Heartburn and Reflux For Dummies

If you or someone you love suffers from heartburn, you know that it
can be very disruptive to your daily life. Most heartburn sufferers
say it stops them from enjoying food. Others say it keeps them from
getting a good night's sleep, it makes it hard to concentrate
at work, and it interferes with family activities. Sound familiar?
Don't worry. Heartburn is a pain, but it can be helped.

Heartburn & Reflux For Dummies is the plain-English
guide to relief for you if you've been recently diagnosed
with heartburn or reflux, if you suspect you may suffer from it, or
if you're concerned about your loved ones. This comprehensive
book shows you how to recognize symptoms, get an accurate
diagnosis, and work with a physician to receive the most effective
treatment available. You'll see how to:

• Get your symptoms under control

• Find the right physician

• Reduce stress and fine-tune your diet

• Avoid medicines that trigger upset

• Decide if surgery is right for you

This friendly guide explains what the various forms of reflux
are, as all too often reflux is either self-treated or mistreated
and followed by serious complications. There's detailed
information on building a comfortable lifestyle by reducing stress,
improving your diet, controlling portions, and timing your meals to
minimize heartburn and reflux. Plus, this sensitive guide even
covers heartburn in infants, children, and the elderly.
You'll also discover:

• How to heal the esophagus of inflammation or injury, as well as
  manage or prevent complications

• The latest information on prescription medications and side
  effects

• Healthy habits to adopt to reduce your pain triggers

• Helpful home remedies and alternative medicine

• The special risks and remedies for heartburn during
  pregnancy

• The side effects and complications associated with surgery

Complete with a catalog of heartburn medicines and a list of
reliable Web sites for people with digestive disorders,
Heartburn & Reflux For Dummies is your one-stop guide to
stopping the hurt, starting to heal, and enjoying food again!

Autorentext

Carol Ann Rinzler writes a nutrition column for the New
York Daily News and has authored more than 20 books.

Ken DeVault, MD, is coauthor of the American College of
Gastroenterology's official guideline statements on the diagnosis
and treatment of GERD.

Zusammenfassung
If you or someone you love suffers from heartburn, you know that it can be very disruptive to your daily life. Most heartburn sufferers say it stops them from enjoying food. Others say it keeps them from getting a good night's sleep, it makes it hard to concentrate at work, and it interferes with family activities. Sound familiar? Don't worry. Heartburn is a pain, but it can be helped. Heartburn & Reflux For Dummies is the plain-English guide to relief for you if you've been recently diagnosed with heartburn or reflux, if you suspect you may suffer from it, or if you're concerned about your loved ones. This comprehensive book shows you how to recognize symptoms, get an accurate diagnosis, and work with a physician to receive the most effective treatment available. You'll see how to:

• Get your symptoms under control
• Find the right physician
• Reduce stress and fine-tune your diet
• Avoid medicines that trigger upset

• Decide if surgery is right for you
  This friendly guide explains what the various forms of reflux are, as all too often reflux is either self-treated or mistreated and followed by serious complications. There's detailed information on building a comfortable lifestyle by reducing stress, improving your diet, controlling portions, and timing your meals to minimize heartburn and reflux. Plus, this sensitive guide even covers heartburn in infants, children, and the elderly. You'll also discover:

• How to heal the esophagus of inflammation or injury, as well as manage or prevent complications
• The latest information on prescription medications and side effects
• Healthy habits to adopt to reduce your pain triggers
• Helpful home remedies and alternative medicine
• The special risks and remedies for heartburn during pregnancy
• The side effects and complications associated with surgery
  Complete with a catalog of heartburn medicines and a list of reliable Web sites for people with digestive disorders, Heartburn & Reflux For Dummies is your one-stop guide to stopping the hurt, starting to heal, and enjoying food again!

Inhalt

Introduction 1

About This Book 1

Conventions Used in This Book 2

What You're Not to Read 2

Foolish Assumptions 3

How This Book is Organized 3

Icons Used in This Book 5

Where to Go from Here 6

Part I: Naming Your Pain 7

Chapter 1: Picturing Heartburn and Reflux 9

Meeting Your Heartburn 9

Pinning the Tail on the Heartburn Donkey 11

Looking for Help in All the Right Places 13

Chapter 2: Tracking Your Digestive Tract 17

Defining Digestion 18

Testing the Protectors 24

Examining the LES 25

Chapter 3: Cataloging the Symptoms and Hazards of Heartburn, Reflux, and GERD 31

Tracking the Symptoms 32

Calculating Long-Term Consequences 37

Chapter 4: Rating Your Reflux Risk 41

Picturing People with Heartburn 41

Factoring in the Family 43

Rendering a Gender Bias 45

Mentioning Medical Risks 46

Weighing Weight's Weight on Reflux 48

Pinpointing Problem Eaters 51

Adding Up Your Own Reflux Risk 52

Part II: Eating Your Way to Relief 55

Chapter 5: Meeting Your Nutrition Needs 57

Measuring Nutrition 57

Beginning with the Big Guys 59

Investigating Vitamins 62

Mining the Minerals 66

Supplementing the Info 71

Chapter 6: Fine-Tuning Your Diet 81

Enjoying Food 81

Explaining How Food and Drink Can Cause Heartburn 82

Naming the Guilty Parties 85

Making Meals Safer 94

Choosing the Safest Cooking Technique 96

Chapter 7: Reviewing Home Remedies, Alternative Approaches, and Herbal Healers 99

Grading Granny's Goodies 99

Looking for Alternatives 103

Evaluating Herbal Medicine 105

Linking Other Alternative Approaches to Heartburn/Reflux 114

Part III: Treating Your Middle 115

Chapter 8: Finding the Right Doctor 117

Deciding When to See the Doctor 117

Sorting Through the Heartburn Specialists 118

Choosing a Doctor 119

Going to the Doctor with Your History in Hand 125

Chapter 9: Examining Your Esophagus and Testing Your Tummy 127

Picking Potential Patients 127

Assessing Your Acidity 128

Measuring Your Muscle Strength 131

Studying Your Stomach 133

Evaluating Your Esophagus 134

Chapter 10: Prescribing Relief 139

Noting the Cost of Heartburn Help 139

Aiming for Neutrality with Antacids 140

Blocking the Burn 147

Slowing the Pump 153

Interesting Interacting 158

Chapter 11: Avoiding Problem Pills 163

Pinpointing Potential Problems 163

Naming Medicines That Loosen the LES 164

Targeting Traffic Stoppers 169

Listing Irritating Drugs and Supplements 170

Naming Medical Conditions That May Make Meds Stick 173

Minimizing the Heartburn Effects of Essential Medicines 174

Chapter 12: Exploring Surgical Options 177

Nominating Candidates for Heartburn Surgery 178

Setting a Surgical Schedule 181

Cutting and Pasting: Fundoplication 183

Meeting the Morning After 187

Reaching Home Base 189

Balancing Risks and Benefits 190

Peering into the Reflux Crystal Ball 191

Part IV: Creating a Comfortable Lifestyle 193

Chapter 13: Building a Better Body 195

Answering Question Numero Uno: Who's Overweight? 195

Choosing a Healthful Weight Control Program 200

Working Off Your Reflux 209

**Chapter 14: Healing Heartburn with Healthy Habits…