good information..... wish I had it when I was younger. I had to undergo a surgery called a laproscopic nissen fundleplication...... It is basically where they go in and tie the top of the stomach together around the esophagus because the valve there has become too weak. For days all I could eat was mashed potatos or soup. So take heed and read this post and take care of your body. It is no picnic to have one of these surgeries or the other procedures related to it.