Stress is an inevitable part of our
lives. However, excessive stress can make you more
prone to certain types of physical disorders
including acid reflux. Though conventional
medicine pays slightly less attention to stress as
a cause of acid reflux, alternative medicine,
including the holistic approach to treatment
admits that stress plays a role in increasing your
vulnerability to acid reflux. Therefore, you
should take steps to reduce stress
to control acid
reflux.
Read
more about acid reflux causes
Stress and acid reflux:
Stress is not a bad thing in itself.
Stress can actually be good for you. However, when
stress crosses the limit, it can take a toll on
not just your mental health, but also your
physical health. Stress has been known to cause
headaches, ulcers, and backaches and in the long
run deadly diseases like high blood pressure. Many
theories have been put up to explain the
relationship between diseases and stress.
According to some theories, stress reduces the
strength of the immune system and thereby makes us
susceptible to diseases.
Some theories also suggest that stress
can elevate the intensity of the symptoms of
diseases. The same is also the case with acid
reflux. Stress can increase the intensity of acid
reflux in more ways than one. Firstly, stress can
affect the digestion process, thereby making a
person having acid reflux vulnerable to many
symptoms. Secondly, stress can also make some
unfavourable changes in the lifestyle of the
person, which in turn can trigger acid reflux. For
example, a person suffering from stress finds it
difficult to sleep at night. A smoker under stress
can smoke more, and an alcoholic person can use
alcohol to escape from stress. Similarly, stress
can also lead to binge eating, restlessness and a
desire to avoid all types of physical activity.
These factors, as many know, are associated with
acid reflux. Therefore, bedsides medication, you
also need to find ways to reduce stress to control
acid reflux.
Acid reflux, in turn, can also lead to
stress! And the two then form a vicious circle.
Night-time reflux can lead to disturbed sleep
which can cause sleep-related stress to the person
affected.
Reducing stress:
In order to reduce stress to control
acid reflux, you will have to go back deeper to
the cause of stress. Work related stress is the
most common and can be chronic. However, certain
other conditions like lifestyle changes and major
catastrophes can also lead to acute stress. Both acute
and chronic forms of stress can be controlled by
seeking the help of a counsellor or a
psychiatrist. Along with expert help, you can also
control stress on your own by engaging yourself in
your favourite activities, engaging in regular
physical exercise and a lot more. Keep stress at
bay by doing the following:
·
Eating healthy
·
Exercising
·
Organising your
work
·
Taking care of your
relationships
·
Being assertive
·
Abhorring laziness,
and
·
Incorporating discipline in all areas
of life
Yoga, music, other forms of art,
sports, and occasional hang-outs with
friends/families are known to be great
stress-busters. But in the end, it’s up to you to
decide what works best to relieve your
stress.
Using the holistic approach:
Many people experiencing acid reflux
turn towards the holistic approach with the hope
to ward off the disease for good. Holistic
approach is extremely effective as it can help you
not only to unravel the pattern of your acid
reflux, but also to understand the link between
acid reflux and stress. It is natural, free from
side-effects, and is in harmony with the natural
functioning of the body, making it the best option
around.