Each time I ingest food, I am plagued afterward by a burning sensation, as if a fiery creature has burst through my stomach, clawed up my esophagus, and into my throat. I wince in pain and massage my chest as bile enters my mouth. I have what is called Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), a chronic condition that impacts my lifestyle choices more significantly than one would think.

For those of you who are unsure, acid reflux occurs when contents in the stomach back up into the esophagus midway through digestion. The pain is caused when the stomach acid hits the esophageal lining, which does not have the protection from acidity that the stomach does. This would explain the searing discomfort I feel when I awake in the middle of the night to unbearable pain and half-digested food in my throat. If not controlled, chronic heartburn can erode the esophageal lining completely, and even cause cancer.

The surprising truth is that GERD is becoming increasingly common in younger demographics. Some researchers blame this fact on the degrading quality of the North American diet. Others look at environmental factors, such as air quality and pollution.

But what saddens me is that many people who don’t have GERD tend to view my condition as petty and insignificant. When compared with fatal diseases, I’ve had people scoff at my condition for being easy to maintain or avoid. Most doctors I’ve seen simply say, “Avoid brown drinks and take a Tums before you go to bed. Your heartburn will clear up soon.” The reality is that GERD has tormented me for nearly a decade, and has caused me to significantly alter my lifestyle — the foods I eat, the positions in which I sleep, even my clothing choices.

GERD is becoming increasingly common in younger demographics.

A few years ago, though, I came to find a silver lining in my condition. I once told a friend in annoyance that to control my reflux I’d have to eat foods without spices, fruit and vegetables without preservatives, lean meat, no sugar, and drink lots of water, all while maintaining portion-control and refraining from food a few hours before bedtime. To which he replied, “That’s kind of a nice disease to have!”

I then realized I’d essentially outlined a healthy diet plan, one that would make Jenny Craig nod her head and smile. I further realized that my GERD had provided me with an opportunity that not many people have — an opportunity to, perhaps, eat in a way that would save me from not only acid reflux, but from a plethora of other health-related problems.

After finally seeing a physician who recognized the longevity of my condition and strongly affirmed this proper heartburn-free diet, I’ve been trying the best I can to live a healthy lifestyle. After all, if I don’t, it hurts!

Of course, there are times when I shamelessly pop a Tums and inhale a cheeseburger, and while I’ve cut back significantly on my coffee intake, giving it up entirely is out of the question! But indulgence once in a while is mostly pain-free, and I’m certainly fine with that.

All in all, I think it’s important to recognize the problems we may have, and to think of the benefits that could arise from these. Life is easier when we take our disadvantages and turn them into something that could benefit us, no matter how difficult these advantages may be to find. While eating has not been all that kind to me, I feel somewhat privileged to have a stomach that literally tells me when something is not good for me. Here’s to being my own personal nutritionist!

A recent online video game entitled “Main Street Massacre” has sparked a furious commotion from Vancouver’s public transit system, Translink, over the last couple of weeks. The violent game, which depicts an angry construction worker as he guns down pedestrians at a station labelled Main Street, has had Translink’s lawyers on the prowl, and the media clawing at any information they can get their hands on.

But amidst the accusations that the game will provoke violence at Skytrain stations, and that it infringes on Translink’s intellectual property, what the public seems to overlook is that the game is, first and foremost, an item of artistic expression.

Colin Palmer, the game’s creator, remains rooted in his intentions, telling CBC that “it’s a work of art,” a “political statement,” and that it was designed to be “provocative.” I have no trouble in seeing this game as exactly that.

In light of the game’s media coverage, many Skytrain-goers have expressed anxiety over their safety while taking public transit. The Province recently interviewed commuters on the subject, many of which claimed the game is “too close to home” and will incite violence in Vancouver’s public spaces. Palmer, however, quickly removed Translink’s logo from the game to cut its ties with Vancouver, and to avoid clash with copyright law.

The game’s setting resembles just about any other subway station there is; players shouldn’t give the setting a second thought and should only see the game as a general protest of public transit. If the public feels that its safety is threatened, this is due to the media’s over-saturation of the story as a ‘game that promotes violence at Skytrain stations,’ and not the actual game itself.

Palmer’s game is a provocative and reasonable statement on public transit.

It’s an artistic piece — Palmer felt the need to be creative in expressing his frustrations. He mirrors his video game’s character, as they are both construction workers, managing stressful jobs that have them under physical and mental strain throughout the day. To have public transit break down after this busy workday only adds to Palmer’s (and his character’s) stress.

Main Street Massacre allowed Palmer to release his frustrations in a safe and harmless manner, while also making a political statement about the quality of public transit. If anything, the game should act as a jolt of realization for Translink to clean up its act and to start brainstorming strategies that will make its transit system run smoothly.

What also bothers me about this situation is that the hype surrounding the game seems to have arisen, at least in part, from the type of medium in which this form of expression is presented. If the same narrative were told on a poster, or through a song, would the news still buzz with excitement on the issue? Would Translink be as furious as it is now? Would lawyers be as adamant to remove it from the internet?

Thankfully, I am not one to see an issue with Main Street Massacre. With the countless other violent video games plaguing the internet, I do not feel my safety is any more at risk than it normally would be while taking the Skytrain. Palmer’s game is a provocative and reasonable statement on public transit, and is expressed with creativity. It’s a move that more people should really take the time to consider.