Quote:
Originally Posted by TheWolf
if you just "live with it" for years and "deal with it" it will eventually lead to a more serious condition called barretts esophagus which is the for-runner to esophageal cancer. Mostly it is the stressed out professional that eats a crap lunch and pops tums's on a daily basis that we see come in with this.
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I'd say it started about a month ago... I'm not too stressed and I don't take tums, but I do eat crap lunches (and dinners too).
I was thinking of trying the stuff listed in the GERD wiki page and see if it helps:
GERD is largely preventable through changes in lifestyle, which are also used as treatment (see below).
Sleep on the left side, or with your upper body raised.
Relief is often found by raising the head of the bed, raising the upper body with pillows, or sleeping sitting up.
Eat smaller meals.
Eating a big meal causes excess stomach acid production, so attacks can be minimized by eating smaller meals. It is also important to avoid eating shortly before bedtime.
Lose weight.
Gaining even a few pounds increases your risk of heartburn. [20] Exactly why isn't clear, but the leading theory is that more body fat puts more pressure on the stomach, which can cause highly acidic stomach contents to reflux to the lower esophageal sphincter. For the same reason, tight clothing around the abdomen can also increase the risk of heartburn.
Avoid acidic and rich foods.
Though less well supported by evidence,[20] a sufferer may benefit from avoiding foods that trigger their symptoms. These commonly include acidic fruit or juices, fatty foods, coffee, tea, onions, peppermint, chocolate, especially shortly before bedtime.
I already sleep on my left side, but I have been gaining weight and clothes have been getting tighter as a result. I also eat really late and often, right before bed. Basically living like I'm 22 when my old ass is 32. FML. Getting old sucks ass. I don't wanna have to be popping pills to feel normal... =\
Plus, I'm a martial artist, so I
KNOW I need to be living healthier than I do. I have no damn excuse to be this unhealthy. I'm really gonna try changing my habits before I move on to the OTC stuff.