Acid reflux disease and heartburn are frequently used names for digestive complaints of GERD, or gastroesophageal reflux disease. GERD is a chronic disease wherein the acid contents of the stomach back up into the esophagus. When untreated, this condition can result in esophageal damage or scarring which might require surgery or become life-threatening. To avoid further difficulties from acid reflux, once medical treatment for acid reflux disease has begun, it is usually important to follow it for the rest of your life. There are medications which can help to heal the damage but, unless continued, the symptoms and their damage can progress again.
Specifically, there is an opening as the esophagus goes down through the diaphragm where the lower end of the esophagus joins the stomach and this connection is governed by a structure called the, "lower esophageal sphincter," or LES. If this structure fails to close completely after food passes by, or it gets squeezed open, stomach acid can flow back up into the esophagus.
There is some disagreement as to the best way to treat this, but the most common culprits are well known and, fortunately, most of them are conditions which can be controlled at least to some degree. Tension caused by the stomach and its contents can push on the LES allowing acid to leak out. Being overweight and eating large meals are two things which raise this pressure.
Excess acid can also weaken the LES, whether the acid comes from the food itself or is secreted by the stomach for digestion. Large, heavy or fatty meals digest more slowly and require more acid for this process, therefore they can actually stir up difficulties in two ways.
One of the simplest, least stressful ways to improve acid reflux disease is merely to eat a normal diet over the day in a number of small meals, as opposed to three large ones. This change has also enabled lots of people to lose weight as they don't become ravenous and overeat before feeling satisfied.
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