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Do you enjoy drinking carbonated beverages but frequently suffer from acid reflux? Did you know that carbonated beverages are not conducive to your condition? Drinking carbonated beverages on a daily basis can lead to more than just a bad case of heartburn. In fact, research is finding that frequent consumption of these beverages over time, can actually dramatically increase your risk of developing esophageal cancer.
Esophageal cancer was a disease that was non-existent two generations ago, now it's becoming a common concern. Researchers in India discovered a link between the rise in carbonation consumption and esophageal cancer in America over the past two decades. They found that the average consumption of carbonated soft drinks sky rocketed from less than 11 gallons per year in the late 1940's to nearly 50 gallons per year by 2000. They also found that since the 1980's, esophageal cancer has increased by more than 565% among white American men.
Studies have concluded that soft drinks have a direct link to gastric distension, a condition that brings on reflux. It was found that the consumption of liquid from a single standard soda can cause acid levels to remain elevated in the stomach for more than 52 minutes. Thus, if a person were to drink one can of soda a day, for a year, that would add up to more than 32,000 minutes of the esophagus being exposed to elevated acid levels.
Furthermore, the lower esophagus has a much higher chance of being damaged by soft drink consumption than by other non-carbonated beverages. For instance, if you were to drink 8 oz. of a carbonated beverage, your stomach might distend to 16 oz., instead of only distending by 8 oz. when drinking the same amount of water.
The distending that carbonation causes to the stomach results in acid reflux. Recurring acid reflux dramatically increases the risk of developing esophageal cancer, and drinking carbonated beverages increases gastric pressure, which may lead to an increase in reflux.
How exactly does acid reflux and esophageal cancer result from drinking carbonated beverages? The following is a basic breakdown of what occurs:
• The carbonated beverage is ingested
• The carbonation induces a burp - otherwise known as acid reflux
• The burp goes up through the esophagus and carries acid with it
• Over time the carbonation causes mechanical damage to cells causing lesions. Mechanical cell damage increases the risk of cancer.
• Frequent drinking causes a radical increase in the mutation of cells and excessive level of free radicals which can eventually lead to cancer.
Carbonated beverages don't only include soft drinks like cola, root-beer and ginger ale. Any beverage with carbonation can cause acid reflux. Other beverages that contain carbonation include:
• Soda water - regular or flavored water with carbonation
• Beer
• Champagne
• Fruit juice
To find out if a beverage is carbonated, "carbonated water" is usually listed in the ingredients.
If you suffer from frequent acid reflux or GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease), it's a good idea to eliminate carbonated beverages from your diet altogether. However, if you really enjoy drinking carbonated beverages, and aren't ready to go cold turkey, here are some tips for you to keep in mind when it comes to limiting your carbon consumption:
• Take one sip at a time - Don't gulp down your drinks as this encourages burping, making it more likely for the esophagus to become irritated.
• Limit your intake -Treat yourself to one drink once in a while; don't make it apart of your daily diet.
• Buy bottles not cans - If you purchase soft drinks, avoid buying cans and opt for a bottle instead. A bottle will allow you to control the amount you drink without making you feel obligated to finish the whole drink as you would with a can.
But you don't need to suffer from this uncomfortable backing up of stomach acid that manifests as heartburn, regurgitation of stomach liquid and nausea. And you don't need to resign yourself to taking a pill every day for the rest of your life to keep symptoms down.
I know what I'm talking about because my father had a major reflux problem caused by a surgery in which a bile duct was connected to his stomach instead of his intestine. For almost a year, he suffered for GERD that was so severe he threw up several times a day.
But eventually he discovered, quite by chance, that a simple supermarket apple made him feel better. He eventually determined how much apple and what kind of apple was the best to be consumed each day to keep all of his symptoms in check for good.
There are many other things that people with acid reflux can do to eliminate their symptoms. One of the most important things is to try to stop causing irritation and scratching of your esophagus, which will just make your acid problems worse.
Eating smaller meals is often helpful for people who have acid reflux. Some people recommend not drinking during a meal, since the liquid dilutes the acid and makes it easier for the acid to reflux. On the other hand, it's a good idea to drink a glass of water after eating, because it helps cleanse the lower esophageal sphincter, which then closes up tighter, which means less acid will be able to get to your esophagus.
Cutting back coffee, alcohol and carbonated beverages, especially at meal times, are also good natural aids to eliminating acid reflux. It's a good idea to cut back your coffee intake to just one cup a day, because coffee is acidic. If you do continue to drink coffee, drink a glass of water right after to clear away the acid.
One of the most important things you can do if you have GERD and you smoke is to quit smoking. Of course there are all sorts of wonderful reasons to quit smoking, but one that has to do with acid reflux is that smoking actually irritates your throat. What's more, the chemicals in cigarettes cause your lower esophageal sphincter to relax, which allows even more fluid and other unpleasantness into your esophagus. Some people find that even quitting for just a couple of days is a big help for eliminating some of their irritation.
No one remedy works for everyone, but these ideas (plus tons of others in the Reflux Remedy Report) should get you back to feeling like your old self in no time.