Heartburn or GERD can Kill

Heartburn is a common annoyance. The busy lifestyle, quick meals, fatty or spicy foods all contribute to the occasional need of a chewable pain reliever. The acceptance of heartburn as an inconvenient, but natural, part of the daily grind can blind you to the warning that a severe heartburn symptom can bring.

Heartburn as a Disorder

Heartburn can be a symptom as well as a disorder. Simple heartburn or GERD can be controlled and dealt with. However, heartburn can signal the presence of a much more serious problem. If it’s heartburn, you will have a burning sensation in the chest usually after eating. There may be a spread of the burning to the throat, sometimes accompanied by a bad taste, difficulty in swallowing, belching, coughing, hoarseness and/or wheezing.

It can become worse by lying down or bending over or by eating. Relief can come from an antacid. While the more severe heartburn symptoms may be mistaken for a heart attack, simple heartburn is usually not made worse by exercise. If there is any concern that the pain may signal a heart attack, get help quickly.

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Natural Ways To Help Treat Your Bad Breath

By Patty Kojima

It is no fun to suffer from halitosis. Bad breath is an embarrassing problem to deal with. It causes problems when people cower away from the foul smell of your breath. It is important to cure bad breath as soon as possible. Here are a number of remedies which you can try to cure your halitosis.

Good oral hygiene will help remove bad breath to some degree. You should brush your teeth, gums, and tongue thoroughly after every meal. This will stop bacteria from feeding on the food particles left behind in your mouth. Bacteria that remain in your mouth and feed on food particles release volatile sulfurous compounds (VSCs) which stink up your mouth. Sometimes food particles stuck between your teeth cannot be reached by a toothbrush. Flossing between your teeth after every meal will help prevent halitosis.

A highly acid environment allows bacteria to reproduce quickly. One cause of your halitosis may be that your mouth is overly acidic. This can also cause an unpleasant bitter or sour taste in your mouth. Adjust your oral ph by neutralizing acid with baking soda. Use baking soda on your toothbrush. You can even add it to your toothpaste. This should help with bad breath issues.

Because halitosis can be associated with your digestive process, specifically inadequate digestion, it can also work to cure halitosis. In essence, apple cider vinegar provides the same function of digestion as stomach acid.

If you feel this may be your problem, or you know you have digestive problems, then take a little apple cider vinegar before or after every meal. It will help stomach acids completely break down your food. This helps eliminate the buildup of foul gases which can come out of your mouth as disgusting breath. If you need to, take the apple cider vinegar with water.

Chlorophyll, known for giving green plants their color, is another good remedy for halitosis. Many people are unaware of the benefits of chlorophyll when it comes to treating problems in your digestive system and intestines.

Because some halitosis is associated with digestive problems, chlorophyll added to your diet may be an effective way to get rid of bad breath. Chlorophyll is cleansing and will act like a deodorizer freshening your breath.

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