Lots of people suffer from acid reflux and have tried to over the counter antacids and medications with little or no relief. Doctors are just going to give us prescriptions for expensive medications, which might work but they are costly and some people just can’t afford them, so they continue to suffer. The good news is that the cure could be as close as making some simple changes to your diet. There are foods that cause acid reflux, and if you are eating these foods on a regular basis, then avoiding them may be all that’s needed to take care of your acid reflux.

Below you could find a list of usual foods that cause acid reflux symptoms in some people. Take a look at this list and see if there are foods on it that you eat on a regular basis and try some alternatives to see if these help reduce your acid reflux symptoms.

High Fat Foods
Dairy foods that are high in fat such as whole milks, cottage cheeses, and many other high fat cheeses can be an almost instant trigger for acid reflux. Try using non fat milk and low fat cottage cheese. Some processed cheese foods are low in fat and taste almost as good as their real cheese counterparts. Check the labels.

High fat meats like marbled steaks and other cuts of beef, ground beef, dark chicken and turkey meat and their skins can all be foods that cause acid reflux in you. Alternatively, you can find cuts of beef that are less marbled and closely trimmed, ground sirloin is typically lower in fat, and boneless, skinless chicken and turkey breasts are a wonderful and healthy alternative.

Fried foods, especially those found at any fast food restaurant, are also foods that cause acid reflux in most people. Try finding foods that are fried in lower fat oils like peanut oil. They still may cause some discomfort, but it is possible that they won’t cause as much discomfort as the others.

Fruits and Veggies
Citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and grapefruits and their juices can irritate the esophagus and cause symptoms of acid reflux. Try fruits like apples and apple juice, which have been known to actually relieve heartburn.

Onions have been known to cause acid reflux, especially when eaten raw. If you love the taste of onion but they cause you pain, try using onion powder as an alternative.

Tomatoes are full of acid and should be avoided. This also includes products made from tomatoes like sauces, salsa, and condiments. There really is no alternative for tomatoes, but some other condiments and vegetables could replace them and still be satisfying.

Beverages
Coffee, both caffeinated and decaffeinated, can trigger acid reflux in many people and should be avoided. Try a cold glass of apple cider and 20 minutes on the treadmill for a morning pick-me-up.
Sodas and other carbonated drinks can cause symptoms of acid reflux. Water is the best alternative to soda, especially on hot summer days.

Alcohol, especially beer, can be damaging to the esophagus and cause acid reflux. This is where a lifestyle change may be necessary. When you go out volunteer to be the designated driver and have fun watching everybody else act like drunken idiots. You’re likely to win at darts more often this way, too.

There are other foods that cause acid reflux symptoms, too. The best way to figure out what is causing your acid reflux is to keep a journal and then avoid the foods that you find are your triggers. If this doesn’t help, then a trip to the doctor to discuss your acid reflux is recommended.

You can’t go to do sport event, an outdoor activity or even to the corner store without advertisements for energy drinks staring you down. Will these handy beverages give you a jolt of vigor or leave you in a slump? The answer is, both. And that’s not all they’ll do.

The active ingredient in energy drinks are varies, as do their side effects. None are superior, they all carry the potential to do awful things to your body.

CAFFEINE – It’s good enough for coffee and tea, but why not for your energy drink? The answer is because it works like amphetamines, cocaine, and heroin, in the way that it stimulates the brain. A typical 12 ounce can of a caffeinated energy drink contains 70-100 mg of caffeine, or the same as two sodas or a 6 ounce cup of coffee. Guarana, a common ingredient in energy drinks, contains caffeine.

Caffeine works by blocking the chemical that makes you naturally drowsy. The chemical, adenosine, is also responsible for dilating the blood vessels. By hiding adenosine, caffeine also causes the brain’s blood vessels to constrict.

Your heart rate increases, muscles tighten, your blood pressure rises, blood vessels near the surface constrict and more blood flows to the muscles. Dopamine in the brain is also increased by caffeine. Dopamine is one of the chemicals responsible for feeling happy. Caffeine is a cardiac stimulant and mild diuretic.

While the short term benefits may seem positive, long term effects can be a real downer. Once the temporary stimulation goes off, your brain suddenly starts to recognize adenosine and a sudden mental sluggishness hits. Your heart racing is unhealthy unless it occurs naturally and is allowed rest periods. Sleep is affected because the internal effects of caffeine aren’t over when the “high” is. It takes up to 12 hours for caffeine to completely vacate your body.

As a diuretic, caffeine speeds along your urination cycle, taking calcium with it. Long term, heavy caffeine use could lead to developing osteoporosis.

SUGAR – Most energy drinks, except those that are labeled “sugar free” and usually those marketed as “light” are high in sugar. The sugar in an 8 ounce can ranges from 5 to 8 teaspoons and usually accounts for 100% of the carbohydrates (80 – 130 calories). The RDA for sugar is no more than 6 – 7 teaspoons of sugar for each 2000 calories consumed. One bottle of energy drink contains all of the sugar you should eat in a day.

Sugar gives you a quick bump of energy because it is absorbed into the human body much faster than other energy sources, like protein. Studies show sugar can take effect within a minute of entering the body. Sugar raises the blood sugar level and gives you quick energy. This is often short lived, though, because the body quickly releases a blast of insulin, quickly lowering your blood sugar. When blood sugar plummets, so does energy and endurance.

While the short term side effects of sugar – crashing hours after consumption, increased appetite and the possibility of cavities – are somewhat mild, long term effects are not. Type 2 diabetes has been linked to sugar misuse. Weight gain due to the consumption of empty calories is becoming a bigger problem in the US and around the globe.

TAURINE, B VITAMINS AND GINSENG – These three ingredients are also commonly found in energy drinks.

Taurine helps move potassium, sodium, calcium and magnesium into and out of cells and generates nerve signals.

B Vitamins are important for many functions of the body including reduction of stress and depression, metabolism and digestive system. However, too much vitamin B can cause nausea, gout, hypothyroidism, insomnia or reduced insulin release, among other side effects.

Do you need a dietary health vitamin supplement? Many of us wonder if we are eating a balanced enough diet to get all of our vitamins and minerals on a daily basis. The truth is… even the most balanced diet can be lacking in some very important vitamins. Taking a daily multi-vitamin can be the perfect nutritional supplement for anyone.

Most people believe that eating a balanced diet is the only thing that is important to maintaining good health. Actually, eating a balanced diet and combining that with regular exercise, proper hydration, and the right dosage of multivitamins will be a more accurate way of obtaining optimal health. Read the rest of this entry »

Do you have nocturnal panic attacks? Many of us do and most of those that do have them do not know what they are. If you find yourself doing things like this, then you may be experiencing this condition.

You go to sleep knowing that you need to sleep to have a good day tomorrow. But, then trouble happens. As you unconsciously transition from one level of sleep to another, something frightening happens. You bolt upright to find yourself short of breath and suffering from chest pains. You feel dizzy and have a sense of impending doom and suffocation. You’re sweating and feel as if you’re going crazy. You have just experienced a nocturnal panic attack. Read the rest of this entry »