Myths abound about all sorts of health conditions and heartburn is no different. The medical name for heartburn is gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD); it is very common, in particular among elderly people and women who are pregnant.

More than an estimated 60 million American adults find themselves plagued by the uncomfortable symptoms of heartburn at least once during the course of a month and an estimated 25 million Americans, both males and females, suffer from the discomfort of heartburn on a day-to-day basis.Here we look at eight common myths about heartburn and the truth that lies behind them.

1. Heartburn is caused by the person who suffers from it

Doctors say acid reflux is affecting so many lives today because of the way people are choosing to eat. People are on the run all of the time and simply eating things for convenience. Fast food and unhealthy snacks are easy to scarf down and get on with the day, so that is what people are choosing to eat.

Not only are snacks full of unhealthy sugars and calories, they are also not good for your digestive system. In fact, some people are so sensitive to these unhealthy foods that they will have severe acid reflux or indigestion just because of their choice of diet. If you suffer from these discomforts, there are certain foods you should avoid. Check out these five foods to avoid when you suffer with acid reflux and get on your way to a better life.

Many people think you should only avoid fast food and spicy foods, however there are many foods that are on the list of “high risk foods for acid reflux” that you wouldn’t even expect to see there.

If a person is vomiting daily after eating, they should see a doctor immediately as this is a symptom of many problems within the body. If the vomiting turns out to be a side effect of acid reflux, there are many ways a person can prevent it from happening too frequently. A doctor will probably put a person on medication to help stop the vomiting. This is very important.

Every time a person vomits, they are allowing acid to travel into the esophagus and into the throat. This could be devastating later on in life. A person could develop cancer from this exposure to stomach acid.

Medication may help keep a person from vomiting, but one will have to change their eating habits in order to keep acid reflux from continuing.

Habit Changing Hard Road to Follow

The stomach acids in your stomach are there for a very good reason. It’s not the actual acid that causes acid reflux. These acids are needed to break down food for proper digestion.

Many people suffer from acid reflux, often taking prescription drugs to treat it. In fact, you might be surprised to hear that acid reflux natural treatment options can take care of the problem most of the time.

I know what you’re thinking - It can’t be that simple, otherwise my doctor would not have prescribed medication. There are certainly times when the heavier guns are needed but for the most part acid reflux natural treatment options will take care of the problem. So let’s have a look at those options.

Chew Chew Chew

A very simple acid reflux natural treatment is to simply chew more. Many of us are rushed when we are eating and you are likely the same.

If you take time to chew your food better, it will get the saliva and food ratio mix correct and then the digestion process will start right and you won’t get acid reflux.

No More Snacking

The link between hiatal hernias and GERD is a strong one. A hiatal hernia occurs in different parts of the body. It happens when an organ, such as the stomach, is pushed through the muscle and into another area of the body. In most occurrences, the stomach will be pushed through the diaphragm and into the chest.

The diaphragm is the muscle that separates the stomach from the chest.

While this is not usually life threatening, there are other complications that can occur if the problem is not treated. The biggest complication is the development of GERD. GERD is similar to acid reflux disease. Acid is rushed out of the stomach and into the esophagus causing burning, coughing, and mild to extreme discomfort depending on how long a person has suffered from GERD and how much acid makes its way into the esophagus.

What to Watch Out For

GERD can occur without hiatal hernias present. There are many symptoms a person should watch out for especially if they notice most symptoms occurred after a big meal or after exercising.