Is GERD, Reflux or Hiatal Hernia the REAL Problem?

In this episode I discuss how to tell if you have GERD, Reflux or Hiatal Hernia

GERD has become somewhat of a catch all these days- but the real problem may, in fact, be Hiatal Hernia- a condition where your diaphragm becomes strained and the stomach or esophagus becomes kinked or trapped above the diaphragm muscle resulting in things like palpitations, difficulty breathing, and reflux.

If you have Hiatal Hernia, taking drugs for GERD or reflux will not solve the problem and will, over the long term exacerbate your health issues as you will no longer be able to properly digest food in the absence of sufficient stomach acid. Additionally, your mineral stores will become severely depleted as sufficient stomach acid is required to activate and absorb minerals from food. As a result, cavaties and osteopenia and osteoporosis, depression, cardiovascular problems, amongst other degenerative diseases driven by malnutrition may develop in your body.

Even if you have been diagnosed with GERD- you may, in fact,  have Hiatal Hernia instead as doctors aren’t trained to diagnose Hiatal Hernia. Even if they do an endoscopy…

If you have signs of GERD or reflux, first test for acid sensitivity using the HCl test

If you are HCl sensitive- use the Hiatal Hernia assessment and maneuver until you feel a change. Retake the HCl Test. If you are still sensitive- your stomach and esophagus may have been damaged from organic acids and your tissues need to heal. Take the Zypan Test (contact me for this free assessment) and follow the instructions for HCl positive results.

If you are not HCl sensitive- take the ZYPAN Test (contact me for this free assessment) to optimize your digestion.

Additionally, digestive enzymes are generally depleted and your digestion, assimilation of nutrients, and thereby your health will greatly benefit from taking a broad spectrum digestive enzyme like Multizyme from Standard Process (order from me- Orders over $20 shipping is free)

“No one knows for sure what causes GERD. However, we have found that many GERD sufferers have inadequate digestive enzymes (acids) or faulty digestive enzyme production and distribution in their stomach and intestines. For most sufferers, the cause of the problem falls into one or more of four general categories:

•                Poor diet, poor food combining, overeating, and a high refined-carbohydrate-sugar intake.

•                Poor or inadequate digestive enzyme function in the stomach, pancreas, and small intestine.

•                Prescription drugs that contribute to reflux problems.

•                Mechanical problems in the diaphragm like a hiatal hernia or diaphragm strain (as discussed previously).

For numbers one and two, relief is pretty easy. Number three can often be readily solved by working with your MD to get off the offending medication. And even if you have mechanical problems (as in number four), or a combination of problems, relief is most often possible. In most cases, it boils down to whether or not you can break bad habits to solve the problem and prevent serious throat disease. “ – Dr Bruce West, Health Alert Newsletter

Additionally, it is important to consider the likely causes of Hiatal Hernia are structural in nature- just like a string-  if your esophagus or stomach, have any slack in them, you may develop a pouch in the tube, making a Hiatal Hernia much easier to occur.

The Basic 10 Series has, in the past, resolved Hiatal Hernia by doing what it does best- lengthening and organizing the body’s structure along its central, vertical axis. This literally “takes the slack out” of your internal structures like your esophagus, stomach, diaphragm, etc. This also has a whole body benefit by making you more efficient, taller in appearance, pain free, etc.

Many times those who suffer from chronic Hiatal Hernia will need regular weekly or more treatment to relieve the situation. The Basic 10 series eliminates the need for regular care for this issue in most cases.

“Mechanical Problems (Hiatal Hernia)

Nowadays, thousands (perhaps millions) of people are being treated with drugs and even surgery to correct GERD, while no attention is paid to the mechanical or structural causes of the problem. Even those doctors who suggest a nutritional/dietary approach generally ignore mechanical/structural causes. That’s not surprising since probably not one in 1,000 physicians knows how to detect and correct the underlying and mechanical causes of GERD.

Thanks to people like George Goodheart, DC, and in particular the now deceased Richard Van Rumpt, DC, the critical information needed to detect and correct hiatal hernia and mechanical causes of GERD is available. It is usually a chiropractor or kinesiologist or a practitioner of Structural Integration who knows how to perform this service. But you can often detect and treat a GERD problem yourself with the right data.

Upwards of 50% of the general population over age 60 may have the structural weakness likened to a hiatal hernia, when a portion of the stomach or stomach contents are allowed up through the diaphragm into the chest cavity or esophagus (see schematic). The general complaints of this condition are indigestion, heartburn, angina, vomiting, ulcers, left-arm pain, palpitations, difficult breathing, or just plain chronic fullness and bloating.” – Dr Bruce West, Health Alert Newsletter

For the Hiatal Hernia Assessment go to my blog page and scroll down to the bottom.