Hiatus Hernia

What you need to know:

All the advice given for heartburn is appropriate, as the main symptoms of both conditions are the same. In addition, the following practical steps can make an enormous difference. They don’t cure the hernia, but will allow you to live with it more comfortably - and almost always avoid the need for unpleasant and not always successful surgery.

Eat little and often - five small meals a day
Eat regularly
Don’t eat large meals even at parties or dinners
Raise the head end of your bed by three to four inches - use two bricks; the indentations on each side will stop the bed slipping - to prevent the flow of gastric juices up into the oesophagus
Don’t prop yourself on extra pillows - all you’ll get is a stiff neck
Don’t drink any liquids in the three hours before bedtime
Avoid all carbonated drinks

This is one problem for which, like a number of digestive disorders, it’s worth trying the Hay Diet.

There are several natural remedies, which can help this condition. But this is definitely a case of prevention being better than cure - where possible.
The advice here will bring temporary relief. Smoking and being overweight both make this condition more likely.

The most useful Supplements:

Charcoal tablets or biscuits	As directed on the label
DGL Liquorice	1 to 2 tablets chewed before each meal
Digestive Enzymes	1 to 2 capsules with each meal

Other supplements which might be helpful:

Betaine hydrochloride (if stomach acid deficiency is the cause) - start with one capsule with each meal and increase over several days until a feeling of warmth in the stomach is felt. At this point drop the dose until this feeling stops.

The most useful Herbs:

Centaury	Antacid - use as directed on the label
Dandelion	Antacid - use as directed on the label
Marsh mallow	Antacid - use as directed on the label
Meadowsweet	Soothing - use as directed on the label
Slippery elm	Soothing - use as directed on the label

Other herbs that could help include:

Bogbean, Black Horehound

You can also make a calming tea by mixing one tspn of powdered slippery elm bark with a little water and topping it up with Chamomile tea. Using the following digestive herbs in your cooking will also help:

Caraway
Cardamon
Dill
Fennel
Ginger
Peppermint (or spearmint)

Homoeopathy

Homoeopathic remedies appropriate to this condition include:

Capsicum
Robina
Sulphur

Aromatherapy

You can also use the following essential oils in a lotion or diluted with a carrier oil and rubbed onto the stomach to soothe digestive tract:

Black pepper
Fennel
Ginger
Peppermint
Roman Chamomile

Dietary changes that may be beneficial:

Do not overeat, be kind to your digestive system.

It makes sense to avoid some foods:

Alcohol
Caffeine - in tea, coffee and certain carbonated beverages
Fizzy drinks
Pickles
Raw onion
Sour fruit
Very spicy food - hot curries, chilli etc

As well as using all the good digestive herbs in cooking, always end a meal with a cup of Peppermint tea.

Eat a pot of live yoghurt every day for its gut-friendly bacteria as well as lots of healthy starch foods: potatoes, rice, pasta, sweet potatoes, bananas and bread which are all easy to digest.

Always keep well hydrated by drinking at least 2 litres of water per day. This ensures your stomach has the fluids to produce enough gastric juices for proper digestion.

Heartburn for which there is no obvious reason sometimes responds well to a few weeks on the ‘Food Combining Diet’ or Hay diet.

Other useful advice:

Try to give up smoking if you are a frequent sufferer.
Obesity must be dealt with, because Simply losing a few pounds and avoiding tight, restrictive clothing will make an enormous difference.
Physical activity stimulates the function of the whole digestive system and any activity that tones and stengthens abdominal muscles is an added bonus. Please note that Hiatus hernia sufferers should avoid exercises that involve lots of bending, as this can allow stomach acids to flow through the hernia into the oesophagus.

The following therapies can both stimulate the digestion:

Acupressure
Reflexology

The Helicobacter pylori bug, which, by the way, is now also believed to be the main cause of Stomach ulcers, can also be a reason for heartburn. Taking two tspns of Manuka honey from New Zealand before each meal and before bedtime has been found to kill the bacteria and stop the heartburn if this is the cause.

Back

This information is licensed for use by Wellbeing Information Systems Ltd ("WIS"), and protected by international copyright law. All rights are reserved. (email info@wisinfo.co.uk).
The information provided by WIS is for guidance only. Whilst it is based upon the expert advice of leading professionals, and extensive research, it is not a substitute for diagnosis by a qualified professional. Always consult your doctor, pharmacist or qualified practitioner before making any changes or additions to prescribed medication.