1. Acid Agony
Acid reflux, commonly known as heartburn, can cause excrutiating pain. Some sufferers have described it as being stabbed with a butcher knife. The pain travels from your stomach up to your throat and may even be felt in your back. When the lower esophageal sphincter or LES muscle between your stomach and esophagus opens inadvertently, stomach acid splashes up into your esophagus.
2. Estranged Estrogen
Your estrogen levels and acid reflux may be connected. Estrogen loss begins for most women at menopause. When the average woman passes her fortieth birthday, estrogen levels begin to fluctuate and eventually stop rising. Hormone production levels enter a general decline and gradually become more erratic. Some research suggests that low estrogen levels may cause your stomach to produce more stomach acid, thus increasing the risk and effects of acid reflux.
3. The Case For and Against Prescription Estrogen
Doctors may try to solve the problem of low estrogen/high stomach acids with prescription estrogen. The theory is that raising estrogen levels in menopausal or post-menopausal women balances both the hormones and the gastrointestinal system and returns stomach acid production to normal levels. However, some experience a reverse reaction to synthetic, prescription estrogen. These women they didn't experience acid reflux symptoms until they started taking prescription estrogen. This seems to indicate that the prescription estrogen caused their acid reflux. Research is not conclusive on this issue, and researchers continue to study the link between prescription estrogen and acid reflux.
4. Try Natural Relief
Allowing acid reflux to continue for years may cause damage in your esophagus. Try taking natural estrogen replacement supplements. There are several brands to choose from. You may also try combining natural heartburn relief with your natural estrogen. Some women find that over-the-counter antacids make acid reflux worse instead of better. Magnesium is a great natural alternative for heartburn relief. It's a natural alkaline so it acts just like antacids. Take magnesium in solution for best results.
5. Benefit Twice From Dill
Dill has been cultivated as a kitchen herb for thousands of years. It dates back to the ancient Greeks and Romans. Amazingly, it proves to be both a remedy for estrogen deficiency and an aid for good digestion.
