Positioning the Esophagus Part 2

The American College of Gastroenterology recommends raising the head of the bed by 6” – 10”  to combat acid reflux. I, personally, suffered for a number of years not even knowing I had a severe form of acid reflux called GERD or gastroesophageal reflux disease. Finally, I went to my doctor who informed me of this condition and recommended a specific diet, weight loss, raising the head of my bed, and (easiest of all) popping a pill.  In my case, the pill helped somewhat but didn't completely help my nighttime reflux; the medication manufacturers actually advise you to lift the head of the bed.

I suffered for many more years before I actually figured out how to lift the head of my bed in a simple, safe, practical manner. I designed Reflux Guard©  because the medication, which I had expected to be the panacea to my problems, didn't help enough at night. Although I didn't expect much, by the second night, I started to feel better and didn't suffer from nighttime reflux. Within a week I was a different person!

I suffered for many years before I actually figured out how to lift the head of my bed in a simple, safe, practical manner. I designed Reflux Guard© because the medication didn’t quite help with nighttime Acid Reflux. Since the medication wasn't working and I was still in agony, I needed to figure out how to get some sort of relief.  I never thought Reflux Guard© would be the panacea to my nighttime agony, but I did need to try something different. I hoped for some little improvement so I could get a decent night’s sleep. As it turns out Reflux Guard© worked better then I had ever imagined and now don’t travel without it. By the second night I started to feel better and now hardly ever suffer from nighttime Acid Reflux. Within a week I was a different person.

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Our next post will about how Acid Reflux effects you teeth and what you can do about it. Don't let it ruin your teeth or smile.
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Positioning the Esophagus

“Due to the anatomic factors that I discussed in the prior chapter, for some people who are more susceptible, problems can arise when you are in deep sleep (or REM sleep), and when you are on your back. Since all humans are susceptible to the tongue collapsing to various degrees, given the same situation, different people will obstruct more than others.

For example, if you have no problem sleeping on your back and you get a simple cold, your nose gets stuffed up and due to the vacuum pressures that are created downstream, your tongue can start to fall back, causing you to wake up frequently. This is the reason why you toss and turn when you have a cold. But once your cold goes away, you can catch up on your sleep, and you feel fine again.

Pregnant women, especially in the third trimester, typically don’t sleep well. This is not only because of the lack of mobility associated with the pregnancy itself, but also due to increased fat deposits in the throat at this time. The latter serves to narrow the airway, and creates breathing problems that did not exist prior to pregnancy.”

This is another installment of Dr. Park's book, "Sleep Interrupted", that explains the esophagus--a very complicated and fascinating part of our anatomy. It is the roadway for many bodily functions, but we often take it for granted until something goes wrong. We use it every moment from inhaling and exhaling to swallowing. Unfortunately, when the esophagus malfunctions, it can cause us anywhere from minor discomfort to agonizing misery.

In today's installment of "Sleep Interrupted" we will explore the simple complications involving how the position of the esophagus and breathing pathway can easily cause Acid Reflux, which, in turn, can cause damage to the esophagus.

The esophagus is basically a tube for eating, drinking, and breathing. If this tube closes down during sleep it can cause a vacuum in the stomach. This vacuum can interrupt the processing of the stomach contents and their natural progression downward and lift acid, bile, and other stomach contents back up into the esophagus. The power of this vacuum is such that even a healthy stomach and sphincter valve (the valve that keeps acid from entering the esophagus) may not keep the contents of the stomach in the stomach. When the stomach contents come up, it can cause severe damage to the esophagus and/or lungs, which can cause caustic burning and choking, that might even require hospitalization.

Please come back early next week for Part 2 of this topic or you can like us on facebook where you will be notified for each post - hope to hear from you.

Study Show Strawberries Cut Risk of Esophageal Cancer

“Study Show Strawberries Cut Risk of Esophageal Cancer”

Is there great news just around the corner? The Wall Street Journal, April 7, 2011 recently reported on a study showing that freeze-dried strawberries slowed the growth of pre-cancerous cells in the esophagus.

Studies in rats also show that the intake of freeze-dried strawberries significantly inhibited tumor growth.

Every year about 16,000 new cases of esophageal cancer are diagnosed. Esophageal cancer is the fastest growing cancer in the US. Unfortunately, esophageal cancer is one of the worst, having some of the lowest survival rates of various cancers.

In a small study of 36 participants who ate freeze-dried strawberries, 29 showed a decrease in the histological grade of the pre-cancerous lesion of the esophagus. Head study researcher Dr. Tong Chen asserted that further testing is necessary to confirm the results. Dr. Chen also stated that it isn’t clear what anti-cancer agent causes the strawberries to have their beneficial effect.

Dr. Chen noted that freeze-dried strawberries have 10 times the ability to prevent esophageal cancer than fresh strawberries.

Esophageal cancer cases usually progress in the following order of symptoms. The first warning sign is usually chronic acid reflux. The constant assault of stomach acid rising into the esophagus causes the lining of the esophagus to actually change. This elevates the situation to a pre-cancerous condition called Barrett’s Esophagus.

People suffering from acid reflux need to take appropriate steps and prevent this process from happening. They should see their physician who will possibly recommend medication, but most likely will instruct them to eat properly, lose weight, lift the head of the bed, and commit to other healthy lifestyle changes.

In the next blog post, we will discuss various lifestyle recommendations you can follow to prevent esophageal cancer.

Help us save lives, please tell others you care about Reflux Guard and come back often for updates about esophageal cancer, acid reflux and general health.

Thank you,

The Reflux Guard© Team

Esophagus

Esophageal cancer

Acid reflux

Barrett’s esophagus