Ken DeVault

Knowing the common signs of GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) is your first step to recognizing if you may have a problem. To prevent heartburn and reflux, keep away from certain seasonings, foods, and other risk factors that trigger reflux. Learn key terms related to heartburn and reflux, and maintain a healthy weight and BMI to further reduce your risk.

Digestion is the process of changing food into a form that the body can absorb and use as energy or as the raw materials to repair and build new tissue. Digesting food is a two-part process that's half mechanical, half chemical. Mechanical digestion begins in your mouth as your teeth tear and grind food into small bits and pieces you can swallow without choking.

Heartburn is common. Esophageal cancer isn't. According to the American Cancer Society, less than 1 percent (0.4 percent to 0.5 percent) of the people with Barrett's esophagus progress to esophageal cancer in a given year. The lifetime risk is related to how many years you live with the condition, but most experts say that a Barrett's patient's risk of getting cancer in his or her lifetime is less than 5 percent.

When you're talking about tests, this section is the Big Time for your esophagus. To reach this level of testing, you must exhibit symptoms of GERD which suggest esophageal damage that requires your doctor take a closer look with one or more of the three following tests: A barium swallow, a noninvasive radiological examination of your esophageal liningAn upper GI (gastrointestinal) series, a noninvasive radiological examination of your esophagus, stomach, and small intestineAn esophageal endoscopy, an invasive examination of the esophagus that permits the doctor to take a tissue sample for a biopsyThese tests are listed in order of complexity.

Carrying extra body weight, especially around your middle, raises your risk for heartburn. So how do you know if you’re at risk? A BMI (body mass index) higher than 24 is considered overweight. BMI is a gender-free measurement that relates height to weight. To find out your BMI: BMI = (W/H2) × 705 Translation

To better understand things related to heartburn and reflux, recognize the following key terms that describe treatment, symptoms, and basic information about the two conditions: GERD: Gastroesophageal reflux disease Reflux: Stomach contents that slosh back from the stomach to the esophagus through the LES

GERD is a tricky condition to identify. Its symptoms mimic those of other common medical conditions. The following list represents the primary symptoms of GERD: Bad breath Bad taste in mouth Chronic cough Chronic laryngitis Frequent hoarseness Frequent throat clearing Frequent wheezing

What you eat and drink may raise your risk of heartburn. This list shows you some foods that are more likely to cause reflux and heartburn, so stay away from these: Alcohol beverages Carbonated soft drinks Chocolate Citrus fruits Coffee (regular and decaffeinated) High-fat foods

One way to avoid reflux is to keep away from foods that may trigger it. According to the NBHA (National Heartburn Alliance), the following spices are more likely to cause heartburn than others: Chili powder Cloves Curry powder Garlic, fresh Mint Mustard seed Nutmeg Pepper — black, red (ho