When acid reflux is the diagnosis, your world may swirl around you. What can you do to make it go away? What treatments are there available for it? Are there natural ways of controlling its symptoms? This article details many tips and tricks to help you stop suffering from this condition.
Try drinking in between meals instead of during them. Doing so allows you to cope with pangs of hunger by sating your thirst. Your stomach won’t become distended if you drink between meals.
Sometimes reflux symptoms are so painful you may feel like you are experiencing a heart attack. If you are suffering from serious chest pain, don’t ignore it. This may be a heart attack. Get in touch with your physician and follow his or her instructions. Do not take any risks if you believe your health might be at risk.
Acid reflux can be caused by eating large meals too quickly. If at all possible, try to break your meals down into smaller portions throughout the day. If that isn’t possible, take the time to eat your food slowly. This will make it easier to tell when you’re full, and prevent acid reflux caused by overeating.
Watch out for foods that trigger your acid reflux. For most people, these include fried and fatty foods, caffeinated and/or carbonated beverages, citrus juices, spicy foods, etc. There may be other foods and drinks that cause your acid reflux, so just be mindful of what you are eating. If you notice that a particular food or drink is worsening your acid reflux, stop consuming it.
Speak to a doctor if you feel like your acid reflux is not improving from the antacids that you are taking on a daily basis. Sometimes, you may need a serious form of medication that you doctor can prescribe, which can improve your symptoms. A professional’s diagnosis may be the solution to your acid reflux issues.
Reduce the amount of fat that is in your diet to help your acid reflux symptoms. Try to stay away from fried foods, fatty steaks, greasy pizzas, etc. These can relax your LES, slow down your stomach emptying and cause reflux. Try eating lean protein like seafood, beans, lean red meat and skinless poultry, along with whole grains and fiber-rich produce.
Learning the pH levels of food can help you treat your acid reflux. Foods you might think are acidic could be more alkaline after you digest them. This can cause issues if you are dealing with acid reflux. Therefore, you need to be aware of your food’s pH.
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.
Chew gum after your meals. Believe it or not, chewing gum can help alleviate acid reflux because it encourages saliva production. Saliva helps eliminate stomach acid. In addition, you will likely swallow more often, which further helps clear acid. Aim to chew cinnamon or fruit-flavored gum rather than mint because mint could worsen your acid reflux.
Avoid foods that trigger acid reflux. These include alcohol, caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea and soda, fatty foods, spicy foods and acidic foods such as tomatoes. When you are suffering from acid reflux, eat a variety of fruits and vegetables, lean proteins such as broiled fish and chicken and enriched grains.
If you suffer from acid reflux, try to wear loose fitting clothes. An article of clothing like a tight belt or restrictive pantyhose will apply pressure to your stomach. This makes heartburn much more likely. Take a close look at your wardrobe and see what you need to change.
If acid reflux has bothered you before, you know the difficulty of eating pizza and foods like it. When a tomato sauce is involved, consider adding some sugar to cut the acid. This may make the sauce a little sweet, but it will be easier to eat.
You should never be inactive after eating. You can facilitate your digestion by getting some exercise, for instance, by going for a short walk. You should avoid exercising too intensely until you are completely done digesting your food, but you will definitely notice a difference if you are moderately active.
Limit your intake of spicy foods, particularly later in the day. Mexican food is one to avoid, as it contains a lot of acid reflux causing ingredients. Spicy foods not only trigger acid reflux, they can also cause indigestion and dry skin, making you even more uncomfortable.
If you dedicate yourself to making the changes listed in this article, you should be ready to stop suffering from acid reflux. It is important that you take them one at a time, implementing the change and cementing it into your lifestyle. Once you do, there will be no looking back!
