20 Mar Heartburn, Acid Reflux, and the Hiatal Hernia Connection Part 1
It is estimated that up to half of all Americans over the age of 50 suffer from acid reflux and hiatal hernia.
A diaphragm strain, or hiatal hernia, can cause symptoms of severe heartburn, indigestion, bloating, tingling, or burning in the throat, hiccups, nausea, ulcers, chronic cough, vomiting, pain in chest or upper back, anxiety, tachycardia, Barret’s esophagus, among others.
Over the last twenty years I’m finding the conditions resulting from hiatal hernia syndrome to be rising at an alarming rate. Sadly, these symptoms are becoming more frequent even among the younger generation.
The causes of a hiatal hernia:
- Inadequate digestive enzymes, low levels of hydrochloric acid (HCL), and the protein digesting enzyme pepsin
- Poor food combinations- mixing processed carbs and sugars with proteins at meal time
- Highly refined carbohydrates, such as sugar-laden foods and soft drinks; these break down much faster in the stomach than proteins, which results in gas build-up in the stomach that leaks back u into the esophagus and throat
- Medications, prescription drugs, and food allergies
- Mechanical problems such as diaphragm strains and hiatal hernia
Mechanical problems can be most difficult to get under control as so few practitioners understand the technique necessary to correct diaphragm strain and reverse the hiatal hernia without surgery. This technique can be performed in as little as a few minutes, and in most cases, relief comes quickly.
Dietary changes are also necessary when it comes to resolving your indigestion and reflux. However, the reason so many doctors and patients fail to manage this problem is due to neglect of correcting these mechanical components.