalanced pH From Every Angle
Other homeopathic ingredients are included to touch important causes of pH imbalance.
Chamomile - This remedy is used for acidity caused from anger. It is frequently used to treat great anguish, complete discouragement, agitation and frenzied excitement. It is believed that your emotions and unresolved anger affects the pH.
Rheum Officinale - Commonly called Chinese Rhubarb, this is used to treat early stages of diarrhea, as a laxative in constipation from debility of the digestive organs. In small doses, it improves digestion and appetite, and makes the renal secretions healthier. Proper digestion and elimination is key to the body's pH.
Robinia pseudacacia - This ingredient is used clinically to treat acidity, flatulence, indigestion, pyrosis and stomach affections. Clinical experience has shown results with heartburn and acidity that comes on when lying down at night.
Graphites - An allotropic (the existence of a substance and especially an element in two or more different forms usually in the same phase) modification of carbon. Trituration of prepared black lead from finest English drawing pencils. Graphites are suited to persons who have a tendency to put on unhealthy fat.
Nux Vomica - Tincture of imported seeds from the Coromandel coast and Cochin China. Nux Vomica is especially suited to people who are:

1. prone to anger, spite, irritability or impatience (stress is damaging to pH balance).
2. troubled with indigestion.
3. addicted to wine, coffee or pepper that are acid forming.

Homeopathy…As Prescribed by the Father of Medicine
Homeopathy is a system of medical therapeutics for treating people and animals on the basis of the principle of "similae" or "simile." The great homeopathic principle is (in Latin) "Similia similibus curentur," meaning "Let like be treated by like." Indeed, Homeopathy finds its first roots recorded in the writings of Hippocrates (c.470-400 B.C.), the "Father of Medicine," wherein he said that healing is found in the methods of "contraries" and "similars." Hippocrates wrote, "Disease is eliminated through remedies able to produce similar symptoms." These ideas were later rediscovered by Dr. Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843) a medical physician who, through a process of experimental and scientific discovery, largely developed what Homeopathic medicine is today.
Hahnemann demonstrated that homeopathic principles of simile and potency could cure typhoid and cholera much better than the conventional medicine of his day (Cholera and typhoid were then epidemic in Europe because of 3 major wars, namely, the Seven Years' War, the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars). Hahnemann himself healed 180 cases of typhus with only one fatality. And one of his pupils lost only six cholera patients among 154 treated, whereas in the same town, of the 1500 patients treated by orthodox methods, 55% (825 people) died.
Later, in 1854 in Britain, a cholera epidemic was stopped in Homeopathic hospitals with only a 16.4% death rate compared to that of a 51.8% death rate at other hospitals practicing conventional medicine. Homeopathic medicine and the principle of simile was protected by law by the British Parliament, and later protected by the United States Congress as a practical and legitimate method of medical practice. Today, unlike nutritional substances, Homeopathic substances are considered medicines, recognized as powerful entities, which allow specific medical claims to be made about them.
Like Treats Like
The principle of "Similae" or simile is the principle that certain substances (herbs, minerals, inorganic salts and other organic materials, etc.) in full strength yield the same symptoms as does a known disease, and that those same substances when "potentised" (or diluted and vigorously agitated") can provide relief of those same symptoms. Titrated dilutions and succussions of a particular substance can often be the means to bring relief from diseases, which cause the same symptoms as that which the identical substance in full strength causes (be it herb, mineral or other organic material).
To give an example of the simile principle, the effects of peeling an onion are very similar to the symptoms of acute coryza (flu-type cold). And the homeopathic remedy prepared from Allium Cepoa (the Red Onion) is used to treat this very type of cold. In another example, the symptoms and signs of acute arsenic poisoning are very similar to the symptoms seen in certain cases of gastroenteritis. And true to the principle of simile, Homeopathic potencies of Arcenicum (arsenic) are used to effectively treat gastroenteritis.
As you can see, great care has been taken in formulating Buffer-pH+. We believe that imbalanced pH is one of the more important health issues we face today and take pride in the fact that we offer the only product that is specifically and synergistically formulated to solve that problem

Herbal Therapy Works On Acid Reflux


Treating or preventing reflux esophagitis may be as simple as supplementing traditional acid suppression treatment with an antioxidant extract of the wormwood herb Artemisia asiatica.

Reflux esophagitis is an inflammation of the esophagus caused by regurgitation of the stomach contents, or acid reflux. The condition is more commonly recognized by its symptom of heartburn which reportedly affects 10% of American adults every day.

Currently the treatment of reflux esophagitis is mostly based on the suppression of acid. Therapy with readily available antioxidants such as vegetables and fruits may help prevent and treat the condition, researchers noted.

Investigators surgically induced reflux esophagitis in 60 rats and divided them into four different groups: one that received no treatment; two that were pretreated with 30 milligrams (mg) and 100 mg, respectively, of the oral antioxidant; and one that received the traditional Zantac treatment. A fifth group that was not subjected to reflux disease was used for comparison.

The antioxidant treatment, as opposed to the traditional drug therapy, decreased the severity of reflux disease and was more protective against ulceration and inflammation of the esophagus. The best results were seen in rats that received 100 mg of the antioxidant.

For example, 80% of the rats that received no treatment developed large ulcers in the lower and middle parts of the esophagus, compared with 27% of the rats that received 30 mg of antioxidant treatment and 20% of the rats that received 100 mg of the antioxidant, the report indicates. In contrast, nearly two thirds of the rats that received the acid suppressant developed ulcers.

Rats treated with the antioxidant also exhibited greater evidence of healing in the affected areas of the esophagus and less cell damage than did the rats treated with ranitidine.

The rat model is unlike human reflux disease, particularly because "humans do extremely well on acid suppression," one of the authors noted

Gut September 2001;49:364-371

Dr. Mercola's Comment:

It is important to recognize that drugs are not the answer here. Many may not remember that Propulsid was frequently used for this condition and pulled from the market last year after causing many deaths.

It is interesting to note that the anti-parasite herb, artemesia, seems to be useful for this condition. However, although it is safer, it is also still a bandaid. As I state below, garlic is a far less expensive, and considerably more effective option.

From my April 2001 Comment:

The January 8, 2001 issue of Business Week mentions that Priolsec is the top selling prescription drug in the world. It earns Astra Zeneca (the drug's maker) 6 billion dollars per year.

The drug, and others like it, clearly are effective at what they do or there is no way in the world these companies could convince people to buy them. BUT they do NOT solve the problem. In fact, they actually worsen it.

Then, when you are using the wrong solution for the problem, you are bound to have problems. Drugs are rarely, if ever, indictated for the common ulcer and associated stomach problems. The proton pump inhibitors like Prevacid and Prilosec and the H2 blocker agents like Tagament, Pepcid, and Zantac are some of the worst drugs that you could possible take.

Why?

They significantly reduce the amount of acid you have and with that your ability to properly digest food. Reduction of acid in the stomach also diminishes your primary defense mechanism for food borne infections and will increase your risk of food poisoning.

What are the options? Normally following the food choice program and drinking about one gallon of pure water per day along with high doses of a good quality probiotic (benefical bacteria) is enough to restore normal stomach function in the vast majority of patients.

Occasionally, those with a hiatal hernia will require additional structural adjustments and the one I currently find that works the best is NST.
Garlic is one food that you should be eating every day. Dr. Klinghardt and I are very impressed with its ability to optimize bowel flora and kill pathogenic organisms such as H. pylori.

It is important to note that the garlic MUST be fresh. The active ingredient is destroyed within several hours of smashing the garlic.

Garlic pills are virtually worthless and should not be used. When you use the garlic it will be important to compress the garlic with a spoon prior to swallowing it if you are not going to juice it. If you swallow the clove intact you will not convert the allicin to its active ingredient.

One problem, of course, is the smell, but generally a few cloves a day are tolerated by most people. If one develops a "socially offensive" odor then all you do is slightly decrease the volume of garlic until there is no odor present.


GERD Diet, What Foods To Avoid

People suffering from Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) or more commonly known, Acid Reflux, should follow a GERD diet, which includes watching what you eat and following a few simple rules that may be helpful in reducing symptoms. A GERD diet can significantly improve conditions in which stomach acid backflows through the lower esophageal sphincter into the esophagus. The esophagus carries food from the mouth to the stomach. The inner layer of the esophageal lining, which consists of numerous glands, is not able to withstand an acidic stomach pH.

A GERD diet is fairly easy to follow. Avoid foods such as citrus, tomato and coffee that directly irritate the mucosa. Other irritants that should be avoided in a GERD diet include onion, chocolate, peppermint and any food with high fat content that affect pressure in the stomach. Limit or cut the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) that may irritate the esophagus and stomach lining. Special GERD diet tips to follow require the following:
  • Avoid eating foods at bed time
  • Avoid chewing gum
  • Discontinue the use of tobacco products
  • Avoid tight clothing
  • East small frequent meals
  • Elevate head when sleeping
  • If overweight, losing weight can help
Here are a few alternative foods that to eat while on the GERD diet. Individuals with GERD should avoid whole milk and opt for fat free or 1%-2% milk. As mentioned above tomatoes can be acidic so they should be avoided, all other vegetables are ok to eat. When choosing fruits, avoid citrus such as grapefruit, oranges and pineapples. Try to maintain a low fat diet by staying away from fatty meats (bacon) and processed meats (cold cuts). In general avoid alcohol, coffee, tea and carbonated beverages. If you must have coffee or tea opt for decaffeinated coffee or herbal tea.

In conjunction to following the GERD diet above, try Växa's homeopathic medicinal Buffer-pH+ that contains calcium, magnesium, and potassium recommended in the Prescription for Nutritional Healing for having an alkalizing effect by binding up stomach acid. Buffer-pH+ has numerous other benefits.

Also try Växa's Digestin, a homeopathic medicinal that has ingredients (Aloe Vera, Chamomile, Papaya Leaf) suggested in the Prescription for Nutritional Healing for helping with proper digestion. In addition, ingredients such as Aloe Vera, which aids in healing of the intestinal tract, and Chamomile to relieve esophageal irritation are also included. Other ingredients include: ginkgo biloba, ginger root, digestive enzymes, etc. All the ingredients in both products are known to relieve symptoms of GERD and help with digestion.

What To Do?

What To Avoid:

Why To Avoid it:

Natural supplement to stop the problem

Fried Food

Hard to Digest/Acidic

Digestin/BufferpH+

Whole Milk or milk based cooking

Hard to digest

Digestin

Vegetable Oil or Lard

Hard to Digest/Acidic

Buffer pH+

Chocolate or Sweets

Stimulant/Relaxes the flap
Acidic

Buffer pH+

Fast Food Restaurants

Hard to Digest/Acidic

Buffer pH+

Spicy Foods

Acidic

Buffer pH+

Citrus, Tomato or Acidic Foods

Acidic

Buffer pH+

High Fat Content Foods

Hard to Digest/Acidic

Digestin/BufferpH+

Alcohol and Regular Coffee and carbonated drinks like soda

Stimulant/Relaxes the flap
Acidic

Buffer pH+

Things that cause gas-beans, broccoli

Causes Belching and damage to the flap

Digestin

Smoking

Stimulant/Relaxes the flap
Acidic

Buffer pH+