The painful condition where the contents of the stomach want to flow back the way they came to cause heartburn is something we may all have experienced in our lives: it is called acid reflux. If it is relief from heartburn that you seek then you need to first know something about what it is. Similar symptoms are seen with other disorders of the digestive tract even though we refer to them differently. The stomach uses hydrochloric acid to digest the food and when this tries to escape the stomach up the esophagus, However, when the acid wants to escape the confines of the stomach via the digestive tract, it causes a burning pain in the chest.

When we eat and swallow our food it is allowed into the stomach area to be digested by the esophageal sphincter valve which should then close back up in order to stop the hydrochloric acid from escaping. However there are times when the lower esophageal sphincter does not remain closed, when this happens acid from the stomach can reflux or flow back into the esophagus. This condition is also known as GERD which is the shortened version of the correct medical name: gastroesophageal reflux disorder. Although the real cause of acid reflux disorder has not yet been found, it is thought that eating the wrong foods could be to blame; still, the volume of food that is consumed in any one sitting can also contribute because the digestive system becomes overwhelmed.

Too much strain is placed on the muscles of the stomach when we overeat and the result of this a build up of internal pressure. The release of this ‘pressure' results in the stomach acids trying to flow back up the digestive tract. By lessening the amount of work the stomach has to do at any one time should reduce the instances of heartburn. To prevent this from happening you should eat small meals throughout the day. The importance of your stomach's health cannot be underestimated for long term good health. Each person's stomach makes prepares food to be reduced to essential nutrients that are transported around the body to maintain good health.

Whilst an immediate solution may be to use the well advertised acid calming drugs available they are not designed for long term usage. Whilst they are effective there can be adverse implications with their continued use. To normalize your stomachs activities or to get rid of acid reflux disorder, you need to change your eating, drinking, and thinking habits. This should be done for a period of a few months to strengthen your stomach's normal processes. If you can reduce the heartburn occurrences, in time you may well be able to slowly start eating those dishes that have needed to be cut out.

Other factors can also create a predisposition for acid reflux and these include:

• Being a smoker
• Allergies to certain foods
• Certain medical drugs
• Excessive alcohol consumption
• Having a sleep after eating a meal

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