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GERD Risk Factors that You Should Know About

By: Jeff Martin Find out below what the Danger Factors of the disease are :

The common denominator in GERD (gastro esophageal reflux disease) is the loss of strength of the muscle of the lower esophageal sphincter. The other common factor concerning GERD is heartburn. Many further distinct factors may be encountered. These include breathing disorders such as asthma, excessive weight, diabetes, expecting a baby, stomach contents being retained for too long, connective tissue disorders and hernias that are hiatal.

Here are some other factors that contribute to the dangers:

Contributing danger factors for GERD include hernias that may be hiatal or diaphragmatic in nature, where part of the stomach distends beyond natural limits to move into the lowest chest. When this protrusion is big enough to affect the lower esophageal sphincter muscle, GERD can happen. Stomach contents with gastric juices then find their way back into the esophagus, and the result is severe heartburn.

As another consequence due to overweight, pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter causes it to malfunction and lets gastric acids reflux back to the esophagus, which engenders heartburn. GERD can therefore also come from being overweight. To avoid GERD, reduce any excess weight. Excess weight strains the stomach and the diaphragm that is in between the stomach and the abdomen.

Risk factors that come from lifestyle and diet habits:

Lifestyle and diet habits can also have a negative effect. Smoking or drinking or indeed eating to excess will put you in danger of GERD.

Experience also indicates that asthmatic respiratory and coughing problems increase the risk of GERD by boosting the pressure on the stomach. Asthma is also contributes indirectly because the medicaments that are used by doctors to enlarge the air intake also have a laxative effect on the lower esophageal sphincter muscle. This then leads to the back flow of gastric matter up to the esophageal cavity.

The risk is further compounded by the fact that pregnancy boosts production of progesterone, a hormone that acts to relax several muscles, among them the muscle of the lower esophageal sphincter. Pregnancy also puts extra pressure on the stomach. Pregnant women therefore may be at considerably more risk from GERD.

Getting to the real reason for GERD:

Although treatments exist for GERD using conventional drugs, there are also holistic remedies. Conventional drugs unfortunately address only the superficial manifestation of the disease, and do not tackle the real underlying reasons. This is where holistic remedies are much more effective, because they treat the fundamental causes and truly allow GERD to be reduced or even eliminated.

Taking a holistic attitude is therefore crucial in order to treat all aspects involved. GERD is a complex phenomenon and the causes are also numerous, including genetically inherited characteristics, diet habits, lifestyle and even candida infections. This is why the holistic cures are so much more effective for eliminating GERD.