What is acid reflux? There are several things that could be responsible for your acid reflux problem. What makes the symptoms of this condition much worse? How do you get rid of these symptoms? Are there answers out there that can help me? This article is the best place to start as it contains a ton of information about acid reflux and how you can make it better.
Acid reflux can be caused by a number of different things, not just the types of food you are eating. Look into your lifestyle too and see if you’re not pushing yourself too hard, under excessive stress or otherwise need to take better care of yourself. Learn to relax, improve your diet and see if that doesn’t help.
Enjoy your food. If you savor each bite, investigating the flavors and truly allowing yourself to taste it, you will chew more and even eat less. Your stomach will realize it’s full when you eat slowly, which allows you to keep your weight in check by eating less and also keep your stomach from overfilling.
Stop smoking now. Smoking makes acid reflux worse. It slows down your digestive process, increases stomach acid, and slows down your saliva production. It weakens the sphincter of the esophagus too. For this reason, you must stop it now.
High fat foods may be tasty, but that can be troublesome for anyone who suffers from acid reflux. Foods that are high in fat cause the sphincter of the lower portion of the esophagus to become relaxed and increase the time it takes for the stomach to empty. Both of these conditions make it possible for acid reflux to occur. Eat a healthy balanced diet of vegetables, fiber, grains, and lean protein.
If you have acid reflux, you can cause yourself big problems if you exercise right after eating. The food in the stomach may be pushed up into the esophagus when the lower muscles in the abdomen contract during exercising. Wait an hour or more following a meal to exercise.
Avoid eating large quantities of food that contain a lot of acid. This may cause you to experience heartburn and other acid reflux symptoms. These foods include grapefruit, vinegar, lemons and tomatoes. If you are going to eat these foods, make sure that you are very mindful of the portion size.
A great way to minimize your acid reflux at night is to eat your largest meal of the day at lunch. You want as much of your food to be digested prior to lying down for the night. Rearrange your eating habits to include a big lunch and very small dinner.
For example, if your problem only occurs after vigorous exercise, the solution may be simple. One way to help is to drink plenty of water. Your body will be more hydrated. This can also help you with your food digestion. You can curb acid production in your stomach by using water to promote healthy digestion.
Avoid wearing clothing that is restricting around your abdomen. Wear your belts loosely and avoid pantyhose that are tight if at all possible. These articles could push on your stomach. This pressure on the abdomen could easily lead to heartburn. You may have to do some sit-ups each day to avoid buying new pants and skirts that fit properly.
You want to avoid foods that contain a high amount of acid in order to reduce acid reflux attacks. Examples of foods that are known to have a high acidic content are grapefruit, tomatoes, and pineapple. If you do have a history of issues after eating these foods, it may be best to avoid eating them late at night, or entirely.
Exercise daily to help reduce acid reflux. These exercises should be low impact exercises such as walking. Gravity is known to help decrease the odds of acid reflux; therefore, go for a walk after eating to lessen the effects of stomach upset and increased stomach acids. Exercising will also help you lose weight which will aid in reducing acid reflux.
Consider taking a proton pump inhibitor. Drugs such as omeprazole work to reduce the amount of acid your stomach produces, stopping acid reflux at the source. Make sure you talk to your doctor before starting these types of medicine, even those that can be obtained over-the-counter. You will need to make sure that too much acid in the stomach is the cause of your acid reflux.
It is known that smoking is bad for your health, but did you also know that smoking can have an affect on acid reflux? When you smoke, more stomach acid is produced, digestion is slowed down, and less saliva is produced. Smoking also causes the sphincter of the esophagus to weaken, making acid reflux occur.
Now you’ve learned what causes your reflux and how to make it better. You have to examine your life to figure out what triggers your acid reflux so you can combat it. With this information, you’ll feel better in no time.
