Search:

Causes of Heartburn: Drill Down To The Real Reasons For Heartburn

By: Jeff Martin Even if many popular information sources and the media suggest that aspects of lifestyle and eating particular foods are at fault, the real causative agents of heartburn are somewhat more numerous with genetic, lifestyle and dietary elements interlinked. Just like other chronic ailments, heartburn is a result of complex and many-dimensioned causes.

Heartburn can be defined as the sensation of burning and of pain in the chest or throat area that is often felt after eating a meal. Although healthy people may experience such a feeling once per week or less, if heartburn occurs twice per week or more frequently, this may be a sign of a more severe medical condition called acid reflux disease, and also known as GERD (Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease).

GERD comes about because of two physiological problems: the first is excess acidity in the stomach; and the second is a weakened sphincter (LES, Lower Esophageal Sphincter) which no longer acts properly to block off the stomach from the esophagus. Normally, the LES only opens to let food and drink flow into the intestinal system and should not let gastric juices escape backwards. Nevertheless, in reflux situations, the LES is debilitated and stomach contents can reflux or splash back to the esophagus, corroding the lining and causing the feeling of pain.

As indicated earlier, several inter-linked factors make for a weak LES or excessive stomach acidity. These factors include:

1. Characteristics that are inherited genetically.

2. Lifestyles, where habits such as smoking ruins the digestion, attacks the immune system and aggravates Candida multiplication, which then leads to the disease of acid reflux. Stress from lack of sleep, emotional pressure or excess of work also provokes these problems.

3. Infections from Candida. When circumstances permit, Candida bacteria replicate fast and establish colonies all over the body. These microorganisms then ferment and are the causative agent for the rejection of digestive contents to be rejected back into the esophagus. This is when esophageal cells are then inflamed and degraded. Note that Candida is normally resident in the human body, especially in domains of the intestines and the genitals. Usually, Candida is kept in equilibrium by friendly bacteria with no negative corporal effect.

4. Diet patterns, intake of foods that are fatty or spicy and that debilitate the LES, or nutritive components that make digestion difficult can all boost existing acid reflux. Similarly, the regular and frequent ingestion of foods triggering acid production or levels, such as chocolate, peppermint, citrus fruits and tomatoes, also makes acid reflux more likely.

Whereas conventional medicine only acts at a superficial level and is only concerned with the symptoms, a holistic, all-natural solution attacks the fundamental reasons to provide the only real secure and workable remedy for acid refluxes. To cut out heartburn and prevent its recurrence, the root causes must be addressed and this is what the holistic approach does.