Acid reflux results in one of the worst feelings you can have. The discomfort and pain that acid reflux sometimes provide can make some feel like they are going insane. When this condition is your own, you should know many others are in the same boat. You can stop it, and these tips will tell you how.
Fatty foods no more! Fried chicken, pizza, chicken wings and potato chips are the enemy of the GERD sufferer. These foods cause your sphincter to relax, allowing the contents of your stomach, acid and all, to rise back up into your esophagus. Go for meals full of vegetables and lean protein instead.
When you find you have acid reflux overnight, raise the head of your bed up at least six inches. This will keep your esophagus angled downwards, ensuring that acid stays in your stomach and doesn’t try to creep back up towards your throat. If six inches doesn’t help, try eight instead.
If you have been having any acid reflux symptoms over an extended period of time, make sure that you go in to be seen by a doctor. You may think that this condition is not that serious, but if it is not treated it can lead to more serious health issues, including ulcers and gastritis.
We truly are what we eat. If we eat high-fat foods, we will become obese and be at risk for acid reflux. It is important that we instead focus on low-acid foods, which are lean and healthy. Choose vegetables and whole-grain carbohydrates along with lean protein for your meals to curb your suffering.
Contracting the abdominal muscles can make food that is in your stomach to make its way back into the esophagus. This is why you need to wait until at least one hour after eating before you attempt to do any physical exercise. You should also avoid any other types of physical exertion directly after meals.
Chew cinnamon gum after meals. Your salivary glands make more saliva when you chew. Saliva is formulated to help balance the mix of acid in your stomach. Chewing gum also helps people to chew more, and this will help to flush away any acid in your esophagus. You may use fruit flavored gum if you prefer that. Mint gums can exacerbate the problem.
Acid reflux is so painful that it can sometimes be mistaken for a heart attack. Be sure to attend to chest pain right away. They can be a sign of heart failure. Call for medical assistance, right away. Misdiagnosis would be horrible, and you don’t want any serious health issues.
Smaller portion sizes will help you control your acid reflux. If you eat a little less at each meal, you shouldn’t have as much trouble with heartburn. You could also try eating five or six small meals, instead of three large meals each day if you want to make a difference.
Make a plan to lose weight if you are above your ideal weight. Acid reflux can be exacerbated by the body carrying excess weight. It can lead to stomach acid backing up to the esophagus. The acid causes pain and can eventually damage the lining of your esophagus. Diet and exercise will help alleviate your symptoms in addition to helping you lose weight.
Beans are a food that can worsen acid reflux disease. Stomach acids form due to foods that are rough on the stomach and beans fall into this category. This tends to go for all kinds of beans, so as healthy as they may be, you may need to totally cut them out of your diet.
The foods you eat play a big role in acid reflux. Discover which foods trigger your symptoms and do your best to avoid these foods. There are main culprits, but what bothers one person will not always bother another. Write down the foods you eat and your body’s response to help you figure out what your trigger foods are.
If you enjoy vigorous exercise, try to avoid participating in activities immediately after a meal. While some exercise is essential to avoid acid reflux problems, vigorous exercise can upset your digestive system and bring about reflux. Try to space your meals and exercise at least forty five minutes apart, or enjoy less intense exercise immediately following a meal.
Knowing the symptoms of acid reflux is the most important knowledge to have. If you find you have chest pain combined with discomfort after eating, burping, nausea, sore throat, bitter taste in your mouth and/or a chronic cough, you likely have acid reflux. Talk to your doctor for a true diagnosis.
You shouldn’t regard acid reflux as an inconsequential problem. The pain can be debilitating and will only get worse if the condition goes untreated. No excuses; you know what to do. Take what you’ve learned here and don’t let acid reflux take its toll on your body anymore.
