Due to everyday stress, and simply our lifestyles, we are faced with many health issues. Most common ailment millions of people worldwide are faced with is GERD, or so-called Acid Reflux, Heartburn or indigestion. Though we consider it as just a small, occasional nuisance, it is actually much more than that.
What actually happens when you suffer from acid reflux? The stomach acid flows backward into the tissues above it, and sometimes may cause many serious problems. Most common symptoms include bloating, burping, nausea, sore throat and heartburn.
When faced with these symptoms, most of us reach for a pill to reduce symptoms. But, is that the right thing to do?
The Acid Watcher Diet - result of a year-long journey
Dr. Jonathan Aviv, a specialist affiliated with Mount Sinai Icahn School of Medicine in New York, was in his mid-30s when he faced acid reflux. He wasn't even aware his condition was severe, until one night when he woke up gasping for air and feeling like he was being choked. His doctor couldn’t believe that that was the symptom of acid reflux, because Aviv never complained of heartburn. This ailment set Dr. Aviv on a year-long journey to learn how best to manage it which resulted in a book called "The Acid Watcher Diet“.
The book explains how the different symptoms of acid reflux arise, along with the details of a program for healing and prevention that can help many people avoid most of the commonly prescribed medications.
Since every medication has a full list of possible side effects, which can even be much worse than the disease they are supposed to treat. It is not uncommon that a certain drug which is marked safe when first marketed turns out to have hazards, both bothersome and severe, that become apparent only after millions of people take them for a long enough time.
Those medications are linked to some serious complications, such as nutrient deficiencies, joint pain, infections, bone fractures, heart attacks and dementia.
'Healing diet'- change your habits to avoid drugs
Due to all the side effects of the drugs, Dr. Aviv advises a change of habits to control a persistent ailment such as acid reflux."„High-fiber foods are very helpful, second only to eliminating acidic foods,” Dr.
Aviv said. He also advises limiting alcohol, losing weight, quitting smoking, avoiding carbonated drinks and high-fat foods. Accordingly, he suggests a 28-day “healing” diet which consists almost entirely of natural, unprocessed foods, especially lean protein foods like light-meat poultry, fish, egg whites and low-fat diary, beans, and fruits.
