I've written a little about Reflux but wanted to elaborate further because having struggled with it myself for many years, it's important a little more about it. It's easy to brush it off as nothing but it's actually quite dangerous if left untreated.

Reflux

Reflux isn't something you're always aware of, until you have it and then you're not always sure what it means. For the majority of us, reflux becomes part of our lifestyle through bad diets. When certain foods and stomach acid leak upwards into the oesophagus from the stomach, causing an irritation to the soft lining of the oesophagus that is reflux.

Beverages and reflux

The beverages we drink can also contribute to reflux including coffee, cola, beer, liquor, wine and certain teas. Coffee can irritate reflux by stimulating excessive acid secretion. It is the stomach's job to secrete acid, which is then used to break down food particles before absorption into the small intestine.

Consuming too much coffee means the fluid will mix with the gastric acid bringing that back into the Oesophagus. The problem is that because Reflux is an acid it can irritate the Oesophagus lining that can cause long term complications such as cancer of the Oesophagus.

In many cases reflux is avoidable

The sad reality is that the condition is avoidable, as long as we choose a healthier diet and lifestyle. Acidic foods are also triggers and those include chocolate, spicy foods, citrus fruits, high fat foods, raw onions, tomatoes, garlic, orange juice, peppermint and sugar.