Alkaline diet can combat the effects of acid reflux

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Jul 25 2007

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), more commonly known as acid reflux, affects 19.8 percent of adults in the United States (roughly 47.3 million people).

Those who suffer from the disease can attest to the sometimes crippling discomfort it causes. Although medications and surgical options are available, increasingly, medical professionals are touting the benefits of consuming a more alkaline diet in order to control acid reflux.

For both immediate and long-term survival, the body must maintain balance between acidity and alkalinity. In fact, the link between dietary pH balance and various health issues has been recognized by physicians since the early 20th century, although it is only recently creating buzz. This is because the modern diet is vastly different than it was 100 years ago due to the wide availability of protein. Since protein is now a significant component of most meals, the bulk of the current American diet consists primarily of foods that leave an acidic residue within the body. This occurs when food is metabolized and broken down, leaving certain chemical and metallic residues which yield either acid or alkaline potentials of pH for the body.

The human body genuinely wants to seek balance, in all forms -- GERD is simply a result of a long-standing pH imbalance. When too much acidic food is consumed, the stomach can't digest it completely. The excess undigested food then turns into acid waste, which causes stomach spasms or twitching leading to an increase in stomach gas. This gas increase forces open the valve between the esophagus and stomach allowing stomach acid to retreat into the esophagus.

GERD sufferers know the importance of drinking water to stay hydrated, but the thought of their body's reaction can be hard to swallow. Relatively new to the market, eVamor Artesian water beverage is naturally and highly alkaline, with a pH of 9.0-the highest of all retail bottled waters, and is 100 times more effective in neutralizing acid in the body than ordinary bottled water. While eVamor makes no health claims, it can claim that it counteracts the negative effects of an overly acidic diet -- a diet that magnifies the pain of GERD.

To help track results, eVamor even provides acid tests for individuals to take in order to see the change in their body's chemistry after consuming only 2 liters.

The pH scale, which measures how acidic or alkaline a substance is, ranges from 0 to 14.0. A pH of 7.0 is neutral. A pH less than 7.0 is acidic, and a pH greater than 7.0 is alkaline or basic. Each whole pH value below 7.0 is ten times more acidic than the next higher value. The same holds true for pH values above 7.0, each of which is ten times more alkaline. Most people regard water as a complete neutral-it's clear, natural, tastes clean and is, of course, good for you. They would also be surprised to know that most commercial bottled waters are not even neutral, but rather, acidic.

Additionally, many bottled waters now hitting the market advocate an added "edge"; that edge is usually in the form of sugar. The naturally occurring bicarbonates of potassium, calcium and sodium along with the added essential minerals of potassium, chromium, molybdenum, selenium and vanadium, are a healthy bonus to the already silky taste of eVamor. Additionally, the source is completely free of tritium, a naturally-occurring radioactive form of hydrogen found in a majority of the world's water. The absence of tritium ensures that the source water for eVamor remains pure-untouched by pollution, acid rain and other elements found in both natural and man-made environments.

Diagnosis of GERD and treatment options should be made by a doctor. Chronic heartburn is the most common symptom of GERD. Patients should consult a doctor if they experience one or a combination of the following: