The condition is notorious for its pain and general discomfort. Luckily, there is plenty you can do to reduce the pain caused by acid reflux. This article can be used to manage acid reflux.
You should consume your last meal of the day more than three hours prior to going to bed. Standing upright keeps stomach acid and food in your stomach where it belongs. If you lie down, your stomach acids can rise into your esophagus. Therefore, to reduce or alleviate acid reflux, be sure to refrain from eating just before sleeping.
Acid reflux symptoms are often worse when eating habits are poor. Many people often eat fast and ingest large quantities of food. Make good nutritional choices and always take the time to eat. Eat until your satisfied, not full. You need to eat slowly at the dinner table. Slowly chew and enjoy your food. After you have taken a couple of bites, put down your eating utensil and rest for a minute.
If you stay at a weight that is healthy you will be unlikely to suffer from GERD. When you are overweight, the esophageal sphincter sometimes opens under the pressure of the excess weight. Losing weight and getting trim can help keep your stomach acid in your stomach, where it belongs.
It is time for you to quit smoking. Smoking makes acid reflux worse, and may actually be a trigger. Tobacco slows down your digestion and increases your stomach acids. It also weakens the muscles of the esophageal sphincter as well. So stop smoking now.
Many pregnant women suffer from acid reflux. The growth of the baby crowds the stomach, which moves acid upwards towards the esophagus. Stick to foods that are low in fat and acid in order to keep the symptoms from popping up. Many women safely use teas during their pregnancies that soothe and heal the stomach and esophagus.
Stress can cause acid reflux. Stress increases the amount of stomach acid and makes acid reflux more likely. Try to engage in relaxing activities following meals. You can watch some television, read a good book or do anything relaxing.
Eliminate hot and spicy foods from your diet. These ingredients stimulate acid production, which cause your problem to become more pronounced. Avoiding these items can get you welcome relief.
Sometimes people that have acid reflux attacks mistakenly believe they are having a cardiac event. Don’t ever ignore chest pains. This may be a heart attack. Seek medical advice as soon as possible. Even if it means an extra trip to urgent care, it is better than risking your life.
Raise the top part of your bed. Use blocks of wood, bricks or even the raisers made for beds to lift it up. The head of the bed needs to be 6-8″ higher than at the foot. When your torso and head are elevated, it should stop stomach acid from rising during rest.
Avoid wearing clothes that are too tight. Tight fitting pants, belts and pantyhose can really make you feel worse. These clothes not only restrict movement, but they put excess pressure your stomach. This pressure can make your acid reflux worse. Try wearing clothes that are comfortable and allow your stomach to breathe.
Opt for physical activities that involve an upright position, such as walking. Doing this can really help to ease your acid reflux in a few different ways. First, by remaining upright, you help your stomach aid in digestion. Walking and other moderate exercise also encourages weight loss, which will greatly improve acid reflux. Although moderate exercise is important, you should not do intense exercise because this can actually worsem, not improve, acid reflux.
Stay upright after eating. When you lay down, your digestive tract can sometimes have difficulty with the food you have consumed. By staying in an upright position, you can avoid the problems associated with acid reflux and continue to feel healthy.
Try to wait until between mealtimes to have drinks. You are putting pressure on the esophagus sphincter if your stomach if stuffed with liquid and food. This means it can relax and allow some acid through.
Don’t allow stress to spiral out of control in any area of your life. Your stomach acid levels will rise when you are feeling the effects of stress. Figure out what is stressing you out and get it out of your life.
Reduce your alcohol intake if you have acid reflux. Alcohol can cause your stomach to produce more acid than needed. Be sure to limit alcohol consumption to two or fewer drinks per day. Choose your drink with care to avoid acid reflux.
Take your time during your meal to prevent acid reflux. Don’t eat too much in one sitting; only eat as much as you want. Relax and eat slowly, while savoring the taste of your food. Eating too fast can cause you to overeat, which will worsen your acid reflux. Put your fork down every time you take a bite to really slow your eating down.
Identify which foods trigger acid reflux. Certain foods can definitely lead to symptoms of acid reflux. Of course, different people have different trigger foods, so if these do not cause problems, you can certainly still have them.
Moderate exercise which keeps you upright can help immensely. There are many ways this type of exercise improves your acid reflux. Your stomach can digest foods better when you remain in an upright position. Also, you are more likely to shed a few excess pounds. Avoid intense exercise, especially anything that might stress the stomach or abominable areas, it can make reflux worse.
Don’t self-diagnose your acid reflux. If you think you might have acid reflux disease, see a doctor and find out for sure. Other, more serious, conditions share the same symptoms. Your doctor can determine whether you have acid reflux by running tests.
If you’re suffering from reflux, watch out for trigger foods. Here are some common acid reflux triggers: carbonated beverages, onions, garlic and other spices, citrus fruits, mint and mint flavoring, caffeine, alcohol, fried and fatty foods. Each person with acid reflux is unique, so it is important to pay attention to what affects you and then go from there.
Drink fewer beverages during your meals. You increase the load your stomach is taking when you fill it with fluids on top of food. This extra pressure leads to symptoms of acid reflux. It is best to consume small sips, never gulping during a meal.
Were you aware that the acid in food really does not affect the pH balance of the food? Foods, such as lemons, are commonly considered to be an acidic food. However, after digestion, they have a high alkalinity. This may cause some confusion where reflux is concerned. Know what the pH levels are of the food you eat.
Do not eat a meal within 3 hours of going to bed. This will allow your stomach to process food efficiently. Heartburn is quite common when the stomach has not had time to properly digest a meal before sleep.
Cinnamon gum is a great remedy for acid reflux sufferers. When you chew gum, salivary glands begin working which helps to neutralize the stomach acid. Chewing your gum also causes you to swallow more. This assists in keeping acid down in the stomach, right where it should be.
Limiting beverages at mealtime can reduce the chance of acid reflux. Drinking liquids with meals works to boost stomach volume. This adds pressure to the esophageal sphincter, raising the danger of reflux. You should drink between two meals instead of during your meals.
Gluten is a major acid reflux trigger. Therefore, if you have acid reflux, you should limit your gluten consumption. Gluten comes from wheat, barley, and rye, so avoid products with any of these ingredients. Millet and quinoa are grains that are well-suited to helping digestion.
If you smoke, stop smoking. Quitting smoking can help your fight against acid reflux among many other health benefits. Smoking increases stomach acid production and slows down digestion. Smoking also decreases the amount of saliva you produce, and you need saliva to help balance out acidity. Begin your smoking cessation program by putting off smoking for a couple of hours after you eat.
If you notice your acid reflux worsening, you may want to speak with a physician about having surgery. Fundoplication has been proven effective; a valve is manufactured that can cut down on how much acid makes its way into the esophagus. This treatment is permanent and may end your suffering.
To prevent acid reflux at night, don’t eat three hours before going to bed. Digestion occurs as soon as you eat. When this occurs, the production of stomach acid starts. If you stay away from eating before going to bed, you lessen the amount of acid in your stomach and that helps avoid acid reflux.
Limiting beverages at mealtime can reduce the chance of acid reflux. Drinking at mealtime increases your stomach volume. This can increase the pressure on the sphincter in your lower esophagus and increase your acid reflux frequency. Consume beverages ether before or after your meal to lessen risk of this problem.
Acid reflux commonly occurs when one drinks beverages with carbonation or caffeine. Acid production is stimulated in the stomach by sodas, coffee and some teas. Caffeine can also irritate your stomach lining. Green tea and other herbals teas are better options.
If acid reflux has become a problem because of pregnancy, try to identify the cause. It could be something as little as drinking water late in the evening. Locating the cause can help you eliminate the problem.
If you have been feeling over-stressed lately, it might be time to eliminate some of it from your life. Do not smoke or drink, and stay away from people who cause you to become upset. When you reduce your stress levels, you will reduce these activities.
Do not consume hot or spicy foods during the course of the day, especially during the evening. Stay away from peppers, jalapenos and Mexican foods. Eating spicy foods can trigger reflux and cause indigestion to make your stomach feel even worse.
You should not wear a tight belt or tight clothing. It is important not to constrict your abdominal area as this will make your symptoms even worse. You should wear only loose clothes so your stomach is not put under too much stress. You can still wear a belt, just leave some room for your stomach to move in and out comfortably after a meal.
Don’t eat large meals just before bed in the evening. Try not to eat anything at least three hours prior to bedtime. Food breaking down in your stomach causes excessive acids, which leads to heartburn if you are in a reclined position.
When you are young, it seems as though your stomach is made of steel. As you have gotten older, your body has probably had some difficulty digesting high-acid and spicy foods. Seek medical advice if you find that antacids are not doing the trick.
It’s crucial that you visit a doctor immediately when you have bloody vomit or stool. This may not be acid reflux, so you need to visit a doctor and get tested immediately. Your symptoms may be highly treatable if you are not suffering from acid reflux.
While antacid tablets can help in the short term, you need to find a longer term solution. You must make the necessary changes to your lifestyle, including your diet, in order to eliminate acid reflux.
Acid reflux can interfere with your life. However, learning how to control acid reflux will give you your life back. Make use of the excellent tips provided above in order to manage your acid reflux.
