Acid reflux is also known as heartburn; a condition increasing numbers of people in the western world suffer from. Many similar conditions exist but they all exhibit pretty much the same range of symptoms but all fall under the umbrella of gastrointestinal disorders. The problem arises from an upset in our stomach's digestive fluid (hydrochloric acid). When stomach contents try to go back up the esophagus, it causes the feeling of heartburn.

When food enters your stomach, a valve called the lower esophageal sphincter opens to allow food into the stomach which normally remains closed so that stomach food and acid do not flow back up into your esophagus area. The esophageal sphincter should close and trap the acid but when this doesn't happen and the acid escapes back up the digestive tract the condition of acid reflux or heartburn is the result. The conditions proper medical name is called gastro esophageal reflux disorder - or GERD for short. Unfortunately the exact cause of acid reflux condition remains a mystery, but it is believed an individual's diet is primarily to blame; overeating could also add to the problem and cause unnecessary stress on the stomach and its ability to process food.

When anyone eats a large amount of food it creates an additional burden on the stomach muscles. Something has to give; this being the acid which returns or refluxes back up the esophagus bringing with it the very unpleasant heartburn. Since this valve protects your esophagus from your stomach acid, you need to take care this valve does not allow digested acidic food to pass back into the esophagus. This can be achieved by consuming smaller meals, the incidences of heartburn should reduce. This situation can be a problem for the health of the body as the stomach, esophagus and mouth all need to be in good working order. The stomach carries out not only the breaking down of food but processing it into nutrients that can be absorbed by the body.

Using drugs and other acid reducing drugs readily available from drugstores will block the natural processes of your stomach on a temporary basis. These can create additional nutritional deficiencies and disease that a doctor may have a problem when diagnosing the cause. To normalize your stomachs activities or to get rid of acid reflux disorder, you need to change your eating, drinking, and thinking habits. The idea is not to overload your stomach, which will give it time to recover. It may take a while but if the number of times you experience heartburn reduces, you may be able to enjoy some of the foods you stopped eating; all the while remaining conscious of the need to take things slowly and not place stress on your stomach again.

Lifestyle changes extend beyond those of just eating habits as other contributing factors to acid reflux can be:

Smoking cigarettes (or cigars, or a pipe) or any other type of "tobacco"

Food allergies

Certain medical drugs

Too much alcohol

Having a sleep after eating a meal

Surely a few changes in the way you live your life aren't too much to ask. The thought of reducing the incidents of heartburn should be sufficient incentive. So by watching what you eat and taking care of your health, you stand a better chance of avoiding and clearing acid reflux disorder. No-one can force you to change but improvements to your life are within your control.

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