Some form of stress is good as it prompts us to action and helps us to keep pace with the fast-track world. But, when stress becomes uncontrolled, it really begins to take its toll.

If anything and everything that happens in the immediate surrounding builds a tremendous mental pressure and physical strain on you and make you feel like facing a do or die situation, your stress levels are considered to be uncontrolled. Stress would then produce a number of physical and mental discomforts and symptoms like disturbed digestion, rapid heartbeats, frequent urination, tightening of muscles, dryness of mouth, tension, irritability, attention deficiency, loss of sleep and chronic fatigue.

If stress levels are not controlled, cardiovascular complications, diabetes and nervous disorders may develop, which may critically damage your health.

Heartburn Stress - Where We Are Headed

Stress is growing and spreading across all levels of society. Even children are not spared from its evil effects. The Government is fully atune to the situation and has launched recent measures to make the public aware about the short and long term effects of stress and how it is affecting everybody from the individual to the nation’s economy.

According to reports, stress related medical costs are estimated to be more than $300 billion and this figure is spiraling up by the day. The American Institute of Stress reports that this cost includes, “accidents, absenteeism, employee turnover, diminished productivity, direct medical, legal, and insurance costs, workers' compensation awards as well as tort and FELA [Federal Employers’ Liability Act] judgments.”

Stress impacts the digestive system and produces a number of symptoms. Heartburn is one major symptom and surveys show that nearly 52% of heartburn sufferers indicate work-related stress to be the major cause and aggravator.

Stress triggers a series of actions-untimely meals, excessive smoking and drinking, lack of exercise, loss of sleep etc that affect the digestive system adversely. The result is delayed digestion and retention of food bolus in the stomach for longer periods.

As the contents of the stomach under the influence of hydrochloric acid and gastric juices is acidic in nature, retention for longer periods lead to reverse flow of the stomach contents into the food pipe (esophagus) through the Lower Esophageal Sphincter. When this acidic content comes in contact with the esophageal wall, it produces a burning sensation. This is the heartburn we experience and this condition in a complicated form is described as the Gastrointestinal Reflux Disorder (GERD). Long term GERD can cause ulcers in the esophageal wall and other complicated disorders.

Healthy Path

One way of getting relief from heartburn symptoms is to improve digestive functioning by controlling stress. Stress cannot be eliminated in totality. However, it can be controlled. Regular exercise and meditations are two important tools of controlling stress. Exercise activates the body organs to function effectively. It improves food motility in the gut and improves digestion.

Meditations have a soothing effect on the mind and rejuvenate the body. It equips the body to handle stress builders more efficiently. By taking to this dual therapy, it is possible to control stress and do away with the painful symptoms of heartburn and digestive distress.