Re: Image: effect of carbonation on food in a glass

May 16, 2012

Great information notan, yes I use cold COKE in a can, put head back.

got me into Coke many years ago .

Ray CA OC 81

>

> I think the system will create a message to announcement that I added

> this image, but I wanted to tell you more about it.

>

achalasia/photos/album/1307192400/pic/1796934767/v\

iew?

>

> A lot of people with achalasia say that carbonation helps them while for

> others it does not work. It probably works for a number of reasons when

> it does. The image I uploaded is only about one way it may help. That

> way is by breaking up food clogs and floating food particles.

> Carbonation is known in some circles as a lifting agent. That is because

> it has the ability to, in some environments, to lift some things by

> attaching bubbles and floating them. Before lifting it may also break

> apart some things by letting the carbonated solution get absorbed into

> those things and break them up by explosively forming tiny bubbles within.

>

> They say a picture is worth a thousand words. I am not sure that is true

> here but in that spirit I took a couple of photos of food in a glass.

> One with just the food, some chunks of uneaten cabbage and some chewed

> cabbage, and some water. The other is the same glass of food and water

> to which I added some carbonation (7 Up). As you can see in the image,

> (I combined both photos into one), I only used a little carbonation to

> float everything in the glass. I added about 1 inch to 4.5 in the glass

> but because of the zoom out it looks like even less.

>

> It should be noted that the chunks of cabbage always floated even though

> I tried to get them to stay submerged. This may be part of the problem

> with some foods and why they seem to linger more than others. Most of

> the chewed cabbage went right to bottom, though some floated in between

> top and bottom.

>

> Along with the other things carbonation does in the esophagus, I think

> this image shows one way it may help to clear the LES and help the

> esophagus to empty.

>

> There may be a science fair project here if anyone knows a young

> scientist looking for one for the next school year. There is more along

> these lines that could be tested.

>

> notan

>

May 17, 2012

Notan, thank you! Once again. And yet again!

I think back to last June, when, suddenly, I developed a great longing and

*need* (somehow) for Mountain Dew. Achalasia was not in my conscious mind at all

at that point. I'd just lost thirty pounds, but I was dieting, and not at all

unhappy. I'd been seriously regurging for a couple of years, and only in

retrospect can spot the big step up that was happening. That need/obsession was

coupled with an also sudden need for bananas and tomatoes, things I like fine,

but have never been a big consumer of. My body simply took command and insisted

I do what it wished! I think that in addition to the breaking up of the stuff

in the E, it also creates some much needed additional pressure on the LES,

pushing/nudging it a scosh more open, so the newly created slush can slide

through. I think also that Mountain Dew is also the highest carb soft drink

available, as well as extremely high calorie (higher than Ensure, say), and max

caffeine, which is also a LES relaxant.

My own experience is that immediately at the Heller, the need/desire and

toleration for Mountain Dew disappeared! I'd stocked up, and did indeed *work*

my way through that supply, but never replenished it. And the same is true

pretty much for the tomatoes and bananas, though that seems more a function of

20 meq potassium/daily via pill, as my primary care doc and I were working on

that and I finally got back into normal range a week after the Heller.

Love your mind, and your helperness!

xox