Does the idea of eating a slice of pepperoni pizza give you heartburn? Does going to bed usually mean experiencing acid reflux? Acid reflux is caused by acid going past the sphincter between your stomach and esophagus. Keep reading to find relief.
Your dinner should occur three hours or more prior to your bedtime. By keeping your body upright after eating, your food is digested more easily. However, whenever you laying down, the acid may rise back up into your esophagus. Allow for a couple of hours before you lay down after eating.
You have a lower chance of getting GERD if you are of average weight. When you are overweight, the esophageal sphincter sometimes opens under the pressure of the excess weight. Losing weight prevents the sphincter from opening, thereby confining stomach acid to your stomach.
The way you eat food can cause acid reflux. Lots of people eat too much food, and they eat it really fast. Eating too much or too fast can make your acid reflux symptoms worse. Eat to the point of being full instead of over-satiated. Slow down while you are eating to relieve your troubles. Enjoy your food by chewing carefully, setting your fork down in between each bite.
Stress helps cause your acid reflux. Excessive stress often causes excessive stomach acid, which causes acid reflux. Therefore, you should relax while eating and after each meal. Meditate, do some yoga, go for a walk or read a book.
Stop smoking if you want to get rid of acid reflux. Smoking aggravates acid reflux, and it is possibly the cause. It also slows digestion and increases acid production in the stomach while slowing down the production of saliva. It will weaken your esophagus’ sphincter too. That’s why you need to butt out today.
You should keep track of what you ate before experiencing acid reflux. People who have acid reflux have triggers that make things worse. When you know which foods are hurting you, you can avoid them.
Some trigger foods cause acid reflux. Common foods that cause reflux are chocolate, caffeinated beverages, and fried foods. Sometimes foods that are acidic, such as citrus fruits or tomatoes, can also make things worse. Food triggers vary, so you may be able to consume some of them. To be as careful as possible, just steer clear of all such items.
Exercising after you eat can harm you if you have acid reflux. When your abdominal muscles contract, you can end up having food from inside your stomach reach your esophagus. Wait an hour or more following a meal to exercise.
In some instances, acid reflux attacks can feel like a heart attack. You should not be ignoring chest pains at any time. These could be the signs of a heart attack. Call your doctor at once to determine the cause. Do not take any risks if you believe your health might be at risk.
Place your bed on risers to help with night time acid reflux. Use blocks of wood, bricks or even the raisers made for beds to lift it up. The head of your bed should be six inches above the foot. This will prevent stomach acid from rising during the night.
Raise up your bed’s headboard. Use blocks of wood, bricks or even the raisers made for beds to lift it up. Make sure your head is at least a half foot higher than above the end of the bed. When your torso and head are elevated, it should stop stomach acid from rising during rest.
Don’t wear restrictive clothing. Normal issues include pantyhouse, as well as tight waistbands or snug belts. Wearing this type of clothing will cause some unnecessary pressure on your stomach. It may actually cause reflux to occur. Wear loose clothes and relax.
Steer clear of clothes that are too tight. Belts, pantyhose, waistbands and other restrictive clothing put too much pressure on your stomach. These garments put pressure on the stomach. This can cause significant reflux concerns Put on clothing that feels good and doesn’t press down on your stomach.
Make sure you’re eating your food as slow as you can. Rather than consuming a ton of food at once, simply eat until you feel comfortable. Instead of eating too fast, slow down and chew your food at a more relaxed pace. Eating too fast or when you’re really stuffed can worsen acid reflux symptoms. If you find this difficult, place your fork back on the table between bites.
You should eat more frequently and smaller portions of meals. Eating just one or two big meals daily can make acid reflux worse. An overly full stomach puts too much pressure on the muscle that closes the stomach. As a result, stomach acid is free to move upward and into the esophagus, where it causes heartburn and damage. This is why eating small meals is better for you.
Drink water between meals and drink sparingly during meals. If your stomach has too many contents, constant pressure is caused in your lower esophageal sphincter. When the sphincter is relaxed, stomach acid and food can be released back to the esophagus and cause damage.
If you’re pregnant, your baby could be pressing into your stomach, giving you acid reflux. Talk with your doctor to see how you can alleviate your symptoms.
If you are a pregnant, there is a chance that the weight of the baby is pushing against your stomach and causing your acid reflux to form. Speak to your doctor concerning the best actions to take during your pregnancy.
Slim down and shed your excess weight. Extra weight in your stomach can cause acid reflux to form. It pushes acid up your esophagus. This can end up causing an erosion of your esophageal lining. You need to live a real healthy lifestyle, both in diet and exercise, to lose the weight for real.
Were you aware that the acid content of food is not related to the pH? While a lemon starts off acidic, for example, after digestion they become alkaline. This can really confuse you. Learning about the pH of different foods can make it easier to avoid reflux symptoms.
If you deal with acid reflux stay away from foods that can trigger the problem. Some foods have been shown to be linked to acid reflux. These include fried and fatty foods, mint flavored items, tomatoes, spicy foods, carbonated drinks, onions, garlic, caffeine, and citrus. There are different triggers for each person, so find your trouble spots and stay away from them.
The last meal of each day should be consumed three hours prior to bedtime. For instance, if you are shooting for a 10 P.M. bedtime, eat no later than 7 P.M. When lying down on a full stomach, more pressure is applied to the LES muscle. This will cause acid reflux to occur.
Try to relax. If you eat when stressed, it can lead to acid reflux. When your meal is finished, relax by doing some deep breathing or meditation. Don’t lay down after you’ve eaten. Remain upright.
If you are overweight, try to lose some weight. Being overweight can cause acid reflux. It places unneeded pressure on the stomach, which leads to heartburn. Losing just a little weight can be helpful.
You should exercise on a regular basis if acid reflux is a frequent problem. Going for a walk or doing some water aerobics are excellent ways to help address symptoms. Your body is in an upright position and gravity will help aid digestion and keep your food in your stomach where it belongs.
If you hope to prevent acid reflux after a meal, avoid reclined positions for at least a few hours. The thinking here is that gravity’s your best bet in avoiding acid reflux. How long you have to wait post-meal will vary from meal to meal and person to person.
Drink less during your meal. Drinking while you eat can put additional stress on your stomach. This extra pressure leads to symptoms of acid reflux. Instead only take tiny sips of water during the meal, and save drinking full glasses until between meals.
Don’t eat a lot before bed. Eat at least three hours in advance if you want to sleep. You could wake up with heartburn if you do this.
If you have acid reflux, you know how much eating spaghetti or pizza bothers you. Use sugar in your meals to reduce the acid percentage. Sweeter sauce is not as irritating to people suffering from acid reflux.
Quit smoking. Quitting smoking can help reduce the symptoms of acid reflux. That’s because smoking increases stomach acid production; in addition, it slows your digestion. Finally, smoking can decrease your production of saliva, further slowing down digestion. If you can’t quit smoking, at least avoid smoking for two hours after you eat.
If you are troubled by heartburn when sleeping, you may need to change your sleep style. Get into the habit of sleeping on your left side. This keeps acid in its place.
Try not to drink very much during meals. Liquids add to what your stomach is holding, and could produce more acid. A full stomach puts too much pressure on your esophagus. This muscle helps to keep food from creeping up from your stomach and into your esophagus.
Be very careful with the beverages you drink if you suffer from acid reflux. Soda, other caffeinated drinks and alcohol all contribute to acid reflux. Choose water over all else whenever possible.
Limit the amount of beverages you drink while eating. Do you drink soda all day, or drink 12 cups of coffee each day? While this may not be all the time, you have to limit the liquids during meals to keep acid reflux away.
When experiencing acid reflux, get into loose clothing. You shouldn’t wear tight clothing as it will make acid reflux issues worse due to the pressure it can put on the stomach. Be sure to wear comfortable clothing to avoid acid reflux problems. If you plan to consume a sizable meal, consider donning loose, comfy attire before you sit down to eat.
Watch your intake of alcoholic beverages if you suffer from reflux on a regular basis. Alcohol can eventually deteriorate your esophageal lining. This is more about excess drinking than the occasional drink.
Find out which foods seem to be causing discomfort. There are lists of certain trigger foods for acid reflux, but each person is truly different. Your triggers may be tolerable to others and vice-versa.
After eating, do not lie down or sit still for too long. This will settle the food down into your stomach’s pit and it may raise up to the esophagus and cause reflux. You should move around slowly, or sit upright and relax to allow digestion to occur properly.
Processed foods that are high in sugar often stimulate the over-production of gastric acid, so avoid those whenever possible. Choosing organic fruit or vegetables can help combat this. Consuming probiotic supplements may also help because they provide your body with good bacteria in order to keep your bowel balanced.
Try eating honey. Even though studies haven’t proved that honey directly aids in acid reflux reduction, it can reduce other symptoms that potentially contribute to your acid reflux. You might see some improvement by enjoying this sweet treat. Choose the raw, unpasteurized type.
Avoid laying down or sitting motionless after a meal. This causes the food to rest in the stomach and possibly go up the esophagus, leading to acid reflux. Do the dishes, which is an activity where you are standing and moving.
Avoid wearing a tight belt or tight clothes. This will constrict your midsection and aggravate symptoms. Instead, wear loose clothing to help fight symptoms of acid reflux. If you wear a belt, let it hold your waist loosely.
If you acid reflux at night, try keeping your head elevated when you sleep. If you can adjust your mattress, elevate the head approximately 6 to 8 inches. If you have a traditional mattress, use a wedge under the bed to elevate it. This helps keep your food in your stomach where it belongs.
Now you understand what foods to eat and which foods to eschew. You should understand all necessary adjustments. Living life in a pain-free manner is what you’ve learned with this valuable information. Adjust your life and take joy in what you eat.
