My first little lesson in health...
A couple of years ago, I was diagnosed with "GERD" or Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease or even more commonly known as heartburn! What happened was this... I went to the gym, had an awesome workout, and then went back to my desk to eat lunch. Due to my ridiculous post workout hunger, I scarfed down my food. I barely even chewed. Low and behold, a piece of food got stuck, causing a massive amount reflux and even damage to the lining of my esophagus. I went to Lenox Hill Hospital, was examined, x-rayed, and essentially told to chew better in the future.
Now, I had suffered from heartburn spells before, but this was something else. The pain in my chest was so terrible it made me sick to my stomach. To alleviate the symptoms, I was told to angle my bed, avoid coffee and chocolate, and all the other normal anti-GERD recommendations. I was also prescribed a proton-pump inhibitor, which reduces the amount of stomach acid produced.
Here's the problem... none of that really helped. The PPI would do the trick, until I stopped taking it and then the heartburn would come back full force. I despise taking medicine like that, so I decided to look into what causes acid reflux and try something different. The answer that I discovered: water. According to the research that I did (reading articles and testing on myself), heartburn is a thirst indicator for the body. Stomach acid has a pH of about 2 (hydrochloric acid) while water, being neutral, has a pH of 7. By drinking water, you naturally dilute the acidity of your stomach. Antacids do the same thing, but to a stronger extent... which could lower the acidity too much. Water would do this naturally and gradually. I tried it... and it worked. I increased my water intake and now I am off the little purple pill and my bed is still nice and level. So, take it or leave it... It may not actually cure your heartburn, but drinking a glass of water is a lot easier, cheaper, and healthier than reaching for the pill bottle. What have you got to lose?
These comments have not been reviewed by the FDA. And I'm not actually a doctor. Yet.
