The Best Acid Reflux Remedies for Well-Informed People

People who think all diseases and medical conditions are caused by bacteria and viruses need to think again. Some medical conditions are caused by factors which have nothing to do with pathogenic bacteria. One of these conditions is acid reflux disease which is also called heartburn.
Like most medical conditions, acid reflux disease can have a number of different causative factors. The main causes of heartburn are eating very large meals, lying down immediately after eating, snacking shortly before going to bed and smoking. Other possible causes of this condition are being overweight, being pregnant, eating spicy or fatty foods and taking certain medications.
It is very important to understand how the digestive system works because this will help patients get the right acid reflux remedies. When people eat, food passes from the esophagus into the stomach. There is a sort of valve at the entrance of the stomach and this valve is called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). This valve is meant to close as soon as food passes through it. In cases where this valve does not close properly, acid produced by the stomach may move up into the esophagus. This acid causes the burning sensation somewhere in the chest and this is called heartburn. In cases where the lower esophageal sphincter opens too often, the acids from the stomach can also move up into the esophagus and this can cause the same burning or painful sensation described above.
Most normal people can experience heartburn once in a while but it is not supposed to happen very often. People who have heartburn more than twice a week are suffering from acid reflux disease. This condition is also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). It is not really a serious medical condition but it can be a very inconvenient affliction.
It is very important for people who have acid reflux symptoms to get trusted health information. This is because the wrong diagnosis can make matters very complicated. It is also vital to seek the right acid reflux remedies so that the problem can be solved effectively.
The best remedies for heartburn include changes in diet, changes in lifestyle and the use of the right medications. Patients who smoke should discontinue the habit, overweight patient will need to lose weight and people who eat very spicy foods will need to cut down on such foods. For medications, antacids are very effective. The best ones are the ones which contain both magnesium hydroxide and aluminum hydroxide.
People who are not keen on medications can try alternatives like baking soda, unprocessed Aloe Vera juice and apple cider vinegar. These are great alternatives and they are very safe too. As stated already, heartburn can be very inconvenient. The good news is that it can be treated with the right acid reflux remedies.

The author has spent a lot of time learning about Acid Reflux Remedies and other related topics. Read more about Trusted Health Information at the author's website.

Two Inspiring Studies About Significance of Primary Care in Favorable Diabetes Outcomes

Significant Finding #1: "... improved control of glycaemia, lipids, and BP in patients with type 2 diabetes when compared with previous studies... "[Location: Catalonia, Spain; Setting: Primary Care] (Vinagre I, 2012)
Significant Finding #2: "... a primary care setting where regular monitoring of glycemic control is done, where patients concerns and fears about diabetes are addressed, where patients are educated about diabetes, diet and exercise and advised on compliance with medication leads to improved glycemic control... "... " [Location: Tobago and Trinidad, West Indies; Setting: Diabetes Primary Care Clinic] (Babwah T., 2011)
As diabetes cases surge globally, estimates point at a one in ten incidence rate of diabetic adults in North America alone (International Diabetes Federation). While diabetes is attributed to a number of causes including genetic and environmental risk factors, proper diabetes management seems to be influenced not just by medication, lifestyle and diet interventions but also the nature of relationship between patients and their physicians.
The PCP is the first contact point in the patient-physician relationship with respect to any medical condition, including diabetes. However, primary care physician shortage seems to create increasing pressure on the current physician pool. In conditions requiring detailed assessment of medical history and symptoms, this lack of attention and care at the primary level can spell the difference between success and failure in the realm of diabetes management.
Two recent inspiring cases have highlighted the role of the primary care setting in better diabetes management. The first one (Vinagre I, 2012) is a recent cross-sectional study that was carried out in Catalonia, Spain across primary health care centers. A huge population of 3,755,038 individuals between the ages 31 and 90 years was involved to identify 286,791 Type II diabetes patients. Diabetes management involved lifestyle changes, anti-diabetic drugs and insulin therapy. The study indicated encouraging results regarding improved glycemic control, and favorable results related to lipids and blood pressure in the study population. The role of early detection of the chronic condition, appropriate treatment by primary care professionals, and a "target-based management system" which was driven by financial incentives was highlighted by researchers.
The other study was about a three year long quality-improvement project at a Trinidad (West Indies) health center (Babwah T., 2011). The study included diabetic and diabetic hypertensive patients at a special diabetes clinic managed by a registered nurse and a PCP. Diabetics were not only monitored for their glycaemia, but also got a chance to discuss their concerns and fears regarding the complex disease accompanied by a number of co-morbidities. Education about disease manifestation, nutrition, exercise and physical activity and the importance of compliance to prescribed medication were essential objectives of the quality program. Unsurprisingly, superior glycemic control at the end of the three year period and the need for establishing such low-cost primary care clinics was identified.
In an era where more and more medical students choose to get into a specialized medical role, the significance of a primary care practitioner seems to have receded into the background. However, in order to achieve result oriented outcomes in chronic diabetes management, the human side of medicine, more so the primary care practitioner has a significant role to play in the long run.
References
Babwah T. (2011). Improving glycaemic control in patients attending a Trinidad health centre: a three-year quality improvement project. Quality in Primary Care, 19(5), 335-339.
International Diabetes Federation. (2011, November 14). World Diabetes Day - Press Release. Retrieved from International Diabetes Federation:
Vinagre I, M.-C. M.-N. (2012). Control of Glycemia and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes in Primary Care in Catalonia (Spain). Diabetes Care.