Actually, there is an exception. If someone wants me to buy a book for them as a present, then that is up to them.

If you dont want to buy the book just google diaphram strengthening exercises!

Your Intelligent Immune System was written by the same person. Any more clues needed?

You get a synopsis on the back cover soon and you could stand in a bookshop and read a few paragraphs to see whether the style suits you. Did you read Dickens ?

I too was somewhat disappointed that there was not even a hint of what to do to exercise the diaphragm. I wanted to compare with my own journey re acid reflux/hiatus hernia. After two years of getting sicker and sicker taking the medications prescribed by medics, I resorted to alternative therapy and yoga.
The therapy was a chiropractor - it was fantastic. Intensive three appointments per week at first in December 2013 but since the beginning of 2015 it is now once every three months. Yes I had to pay for it but after 'adjustment' of my abdomen, I was able to wean myself off the powerful drugs I was on within a couple of weeks. The bonus - the general 'adjustment' of my spine also sorted my sore hip and I no longer take pain killers for that. She said my problem was the diaphragm and gave me exercises to strengthen it as it is a muscle afterall. Basically, it is very deep breathing expanding into your abdomen - not your chest.
The yoga - I found a really good teacher. I concentrate on stretches and open twists -NO inversions/head stands/shoulder stands and use Iyengar yoga as a guide. My chiropractor approves.
My GP was at first sceptical but she has acknowledged surprise with the fact that I no longer need the prescribed drugs and yet have hardly ever suffered from acid reflux in the last 18 months.
The chiropractor and the yoga do not provide a cure - it is managing it and it takes discipline. I practice the deep breathing every day. At first I practised yoga every day at home - I have now cut this to every other day
Everyone is different you have to find your own way. If it works - fantastic!!

It is possible I read part of David Copperfield. Why?

Not sure about any reviews in our time....

Didn't you do Dickens at school? Which classics did you read? We had to read "Hard Times" which just about put me off Dickens for life!

There are customer reviews of the Dickens classics on Amazon, I just looked out of interest! Most seem to rate about 4.5...

And of course once upon a time we used to buy books in book shops and Amazon was a S American river!

My memory of schooldays is poor. I would be hard pushed to tell you what I ate for dinner two weeks ago. If ever I had to back up someone's alibi from a few months ago, well I couldnt!!

What classics or other books did I read at school?
Pretty sure it was Mayor of Casterbridge. A poetry book which I cant remember. And Romeo and Juliette.
Other than that, I wouldnt have a clue. Maybe I didnt read any others. I dont know.

I did read Secret Seven, The Faraway Tree or something, and Famous Five for fun.

We have gone a long way from heartburn. But I dont suppose it matters with a blog.
The blogger rarely comes on do they? Or even know that they are on here.

Oh God! This touches a nerve with me! I have had a horrible case of silent reflux since I went down with a virus in the early summer. No heartburn to speak of but a horrible bitter taste permanently in my mouth which the doc tells me is acid re fluxing. I hate it. It takes the enjoyment out of eating. sometimes I could cry with it. The PPI's don't do a lot to help.

I truly wish there was a way to strengthen the diaphragm, but I don't believe there is. I hope it will go away as suddenly as it came. But I really think it is down to ageing and the way the top part of you sinks down onto the lower part.

Is this blogger "our" jess?

Sorry. Have read rest of thread now. It seems the blogger is jessm.

You can spend a fortune on self-help books written by well meaning amateurs. The information is all on the net. Be like me. Spend hours and hours researching it, and get nowhere.

Or buy a book and get nowhere.

Yes, 'this blogger' is.

Take up the saxaphone, jingl. That will strengthen your diaphragm.

Same here with the silent reflux, jingl - horrible, isn't it?

Almost every day I have a hopeful google to see if anyone's come up with a miracle 'cure' but the advice is all so negative, i.e don't eat or drink this that or the other and don't expect it to get better any time soon...

Thank you for that, durhamjen. Not exactly helpful though...

Right-o jd.

Ana sometimes I think we are related.

So what do you do? Take Rennie's? There must be something to nuetralize it is'nt there?

GP put me on acid inhibitors but they made me feel so tired and ill.

I'm taking Gaviscon Advance after meals at the moment which forms a raft on top of the stomach contents to prevent reflux. It's all a bit hit and miss!

You try the saxaphone remedy and if it works, I'll take it up too jingl

I suffer with heartburn nearly all day, definitely every day. I'm sure it's be cause I'm overweight. Whenever I manage to lose a stone (rarely) it disappears.

I used to get a lot until I stopped eating glutin that seems to have cracked it, but I know what you two get a and j is different but it is unpleasant.

I should have thought a blogger with the name "Jessica" was pretty obviously female, so "she" not "they", * soontobe*!