Acid Reflux: It's Not Always What You Eat

I've struggled with acid reflux off and on in my life. Often, during an episode, whomever I'm with and I try and analyze what could have caused it. Was it the cucumber salad? The diet Coke? The lack of sleep? A combination of things? And so on.

I found this interesting article that talks about some things I had not heard before...and an observation that's surprising...we don't really know the cause of acid reflux sometimes.

This from FoxNews.com:

7 Causes of Acid Reflux: It's Not Always What You Eat

There is a common misconception that if you suffer from acid reflux, you must be eating spicy foods, drinking martinis and smoking cigars on a regular basis.

This is not true, said Dr. Anish Sheth, a gastroenterologist and assistant professor of medicine at Yale University.

In fact, lifestyle factors may account only for occasional heartburn sufferers, he said.

A person who experiences acid reflux on an everyday basis is more likely to have an anatomical or medical condition.

1. Sphincter has low pressure
Acid reflux occurs when the acidic contents of the stomach pass up into the esophagus, and the sphincter muscle (the barrier between the two) has a defect, so it is unable to block the acid.

If the sphincter muscle has low pressure, it causes acid reflux.

“Some people just have a low pressure, and we don’t know why,” Sheth said. “Pregnancy can lower the pressure, as can blood pressure and depression medications. But, most of the time, we don’t know what causes it.”

For patients who suffer from a low-pressure sphincter, there is hope: a minimally invasive surgery known as fundoplication can provide relief.

2. Pregnancy
“Elevated progestin hormones cause the pressure of the sphincter to go down,” Sheth said. “And the increased pressure of the growing uterus predisposes the woman to acid reflux.”

The good news is that once the pregnancy is over, the symptoms of acid reflux are likely to disappear.

3. Hiatal hernia
A hiatal hernia is very common (at least 40 percent of Americans have them) and doesn’t necessarily cause acid reflux, Sheth said.

However, in a subgroup of patients with very severe reflux, a hiatal hernia – where the upper portion of the stomach moves upward into the chest – can cause acid to reflux, Sheth added.

Hiatal hernias can range in size from 1 to 4 centimeters. They can be repaired during fundoplication surgeries.

4. Gastroparesis
This is a disorder in which the stomach takes too long to empty its contents.

“Normally, the acid is produced and emptied into the small intestine, but if it sits in the stomach for longer, by sheer logic, it will come back up into the esophagus,” Sheth said.

5. Obesity
“Even though obesity is a lifestyle issue, it’s also something that can go overstated,” Sheth said.

“Obesity increases the pressure in the stomach area, so for people who don’t have the other medical causes, the sheer presence of obesity will cause them to have acid reflux.”

6. Bisphosphonates
This class of drugs prevents and treats osteoporosis in women and, occasionally, cause acid reflux in users.

“They stand out,” Sheth said. “They don’t necessarily cause reflux, but they can cause esophageal irritation, which can feel like heartburn.”

Sheth added it is always worth a quick review of any medication that you are taking long-term to see if acid reflux is one of its side effects.

7. Lifestyle
People who have heartburn "every now and then" may benefit from making lifestyle changes, Sheth said.

If they decrease their chocolate and/or caffeine intake (or other food or beverages that may irritate their symptoms), lose weight and stop smoking, they are likely to see a reduction in acid reflux symptoms, he said.

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Remember to check out MyConsumerGuide's Health Catalog Page for a list of some great health product resources.

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Michael Phelps, Chocolate Chip Pancakes, and Me

I've been hanging my head a bit about my unstructured eating habits and lack of consistent exercise. You know, a cheeseburger here, a day without a walk there.

But after reading Michael Phelps diet I am encouraged. This guy eats tasty! I thought I would have to eat food of cardboard quality taste for most of my life...turns out I can eat my favorite stuff!

I just have to swim a million laps a day!

This from BBC News:

As US swimming sensation Michael Phelps sets his sights on more gold medal wins at the Beijing Olympics this weekend, the BBC's Michael Hirst examines the part an extraordinary diet has played in the sportsman's remarkable success.

If it is true that you are what you eat, then here is the suggested intake if you want to become history's most successful Olympian:

For breakfast: three fried egg sandwiches, with cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, fried onions and mayonnaise, followed by three chocolate-chip pancakes; a five-egg omelette; three sugar-coated slices of French toast and a bowl of grits (a maize-based porridge), washed down with two cups of coffee.

For lunch: half a kilogramme (one pound) of enriched pasta; two large ham and cheese sandwiches on white bread smothered with mayonnaise, washed down by energy drinks.

For dinner: Another half-kilogramme of pasta, perhaps with a carbonara sauce, followed by a large pizza and more energy drinks.

That combination may not sound very healthy, and at a staggering 10,000 calories, would feed five average men for a day.

But the menu is reportedly all in a training day's eating for champion swimmer Michael Phelps, who won six gold medals in the 2004 Athens Olympics and is aiming for eight this time round...

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I Ate a Breakfast Croissant From Jack in the Box

These days, when I succumb to an urge to go to a drive-thru for fast food, I feel terrible. This morning, Jack in the Box was my destination...and a breakfast croissant was my sin of choice. It was convenient, fast, and "sustained" me for my drive this morning.

What was the damage from that croisant (filled with egg, cheese, ham, and bacon)? Well...Calories 450...Calories from Fat 225


% Daily Value *
Total Fat 25g (38%)
Saturated Fat 9g (45%)
Trans Fat 3.5g
Cholesterol 235mg (78%)
Sodium 860mg (36%)
Potassium 240mg (7%)
Total Carbohydrate 36g (12%)
Dietary Fiber 1g (4%)
Sugars 5g
Protein (0%)

Arrrrgh! Way too much fat! That is not going healthy!

What does TheDailyPlate.com say I need to do to get rid of those bad calories?

Running: 6.7 mph (9 min/mile) for 15 minutes

Swimming: crawl, +y75+ per min (vigorous) for 19 minutes

Accordion: playing for 116 minutes

Well, I'll probably just go for a walk for 1/2 hour tonight. I am doing better as far as staying away from fast food joints. But, this morning I slipped. Meanwhile, anyone know how to get rid of those Jack in the Box cravings? BTW...the coffee was pretty good!

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When a Chocolate Bar is Not the Answer

I had just eaten lunch and was on my way back to work. I wanted to preempt any afternoon tiredness. I thought I might need an energy boost, a kick, a rush. How many of you look for that afternoon pick-me-up?

So, what did I do? I stopped at a liquor store and purchased a Dove Smooth Milk Chocolate bar...oh, and BTW, a Diet Pepsi as well. I know, I know...the prescription for a sleepy afternoon at work these days is to drink a glass of water and take a brisk walk for a few minutes. How boring is that?

While looking for alternatives to my chocolate bar, which by the way contained 110 fat calories, I ran across the following tips on boosting your afternoon energy.

First the author recommends a "high-protein, no-sugar, alertness-improving lunch." Yeah, whatever, will look into that more some other time. But for now, here's the steps....after your particular lunch...alertness-improving or not.

This from Craig Ballantyne, a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist:

Step 1 - Schedule the right tasks for after lunch

If you have the luxury, make sure that you are doing the right mental taks at the right mental time.

If your energy is naturally low after lunch (and not because you ate poorly), then use this time for correspondence (phone calls, emails). If your energy and mental alertness are high, then tackle your major projects after lunch.

Step 2 - Water and Creativity

Boost your creativity with the sound of running water. Another expert chimes in...

"There's research showing the sound of water does increase creativity. I listen to this website on my computer while I work." - Stephen Holt, ACE personal trainer of the year, 2003

Step 3 - Take more breaks from your desk

Day after day I see men and women that have been chained (figuratively, of course!) to their desk for 2, 5, 10, and even 20 years.

With each additional year, their postures worsen, they tighten up more and more, and they lose their mobility. Just look at ourselves, hunched over our keyboards, and clenched forward in our driver's seats. Tight. Tense. Tired.

We need to move.

So get up at regular intervals and move around. Once per hour. 1 minute is all it takes. You'll feel more energized.

And even if you are really getting the afternoon energy slumps, and you're tempted to reach for sugar, caffeine, or both, stop!

Hold off from these energy-suckers, and give some bodyweight exercises a try. A little exercise will get your blood flowing and help you with your concentration. I need this when I'm researching through journals. My favorite, of course, is the Y-squat, but the prisoner squat will also work.

Step 4 - Late Afternoon Nutrition

Keep your mind sharp by snacking on protein, healthy fats, fiber, and anti-oxidant rich berries. Some nuts, a protein shake, some berries, and a cup of Green Tea will keep you racing ahead in the mental marathon, while those that rely on caffeine and sugar will be miles behind due to mental cramping and crashing.

Step 5 - Instant Stress Relief

If you're having one of those days, or just had a bad phone call, or disastrous meeting, then use exercise and breathing exercises to bring calm to your stressed out mind and body. A great exercise to release some tension from the upper back is the "Stick up". Stand against the wall and slide your arms up and down in a "stick-up" motion. 10 reps and you'll be ready to go again.

Step 6 - Dinner

You've made it this far, so continue to stick to the plan. Make your dinner from energy-supporting foods like lean proteins, fiber-rich fruits, and nutrient-rich vegetables.

Step 7 - Quality time

This is what it is all about, isn't it? Spending quality time with your friends and family. Healthy relationships are essential to your health. Don't turn on the TV, it will just fire you up and stress you out, leading to poor sleep. Find a way to relax. Yoga and other forms of meditation might help you. Check them out.

Step 8 - Your workout

I'm mentioning this now only because I know how much variation there is among workout times between y'all.

Some exercise first thing in the AM, some at lunch, others after work, and even others still just before bed after the kids are asleep.

So while there is no best time to workout, you can be sure that there is a best frequency...and that is consistently. No matter when you train, your workouts should leave you healthier, more energized, and more productive.

Step 9 - Sleep

The quality and duration of your sleep tonight is essential to your productivity tomorrow. If you are having problems sleeping, fix them! If it is light, noise, stress, or worries, fix these as soon as possible. If you can't pin down your sleep problems to one factor, then keep a sleep journal just like you keep a training journal. This will help you identify your sleep-stealers.

So, in conclusion, it sounds that not only does better health involve a complete plan, but a productive afternoon as well! If this all sounds overwhelming to you, join the club! When you've led a certain lifestyle for as long as I have it's hard to change. However, my plan is to change!

My week is going pretty good. I just may be on track to lose a couple more pounds. Several of my breakfasts this week included good stuff like oatmeal and protein shakes. The excercise has not been there. Tonight, I need to do something about that.

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ADD: Over at BlogCatalog, my I Ate a Chocolate Bar discussion has led to people talking about Cadbury's Flake...something I never had heard of before. I think it's kind of a girl favorite...from what I'm gathering!

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If I Listen Close

It's been two weeks since I began blogging about getting healthy. During this time my weight has gone up and down, and today it's at 285...two pounds less. I'm grateful for that, but not ecstatic. Knowing my track record over the last several years makes me remember that my lifestyle change will have to be permanent for there to be a difference.

I'm learning more and more that good health is about a total body, mind, and spiritual approach. Nothing should be left out. It's also becoming clear that my emotions are a big aspect of how well I do at the dinner table. It's not been an easy two weeks in this-thing-called-life department either.

A Friend's Prescription: PDEF

Through it all, I know that I am not alone and as a friend prescribed to me for my tough times, it's about devoting my self to a regime of prayer, diet, exercise, and fellowship.

As Billy Graham writes in one of his devotionals, "God is the only source of true happiness...How hard it is for us to believe this, however!"

So, while I pursue my goal of better health, I can not forget that I can always lean on God to show me the way. I believe He's helped me lose that couple pounds by certain promptings throughout this two-week period..."stay away from the extra helping," "cook something healthy at home," "take an evening walk."

If I listen close, I think I hear him say, "Keep up the good work!"

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Food Diary: I Ate Red Vines

Some have scoffed at my I Ate Almonds, I Ate a Breakfast Burrito, and I Ate a Donut blog posts.

They said that it was all about me...and what I ate...and who cares?!

However, this morning I am vindicated. I am bolstered. And I am even more commited to blogging about what I eat.

Yes, I am going to blog about eating a pack of Red Vines today. But first, the reason for my new found conviction. Reuters is reporting today that a study shows that those that keep a food diary just about every day lose about twice as much weight as those who do not.

That's right folks...twice as much weight as those who did not!

Study shows value of food diary in losing weight

WASHINGTON - Keeping a food diary -- a detailed account of what you eat and drink and the calories it packs -- is a powerful tool in helping people lose weight, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday.

The study involving 1,685 middle-aged men and women over six months found those who kept such a diary just about every day lost about twice as much weight as those who did not.

The skinny...

"For those who are working on weight loss, just writing down everything you eat is a pretty powerful technique," Victor Stevens of Kaiser Permanente's Center for Health Research in Portland said in a telephone interview.

"It helps the participants see where the extra calories are coming from, and then develop more specific plans to deal with those situations," said Stevens, who helped lead the study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

The technique also helps hold dieters accountable for what they are eating, Stevens said.

I'm not going to rub into your noses...you scoffers you! After all, two months of my friend telling me I should write down everything I eat didn't sway me to do so. It's only recently that I've attempted to blog and/or write down my intake. I'm far from perfection. Some days I don't journal anything. But now I have no excuse!

Back to the Red Vines. So, the other night, I had a craving for something sweet. I never, hardly ever, crave Red Vines, the Original Red Twists. But I bought a pack and ate it all in no time. I felt bad. I mean emotionally bad. My stomach seemed to fare better.

What was the calorie damage? About 400 calories worth. No worries on the fat grams though...that's a big zero. Total carbs were 72 grams, 48 coming from sugar.

So there...I feel better now. You know why?

I blogged about it!

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TheBigRuski's Marketplace Notes: I'm still waiting on my bottle of MonaVie to arrive. As I've written before, I take 2 ounces in the morning and night. It might not be the "miracle juice," but I tell you what, it works for me. I'm not a big fruit eater and this makes up for it! Find out more about the 19-fruit blend at MonaVie.

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Too Much Cheddar

Coming up on a week of TheBigRuski Goes Healthy and looking back, its been a roller coaster. Yes, I ate almonds for snacks, but it was too many of them. Too much fat...even if it is healthy fat.


I ate a breakfast burrito one morning, cooked it myself and it was pretty healthy. But on another morning I had a breakfast burrito from Rose's Donuts and Cafe, and even though I had them make it with egg whites, there was too much cheddar cheese.

I estimate I ate about a 1/4 cup of cheddar cheese in dat thar burrito. That comes to 266 calories, 22 fat grams, and 70 mg of cholesterol. Too much, too much, too much!

Then there was the Mudd Pie, but it was my birthday...calorie trade off? Not really, unless you also believe that there are no calories if you don't finish it all.

Then, comes 4th of July, and I'm off to the races with Super Nachos from Gringos, and then at a friend's barbecue: a cheeseburger, 1.5 brat sausages, potato salad, guacomole and chips, and a slice of blueberry pie...oh, and 1.5 grape flavored Crush sodas.

So, now we come to the day-after 4th, and I'm doing pretty good. I'm not going to break it down now, but I will say this...I had a shot of wheatgrass and an acai super antioxident from Jamba Juice for a late-morning snack.

Then, getting back to the week in review, there's the exercise. I increased the number of times I walked, and on a couple of occasions went for more than the half-hour duration I had alloted myself. So, although not impressive, the exercise was somewhat consistent and improved.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I rate my week a 6. TheBigRuski went mediocre, but my resolve is strong!

Hope you had a great 4th...and a healthy dose of fun!

It's My Birthday...and I Ate Mudd Pie Last Night!

I like to do everything in excess...apparently.


My birthday is today, but the celebration started last night when a friend I've known for 20-plus years took me out to dinner. It was at a pier restaurant...very romantic spot, but my friend is a dude, so sorry, no stories to tell from that aspect.

So...although I never ordered a main course, this is what I had:

Freshly baked sourdough bread - 3 slices
Butter - 3 tabs
Oysters Rockefeller - 5 oysters with the sauce that includes spinach
Steamed Clams with drawn butter - about 8 small suckers
Mudd Pie - half of a gargantuan piece, that I am going to say was for me about 10 ounces of Mocha ice cream, 2 tablespoons of cream and chocolate syrup, 1 tablespoon of Oreo crust.

I didn't step on the scales today. However, we did walk up and down some hills close to the beach for about 20 minutes.

What's the moral of the story? Don't make every day a birthday celebration day, but don't freak out if you extend your "celebration"....a bit!

Have an awesome day...fill you in on the rest of the birthday eatings later.

P.S. I just realized I probably could have saved a million calories by not putting butter on my bread or pouring drawn butter on my clams.

Burning Off Donut Calories

As we continue in this saga, TheBigRuski Goes Healthy...and eats a donut along the way, we ask: How do we burn off the calories from an old-fashioned chocolate covered donut?

More specifically, how did I? How did I burn off 250 calories.

I did not, as the TheDailyPlate.com "recommends," do steel mill work, removing slag for 11 minutes. Nor did I play music on a guitar, standing for 39 minutes. I was thinking about officiating a basketball game for 17 minutes...but I thought that might interupt the flow of the game if I faked an injury at the 17-minute mark.

Nope, today I walked 30 minutes at a fairly slow pace. I'm nursing a bad back and can not really pound it out without being in some pain. So, that's what I did...walked for 30 minutes slowly.

Did I burn off the donut calories?

Well, not exactly, according to the TheDailyPlate.com, I burned off 130 calories. That's 120 calories short!

Am I going to cry? No. I will just carry on...you should, too!

TheBigRuski's Marketplace Notes: I finished my bottle of MonaVie tonight. I take 2 ounces in the morning and night. It might not be the "miracle juice," but I tell you what, it works for me. I'm not a big fruit eater and this makes up for it! Find out more about the 19-fruit blend at MonaVie.

I Ate Almonds

So, begins my journey to a healthier and less-weight me. Today, I weighed in at 287. I'm 6'3"...and wear it well...BTW!

A few hours ago I ate about 2 ounces of almonds. That's about 340 calories...270 which are fat calories, or 30 grams of fat, or 46% of my recommended daily fat intake.

Wow! Should I be discouraged? No...I'm not going to be. The journey is just getting started!

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Someone say nuts? Get almonds, healthy and delicious, in over 40 varieties at NutsOnline.com.



Want to be a part of my journey? Start out by trying Boca Java!