Nobody is immune to acid reflux. About a third of the US population suffers from it. Although acid reflux affects so many people, you may not know how to deal with it. The below article provides excellent advice on how to combat your acid reflux.
The most significant factor attributed with acid reflux is being overweight. Those who are obese are two times more likely to have GERD than someone who is at a healthy weight. The pressure on your stomach of all the extra pounds can cause the esophageal sphincter to relax, allowing acid to give you trouble.
Skinny jeans are the enemy of the acid reflux sufferer! Wearing tight clothes can block up your digestive system, causing you a great deal of pain when acid begins to back up. Go for elastic waistbands until you have your acid reflux under control, then you can consider getting back into your tight fitting pants.
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.
Do you suffer from respiratory problems? Do you have a chronic couch or wheeze often? If so, it could be an acid reflux problem. Heartburn could cause these symptoms. Your doctor might suggest a pH test. This procedure is done on an outpatient basis over the course of 24 hours and can determine if reflux is a problem.
If you have been experiencing symptoms of acid reflux, try to cut down on the amount of alcohol you drink. Having some drinks tends to relax the muscles in the stomach. When this happens, people start to experience worsening of these symptoms. If you must have a drink, make sure to limit yourself to one or two drinks.
If you often have acid reflux, avoid drinking during your meals. A glass of water will add to the volume of food in your stomach and make digestion harder. You should wait until you are done digesting to drink and avoid drinking just before having a meal or a snack.
Try to create separation between your workout regimen and the meals that you eat during the day. It is important to give your body this rest so that it can rehabilitate from your intense session of working out. This time will give your stomach the opportunity to become strong so that it can break down your food efficiently.
If you smoke, you need to quit. Obviously, there are many reasons why you should quit, but if you suffer from acid reflux, this is yet another reason. Smoking slows down your digestion and reduces your saliva production, which worsens acid reflux symptoms. In addition, smoking harms your LES muscle, further worsening your acid reflux. Quitting this terrible habit can significantly improve your acid reflux, not to mention all the other benefits.
You may wish to give up spicy foods, as they may be a large factor in your acid reflux attacks. Start first by completely avoiding spicy foods altogether and see if this helps. If it does, then slowly start working spicy foods back into your diet in order to find what your tolerance level is.
Stick to raw foods instead of processed foods if you want to help speed up your digestive functionality and reduce acid reflux symptoms. Raw foods are healthier and are easier for your stomach to process effectively. This can help you live a healthier lifestyle that is filled with the nutrients that you require.
Make exercise a part of your healthy eating plan. Moderate exercise can facilitate the process involved in digesting your food properly, and it can also help you to lose excess pounds. Both of these things can have a positive effect on acid reflux problems. Make a point to work out at a moderate level at least three times a week for best results.
Get medium-level exercise into your daily routine. Exercises such as walking for two miles can really help your digestion. As an added benefit, it can also help you lose weight which can again help your acid reflux issues. It’s a win on both ways! Steer clear of high-level exercise though, as it can actually cause your acid reflux to spike.
Don’t drink when eating if acid reflux is a concern. Liquid consumed with your meal with increase the volume of your stomach’s contents. That causes pressure on your esophageal sphincter which in turn leads to acid leaking upwards. Drink beverages between meals instead of during them to avoid this.
In conclusion, millions of people suffer from acid reflux each day. If this condition affects you, don’t just deal with it; fight back! Use the tips mentioned above and you are sure to live a pain free life.
