Acid reflux is a chronic health condition. Once it has started to transmit in the body, it will continue to inhabit indefinitely. Although treatments are available, symptoms usually tend to be applied repeatedly. And this means that treatments also need to be employed recurrently.

The act of stomach liquids backing up into the esophagus is actually normal. It also happens to those without acid reflux disease. In the case of acid reflux patients, however, the stomach contents have more acid than the normal and that the acid tends to stay in the esophagus in a longer period of time.

The human body, of course, has its own mechanisms to lessen the harmful effects brought about by the refluxed acids. An example of such is the salivary glands found in the mouth. These glands produce saliva, a liquid which contains bicarbonate. When we swallow, the saliva containing bicarbonates passes through the esophagus.

Bicarbonates have the ability to neutralize acids, which may have remained after an earlier regurgitation. Also, studies have shown that most cases of reflux happen during daytime. At this time, individuals are usually on an upright position. With the aid of gravity, reflux is minimized because the stomach contents are held back down. Moreover, when awake, individuals recurrently swallow. And this practice maximizes the benefits that saliva does in reducing the level of acids in the throat.

The mentioned natural ways of the body to protect itself are important in the maintenance of the esophagus. But saliva, swallowing, and gravity can only work when a person is in an upright position. During night time, when individuals are asleep, gravity cannot help much. Also, the saliva secretion is trimmed down and swallowing does not take place. It is for these reasons why acid reflux which comes about at night becomes more severe sore in the esophagus because the acids stay longer and therefore do more damage to it.

Acid reflux can be more susceptible to the pregnant and obese. The increased levels of hormones during pregnancy and high levels of fats in the body can induce acid reflux because of the pressure in the lower esophageal sphincter, a muscle that prevents the stomach contents from moving back to the esophagus, is reduced. As such, it will be easier for the partially digested contents to come back because less force is holding them back down. In addition, for the pregnant women, the pressure in the abdomen rises due to the developing fetus in the womb.

There are ways to help the body minimize the occurrences of reflux. One of the easiest to implement is positional therapy. This is done by elevating the head and the torso when in a sleeping position. Pillows, which are readily available, can be positioned to raise the torso at about six to eight inches. This position can provide maximum effectiveness in holding back reflux. Surveys have shown that the use of increased recommended elevation results to greater efficiency.

Focusing

Choose an object that is personal to you, one that you particularly like. This could be anything from a piece of jewellery to a favourite flower. As you inhale and exhale deeply and slowly, focus all your attention on this object for two minutes. Whilst performing this exercise, aim to disallow any other thoughts or feelings enter the mind. If you are unable to stop this occurring, focus your attention on the object. You should feel calmer and at peace at the end of the exercise and any feelings of anxiety and tension should be diminished.

Mediation

One can seek deep relaxation by mediation. Simply follow these simple steps:

1. Find a comfortable position either by sitting or laying down.

2. Breathe deeply whilst closing your eyes. Allow your breathing to be slow and relaxed.

3. Allow your mind to focus all your attention on your breathing. Pay attention to the movement of the abdomen and chest.

4. Try to block out any other thoughts, feelings and sensations. If you find it difficult to concentrate and find that your mind is wondering, bring it back to focus on your breathing.

5. As you take a deep breath, say the word “peace” to yourself and when you breath out, say “calm.” Make each word last by drawing out the pronunciation. Your concentration will be aided by repeating that words as you inhale and exhale.

Grounding Techniques

Many people who suffer from episodes of anxiety feel diorganised and ungrounded. They feel like things are falling apart and during episodes of anxiety, it takes a considerable amount of effort and concentration to get through the day. There are exercises which will allow you to become more focused and centred. By practising these energies, you will become more organised with your energies enabling you to proceed more effectively through your daily routine.

Oak Tree Mediation

1. Find a comfortable position and allow your arms to rest by your side.

2. Closing your eyes, breathe deeply slowly and relaxed.

3. Imagine that your body is as strong as a big oak tree. See your body as solid as the tree’s broad trunk and your legs as the roots which go down deep into the earth. Tell yourself that you are solid and strong with the ability to take on anything no matter how stressful.

4. When stressful thoughts or situations occur, visualize that your body is the strong, grounded oak tree. The strength and stability should be felt in your arms and legs. Allow yourself to feel relaxed on confident, ready to handle any situation.

Grounding Cord Mediation

1. Find a comfortable position and rest for your arms by your side. Closing your eyes, breathe deeply allowing your breathing to be relaxed and slow.

2. Imagine that there is a thick cord attached to the base of your spine. It is called your grounding cord. Imagine that it is sturdy and made from strong material such as rope, tree trunk or another material of your choice. Imagine that there is a strong metal hook attached to the end of the cord.

3. Imagine that your cord has dropped a few hundred feet below the earth’s surface and has hooked itself onto a solid bedrock.

4. Continue breathing deeply and feel the peace and stability brought to you by your grounding cord.

5. Replace the cord each day with a new one or whenever you feel that your emotions are getting out of control.

Understanding how heartburn occurs is essential to those diagnosed with acid reflux. Eating habits or lifestyle factors should be changed to prevent heartburn associated to acid reflux. As such, unhealthy eating or eating excessively in one time can cause improper movement of the gastric juices in the lower portion of the esophagus causing possible heartburn to occur that can result to acid reflux eventually.

These juices in the gastric area are highly acidic. When the gastric juice touches the lining of the esophagus, irritation and inflammation of the esophagus occur, causing heartburn. The abnormal gastric juice flow is due to either Lower Esophageal Sphincter, LES in short, caused by the relaxation of the muscle between the esophagus and the abdomen or other related factors such as structural defects or disorders like hiatial hernia or lifestyle factors.

Heartburn or acid reflux needs treatment especially when a night time attack happens. Night time attacks have similar daytime attack symptoms except that night time attacks include snoring, restlessness, fatigue and even abnormalities in breathing are all night time symptoms. Attacks during the night are more severe than attacks during daytime.

Many people with heartburn or acid reflux understand the cause of their condition. However, there are still many people lacking essential knowledge of how heartburn acid reflux can be triggered. The simplest answer is food. Many people experience acid reflux after having a large meal due to improper breakdown of foods causing acid reflux to occur. Foods such as spicy foods, chocolates, fried and fatty foods can trigger this condition. In fact, even citrus fruits have a tendency to flare up heartburn.

If you have been diagnosed with acid reflux, you should try preventive medication and treatments to help aid in its cure. One way that can help lessen the occurrences is by changing your lifestyle. A change in lifestyle can really help rid of acid reflux from recurring. Also, you should avoid eating aa heavy large meal at one time. Instead, eat small meals at intervals. Eating large meals can increase pressure in the esophageal sphincter and at the same time, expand your stomach. Other preventive measures include maintaining your weight, avoiding alcoholic beverages, and not wearing tightly fitted clothes around the waist because all these factors can cause acid reflux.

Acid reflux is a common condition that can lead to severe problems if left untreated. If you are diagnosed with this condition, always take necessary precautions when experiencing it to avoid further serious problems that could affect even the respiratory system. Because acid reflux is a serious problem, people with heartburn acid reflux should seek advice on how to prevent and treat this particular condition.

The truth is that hormonal changes do have a part to play in this, although the process is not completely understood. At menopause a woman stops ovulating, her monthly menstruation periods end, and her body produces much lower levels of the female hormone estrogen which is responsible for the ovulation process. Low estrogen has been shown to cause weight gain in animals and it almost certainly is the reason why our bodies change shape. While women of childbearing age store fat in the lower body, after the menopause they store it on the abdomen instead, like men. This leads to a greater risk of heart disease.

At the same time, both men and women tend to find muscle turning to fat as they grow older, and the metabolism slows down. This means that if you do not adjust your eating habits you will probably find that your weight increases. A person of 60 just does not need as many calories as a person of 40.

Hormone therapy with estrogen is sometimes prescribed to control menopausal symptoms. Many women will be surprised to hear that studies have shown that hormone therapy does not cause weight gain. Some women experience bloating and water retention in the early stages of hormone therapy but this is usually temporary and they have not gained any fat. Hormone therapy can reduce the risk of heart disease by preventing the changes in storage of body fat around the abdomen and lowering cholesterol. However, hormone therapy has been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer in some studies.

If you find that you are gaining weight around the menopause, there are several things you can do.

- Eat a healthy, low fat diet with plenty of fiber, avoiding sugar.

- Take regular exercise. As people get older their physical activity levels naturally drop. Work often becomes less physically demanding, there are no kids to run around after, we take less active holidays and do things more slowly. 30 minutes of moderate physical activity every day will help to balance out the effect of this.

- Maintain your muscle strength and mass. Use weights for arm muscles and walking or cycling for legs.

- Accept the changes to the shape of your body. If you are not overweight, but simply have a thicker waist and slimmer legs, that is fine.

Consult with your doctor before starting any exercise program if you have any medical conditions or your fitness levels are low. Your doctor can also help with symptoms of the menopause and weight gain.

The five transporting points system is defined as “the flow of qi in the channels using a river analogy, and ascribes function to points along this flow line according to their location.” The five transporting points system explains qi as a substance that bubbles up from a spring and gets larger in both width and depth and eventually resembles a river that is flowing in a downward direction from a mountain and into the ocean.

Jing-well points specifically are the area where the qi ends up bubbling upwards. The jing-well points are always without fail the last points on the channels of the yin or otherwise the first points according to where the channels of yang are located. With one exception, the Kid-1 YongQuan, all other points can be found on the tips of both fingers as well as toes of both hands and both feet. Jing-well points are often used in relation to the abdomen or the “epigastric or hypochondrium region.” As well jing-well points describe disorders that occur in the “zang organs” which are the organs that are ruled by the yang or the masculine component.

Moving right along, the ying-spring points are the location where the qi is able to effectively glide or slide down the channel in question. Ying-spring points are connected with changes that take place in the complexion as well as heat that is needed to keep the body warm. Shu-stream points are the location where the qi pours down the channel in much the same way rain pours from the sky. Shu-stream points have to do with pain and discomfort in the tendons and joints as well as intermittent kinds of diseases and a feeling of heaviness in the body as if it is being pulled down.

Jing-river points are the location where the qi is able to flow down from the channel. Jing-river points have to do with many respiratory problems as well as fever and chills, coughs and dyspnoea, diseases that take place in the bones and sinews and finally health problems that affect the vocal cords and serve to alter a person’s way of speaking. He-sea points describe the area where the qi comes together and collects on the surface and from here it starts to make its way deeper into the interior of the human body. He-sea points have a great deal to do with digestive functions and come about often due to irregular eating and drinking patterns as well as diarrhea and the “counter flow of qi.”

These are some of the categories of acupuncture points but not all of them. In part two we will look at the five phase points, the xi-cleft points, the yuan-source points, the luo-connecting points, the back-shu points, the front-mu points and the hui-meeting points. It is important to note what each one of the points is linked to in relation to the human body.