Acid reflux is one of the most uncomfortable conditions that anyone could have. Acid reflux can be created and exacerbated by many factors, including diet, weight, smoking, and even your clothing. You can learn what causes acid reflux and how to get rid of it with the information in this article.
Acid reflux is often aggravated by certain eating habits. Most people eat too much, too quickly. This isn’t the best approach for acid reflux sufferers. Eat only to the point where your body is feeling full, rather than over satiated. Slow down your meal eating too. Chew carefully and set down your fork between bites.
If you are experiencing acid reflux issues and you do not have an antacid on hand, you can use baking soda to alleviate the problem. One spoon of baking soda mixed with a cup of water is a simple and inexpensive antacid. You will start to feel relief within a few minutes of taking it.
Stay upright after eating. It can be quite helpful if you stay sitting or standing for at least two to three hours after you eat a meal. This will give your food time to digest and help keep your acid reflux symptoms down to a minimum. If you must lie down, do your best to elevate your body above your waist.
Learn your trigger foods. When you know what foods or beverages cause you acid reflux, you can avoid them to keep your symptoms to a minimum. Some foods that often cause symptoms are foods that are fried, fatty, spicy and carbonated drinks. These are just some examples and what bothers someone else, might not bother you.
Don’t just treat the symptoms of acid reflux with antacids. This does nothing to help reverse the damage caused to the esophagus caused by acid. You’ll need to make lifestyle changes that prevent acid reflux from occurring to allow the esophagus to heal itself and prevent serious problems in the future.
Limit the amount of liquid you consume with all your meals. Too much liquid can cause the stomach to become much too full, which increases your chances of suffering from acid reflux symptoms. You should only allow yourself to have small sips of water in between your bites of food.
Limit the amount of drinks you have when you eat. Beverages can add volume to the food that you digest and increase how distended your stomach is. Having a full stomach puts some pressure on your LES or lower esophageal sphincter, which is responsible for keeping food from getting back into the esophagus. This increases your chances for having reflux. To lower chances, take small sips when eating and try drinking your beverages between meals instead of during meals.
Losing some weight can help with your acid reflux. Being overweight can contribute to heartburn. The extra pounds can cause excess pressure on the stomach making the LES or lower esophageal sphincter relax causing backflow. Extra body fat can also release some chemicals that interfere with normal digestion. Losing a few pounds can relieve many of these symptoms and keep heartburn to a minimum.
What you drink could play a major role in whether you have acid reflux symptoms or not. Carbonated beverages, such as soda, increase stomach acid production, thus, increasing acid that comes up through the esophagus. Caffeinated beverages also have the same effect. Try to stay away from these drinks and stick to water.
Take the time to relax. Don’t eat when you’re upset or you will increase your acid build-up. Truly relaxing after a meal using deep breathing exercises or meditation can help cut down on acid reflux. Do not lay down right after you eat, stay upright.
Try to eat slowly. Eating too fast will cause acid reflux to strike. If you find that you have trouble with this, make an effort to take a bite and then put your utensil down. This will ensure that you don’t put too much food in your mouth at any given time.
There are lots of potential trigger foods that can cause you heartburn and acid reflux. Try to avoid these foods. The usual suspects are fatty fried foods, caffeinated drinks, chocolate, alcohol, citrus juices and fruits, spicy foods, tomatoes and beverages with lots of carbonation. If you just avoid these foods, you will eliminate many symptoms.
Try eating your last meal at least three hours before going to bed. For instance, if you hit the sack at 11, you should be eating your last meal before 8. Do this because if you lie down with your stomach filled with food it puts added pressure on the LES muscle. If it isn’t, your symptoms of acid reflux may flare up.
The discomfort associated with acid reflux can be worrying. What makes acid reflux worse is that it can be triggered by things in your everyday life, including things you enjoy. You don’t want to have to live with acid reflux. Use the contents of this article and give acid reflux the boot.
