Author Archives: Ted Wagner

Wondering what treatments for GERD are? Many kinds of gastrointestinal diseases can affect many people. One of the most common is Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). Another common term for this is stomach acid production or heartburn. It is considered a chronic digestive disease. Let’s read further and find out what causes the disease GERD, and how to fix it with treatment.

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GERD Treatment Facts To Know

According to a recent study, around 20% of Americans suffer from this condition. Its effects usually occur at least twice or thrice a week, significantly impacting people’s health.

What is gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD? It is when stomach acid repeatedly flows back into the esophagus through the esophageal sphincter. This refluxing stomach acid can irritate the esophageal lining. Some of the mild symptoms are difficulty swallowing (trouble swallowing), chest pain, the backwash of food or sour liquid, and heartburn to name a few.

Other causes of this include a large hiatal hernia, which is when a part of the stomach moves above the diaphragm towards the chest area. Because obesity can be a risk factor for a hiatal hernia, your healthcare provider could suggest weight-loss surgery also called bariatric surgery.

When left untreated, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) can lead to several side effects and complications, some of which are ulcerations, erosive esophagitis, and Barrett’s esophagus. Prescription treatments for it include proton pump inhibitors PPIs which may alleviate your symptoms for a few weeks. If symptoms persist, Esophageal manometry should be done to check if your esophagus and stomach are working properly. An upper endoscopy can also be done by inserting a flexible tube with a light to check on the inner lining of the upper digestive tract which includes the esophagus, part of the stomach, and small intestine. It’s vital to find a doctor to treat GERD as soon as possible to prevent any long term symptoms resulting from the acid.

Acid Reflux Treatment

If you are one of the 20% suffering from lower esophageal sphincter reflux disease (GERD), then be sure to seek the help or assistance of an online therapist. At this point, you must understand that GERD’s medical healing is a great necessity. Therefore, the primary goal is to find the right over the counter or prescription medications to treat GERD and increase proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). However, it can make a patient feel a lot of emotional disturbances.

Aside from GERD symptoms such as physical pain in your esophagus, you may also suffer from vulnerability, anxiety, stress or pressure, and other mental health problems. Thus, decrease acid production by seeking professional help.

You should also avoid foods and beverages that can irritate a damaged esophageal lining, such as pepper, tomato products, citrus fruits, and juices. Avoid foods and drinks that trigger reflux and make symptoms worse, that include alcohol, fatty foods, caffeine, and chocolate. Avoid foods that affect peristalsis.

But before taking prescription medications such as stronger H2 blockers and proton pump inhibitors to neutralize stomach acid production and help relieve mild symptoms, note that you should consider clinical trials testing to avoid even minimally invasive surgery. Many patients often respond well to a combination of lifestyle changes and medication regimens. Your doctor may recommend surgery in severe and medications intolerant cases and when the lower esophageal sphincter gets severely damaged. Endoscopic procedures include endoscopic sewing which uses stitches to tighten the esophageal sphincter muscle.

Some patients prefer a surgical approach as an alternative to taking certain medications, a procedure known as Nissen fundoplication is when the surgeon wraps the upper part of your stomach around the lower esophagus. It can enhance the anti-reflux barrier and provide permanent relief from reflux.

Treatment Reasons

Reasons why online treatment is recommended for people with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD):

It Takes Your Anxiety And Stresses Away

“There are so many ways stress creeps into our lives, yet if we take control of our time and make proactive and healthy decisions, we can stop these negative cycles and truly take care of our mental health.” Sonja Seglin, LCPC said. Taking active participation in online healing can be a big help in your recovery. Always put in mind that stress can put a setback in your recovery.

The more you are stressed, the more difficult it becomes to overcome Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease and how it affects your stomach. As such, you must make an effort to talk to a therapist and try treatment through online exercises and medical education available that can help you understand your situation with this GERD and take away the stressors in your life.

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Treatment Helps You Focus

Suffering from a chronic disease, such as GERD, is difficult. “When stress becomes chronic, this narrow focus continues for a long time, and we have difficulty paying attention to other things.” Dr. David Ballard, PsyD, elaborates. There are times when you simply want to give up.

First of all, finding the GERD treatment is time-consuming. It will prevent you from doing some of the activities you want to accomplish. Second, healing for such a condition can also lead to financial difficulty, especially if you lack insurance. Third, it can also make you doubt your capacity to get better. To reduce GERD symptoms and prevent all of these from happening, be sure to talk to an online therapist so that you can become more focused on the healing recovery process.

GERD Treatment Shows Power Of Mind Over Matter

“A good way to keep from destroying your self-esteem is by keeping negative self-talk in check. Catch yourself before you go spiraling down the hole of negative thought.” You’ll notice a big difference,” says licensed psychologist Cindy T. Graham, Ph.D. Whether you believe it or not, there is a connection between your thoughts and feelings. As you start to become aware of your emotions, you will also begin to gradually change your thoughts into something better.

It will be easier on your part to think of quick longer relief and bounce off from GERD. This is important since it can help your body heal. At the same time, it can also decrease the anxiety that you are feeling because of GERD. When this happens, you will lose weight and your body becomes more prepared for accepting the medications for treatment and showing results.

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GERD Remedies

Thoughts On Fixing Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

GERD treatment may require effort and lifestyle changes, particularly in eating large meals of certain foods and caffeinated beverages to prevent reflux. You should avoid fatty foods as they can become a risk factor for the digestive tract condition. Also, make sure to lose weight so you can function properly. stop smoking and eat healthy specific foods.

What you are going through may be inconvenient and painful, but with the right help, treatment, and medical management, you can change your situation into something better. Treatment for GERD requires professional medical assistance, do not forget to try online healing and alternative medicine for improved well-being.

Treatment Frequently Asked Questions On Reflux

What Is The Best Remedy For GERD?

What Is The Fastest Way To Get Rid Of GERD?

How Can I Treat GERD Naturally?

Does Drinking Water Help GERD?

Does Milk Help Reflux?

Are bananas good for reflux?

Is yogurt good for reflux?

Is ginger good for acid reflux?

What are the new remedies for severe gastroesophageal reflux disease?

How can I cure GERD naturally and permanently?

How long will gastroesophageal reflux disease last?

What is the root cause of gastroesophageal reflux disease?

How do you know if your gastroesophageal reflux disease is severe?

What makes gastroesophageal reflux disease worse?

Does stress cause gastroesophageal reflux disease?

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I belong to a women’s group called Deborah, and I can confidently say that our common ground is food – food for our soul and food for our physical body.

We meet once a week for Bible study, and what else is there to do after feeding our soul with the word of God – we feast!  Our pigging out time is happy and full of laughter (and sometimes tears) because it is also our time to share our stories, give our praises and thanks for surviving another week – may it be a week of trials, joy, or both.

Some of us will bring fruits and vegetable salads while others will pack finger foods, rice, meat, and kinds of pasta.  We are all adventurous when it comes to food, and so whenever a new food outlet opens up – whether a small coffee shop or buffet – we make sure to pay it a visit and try what they have to offer.   For us, FOOD is LIFE!

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Live To Be Spiritually Healthy (Healthy Spirituality Is A Healthy Gut)

We live not just with the food we feed our body with but most importantly the food we feed our souls with.  Our whole being will reach its state of well-being if we care enough not just about the food we eat but our spirituality. In an article of Marjie L. Roddick, MA, NCC, LMHC she emphasizes that “Signs of strong spiritual health include having clear values, a sense of self-confidence, and a feeling of inner peace.”

Spirituality is not just about religion or what you believe.  For me, it is about self-awareness, being aware of what is good and bad for the mind, body, and soul – the end-result of my religiosity.

Being aware of what is good and bad for you will put balance in all aspects of your life and will yield happiness, love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Jennifer Bradley, Psy.D., HSPP, Clinical Psychologist once stated that “When we are imbalanced, we develop various types of difficulties, including psychological and/or physical symptoms, and we begin to use ineffective or damaging coping mechanisms.”

When it comes to the matters of the gut, self-control is of utmost importance.  God gives us a lot of vast choices so that our palate will enjoy and be able to feast on everything He created – plant-based or animal-based – and it is up for us to choose.

Self-control will lead us to make good choices about food and will produce good results as we enjoy our healthy body.

Love Your Gut

A healthy body is a healthy mind, a manifestation that we love the one who created it and ourselves as much as we love what we eat.  Enjoying our eating time, slowly chewing our food, and giving our tummy enough time to digest everything means we care about our gut, not to overwork.

In one of our study sessions, we learned about breath prayer, a practice that if you do with your heart will become a natural part of your system like breathing.  Breath prayer allows me to focus and digest the spiritual food I take in to keep me going for the day.

Just like a breath prayer, proper breathing supplies our digestive system with enough oxygen so that it can digest the food efficiently and provide all the nutrients our every cell need.

A healthy mind is a healthy soul; a healthy digestive tract is the foundation of a healthy body.  It pays to love your gut!

Eat-In Gentleness

Functioning in self-control, choosing the food you want to eat, which will help maintain the ecosystem in your body, making your body healthy, enabling you to do things you would like to achieve is the true freedom. “Eat a healthful diet, that is low in fat, high in fiber, and rich in vitamins and minerals. Specific dietary factors that may be beneficial in depression are the B-complex vitamins (found in whole grains) and omega-3 fatty acids (found in cold-water fish, fish oil, and flax seeds),” says ADAA member Stephanie Kriesberg, PsyD

Whether in a coffee shop or pigging out in a smorgasbord, God wants us to enjoy and be happy with all the food He prepares for us.   It is for us to choose which and how much of each we are going to take in that we think is gentle enough to our gut but will still keep us going and not hogtie us into the bed of illness.

Don’t let the feast lane be your ticket to get in the fast lane of sickness.

To be able to live, love, and eat is the freedom that changes my whole being to its well-being, a manifestation of what my God has done in my life.

A disturbed digestive tract forewarns the brain, such as a disturbed mind forewarns the intestine.

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There’s so much mystery to unfold with our brain and gastrointestinal system, how intimately they are connected.  The pain of the gut is the pain of both.  So it is imperative to consider the food that we will feed our body because that food is a crucial factor that will bring health to both our brain and gut.

Processed Foods

Are you aware that your favorite processed foods are full of bad fats, sugars, preservatives, and additives?   Of course, with our busy world, it is very convenient to just grab any processed food on the shelf without considering what impact it would make in your health. This processed food will ruin the balance of bad and good bacteria in your gut and can lead to inflammation, colitis, aches and pains, allergies, depression, acne, and many more health problems.

“Certain foods are linked to mental health issues such as increased symptoms of depression and decreased self-esteem.”  Christina L. Gmyr, LMHC, NCC  explains. So the next time you pass by the food section, avoid picking up processed food.

Eat Probiotics

Choosing foods rich in probiotics, such as yogurt, fermented vegetables, kefir, and sauerkraut can boost not just your mood but your gut’s health as well.  Probiotics are helpful bacteria that mostly line your intestine and are in charge of absorbing the nutrient and supporting the immune system.

Culinary Herbs

Herbs produce pleasant smells that heal our bodies inside out.  The aroma that the plant releases is their immune system fighting the microbial attacks and that same essential oils (smells) from these herbs help us fight infection and inflammation.

There’s more to herbs than making our meals interesting. They keep the harmful effects of flora away.

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Consider Healthy Fats

Fats have always been feared by many and considered as their enemy.   What most people are not aware of is that there are healthy fats that we can include in our diet that are friendly to our digestive system and are essential for brain development.  Take for instance the high amounts of antioxidants found in olive oil which protect cells from damage.  It also improves memory and cognitive function, and even serves as an anti-inflammatory.  Avocado is another source of healthy fats that protects our heart as it helps with digestion and an excellent choice for enlightening our mood.  Nuts and seeds, salmon, and tuna are also a great source of these healthy fats. Staci Lee Schnell, MS, CS, LMFT  once said, “Depression rates are higher among those with a Vitamin D deficiency. Fatty fish like salmon and tuna have the most naturally occurring Vitamin D.”

Sesame Seeds

Dietary fiber in sesame seeds helps your bowel movement.   Regular bowel movement prevents you from developing hemorrhoids and also colon cancer.  The amino acid in sesame seeds boosts the brain’s dopamine levels, also enhancing the feel-good hormone to reach its state of maximum activity as it balances out the others.

When feeling depressed and constipated, think of Open Sesame!

Nuts

A small plate of nuts such as cashews, walnuts, and almonds contain serotonin, an important chemical neurotransmitter that makes the body feel good, affecting mood, behavior, appetite, digestion, memory, sexual desire and function, and sleep.

The next time you feel down, boost that mood by nibbling on some nuts.

Mushrooms

Mushrooms don’t only make our food taste great; there are also some health benefits we can get from ingesting these fungi.  White button mushrooms are rich in soluble fiber which are crucial to digestion.  The shiitake mushroom has been found useful in treating depression as it provides plenty of vitamin B6 which helps in producing serotonin and neurotransmitters, resulting in having a positive mood and naturally reducing stress.

Abstaining From Gluten

For some, off-putting gluten or having a low-gluten diet results in a positive effect on their gut microbiome, leading to better digestion and absorption of nutrients.  Many famous players in the food industry are considering gluten-free recipes in their market.  The old ways of soaking, sprouting and souring grains help us digest the hard to break down gluten, but this process has been long forgotten because of the fast and mass production food industry. Note that “Research is now uncovering more information about just how consuming excess sugar impacts our overall health-not just our physical health but also our mental health.” Mary C. Wiley, PsyD said.

Try to bring back the past by making your food digestible and nutritious.

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This article may not fully uncover the mystery behind the intimacy between our gut and mood, but it proves one thing, whatever we put in our mouth will dictate the health of our gut and our brain.  Stop overthinking. Instead, start being mindful that the health of one will benefit the other and the rest of our body.

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Ulcerative colitis is an autoimmune disease of the colon, an inflammatory bowel disease that causes continuing inflammation and sores in the digestive tract affecting the internal layer of the large intestine and rectum.  It can be debilitating, and sometimes the complications can be life-threatening.

There is still no known cure for ulcerative colitis but treatment can lessen the signs and can even result in long-term quiescence of the disease.

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Every time I visit my doctor, he never fails to remind me to eat my fruits and vegetables which according to him are very rich in fiber that will help relieve my constipation and normalize my sugar level.

But what really are these fibers and what do they do to our body?

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Diverticulitis is a common colon condition where infection and inflammation cause small pouches to form in the lining of the colon.   A person may experience sharp abdominal pain, vomiting, and constipation.   It may require surgery to treat it.

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Gastro diseases affect the digestive, respiratory and urinary system of our body.  Bacteria and viruses produced by gastro infections fight the healthy cells responsible for maintaining the normal function of the body.   When the virus attacks the system, it causes an imbalance of the healthy cells, making the body systems function abnormally.  The body then reacts in a way that causes you to feel sick.

Symptoms To Watch Out For

Gastro diseases are categorized into many known diseases.  Common symptoms of gastro diseases are as follows:

• The feeling of being bloated in your stomach when you have not even eaten a large meal is a sign of acid reflux.
• The urge to vomit after eating is also a factor commonly shown in gastro diseases.
• The gurgling and rumbling of your stomach which gives you a stomach discomfort can be a threat next to having gastro diseases.
• The sudden attacks of abdominal pain that are gravitating towards your back, weight loss and a nauseous feeling accompanied by tiredness are primary symptoms present in all gastro diseases.

Gastro diseases show more symptoms as they grow more severe. Your saliva may have an unusual form. This may be sticky and have an acidic like taste in your mouth. You may also experience an increased heart rate like when you are in a nervous state.  Presenting with multiple symptoms is a sign that you need to set up an appointment with your primary doctor.  These symptoms may range from mild discomfort to a severe, life-threatening illness.

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Fear Of Undergoing Procedure

A life-threatening illness can happen to anyone with or without prevention.  The human body is prone when it comes to these diseases.  Diagnosing the disease especially gastro diseases as early as possible is the best way to find the cure.

The diagnosis is merely the first step; the second step is all about treating the disease.  Many of us are afraid of the second step; this may be surgical operations or necessary treatments out of our comfort zone.  Some are afraid because of the doubt that the procedure may go wrong and make the disease even worst.

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Da Vinci Surgery, A Robot-Assisted Procedure 

Nowadays, medical operations/technologies are becoming more advanced and perfectly safe.  Their aim, of course, is to fight and cure deadly diseases known to us.

As one of the newest and advanced technologies in the field of surgery, the Da Vinci surgical procedure for the colon is an example of how doctors can safely treat colorectal diseases.   The success rate for this very type of procedure is quite high.  The method takes place in an operating room.  A highly-trained specialty surgeon operates the robot as he positions himself in a console where he controls the movement of the robot.  This robot allows the surgeon to perform tiny incisions flawlessly and remove part of the colon when performing colectomy with less risk of infections and less pain for the patient.

Though having this kind of surgery requires you to ask your physician, only you and your surgeon can decide if the da Vinci robotic surgery is the best treatment for you.  Da Vinci surgery is a top-rated method of treating different kinds of diseases.   It is accurately safe and is definitely ahead of our time.

The goal of developing a modern method primarily in a surgical procedure is to save lives.  The da Vinci robotic-assisted surgical procedure is one of the most popular and reliable of these advanced technologies that have successfully assisted worldwide in approximately 1.5 million different surgical procedures.