Acid reflux can help make sure that you never feel comfortable no matter your surroundings. You don’t want to suffer through this day after day. Instead, you want a life that is free of this harmful and painful condition. Keep reading to find out how you can do this for yourself with some simple tips and tricks.
Don’t confuse acid reflux with GERD! The latter can be a very serious indication that you’ve got other problems, whereas most often acid reflux is related to eating and lifestyle. If you’re not sure, see your doctor right away and find out what’s going on with your digestive system right away.
Does your voice crack now and then? If you have a hoarse voice, it could be caused by stomach acid rising into your throat. No, you are not getting a cold. It is acid reflux. Medications, altering your diet and staying upright after you eat could help you get your voice back. If the problem persists, see your doctor.
In order to ameliorate the pain and discomfort of acid reflux, consider breaking your daily food intake into five or so smaller meals instead of three main ones. This helps prevent you from overloading your digestive system at any one time, making acids work more effectively in smaller amounts. You will soon start to notice a real change in your symptoms for the better.
If you have been taking antacids over an extended period of time, chances are you have acid reflux. While it will not hurt you to take tums every now and then, continuing to take them when the problem may be more serious is a mistake. Go see a doctor if you have had symptoms for quite some time.
Limit the amount of liquid you consume with all your meals. Too much liquid can cause the stomach to become much too full, which increases your chances of suffering from acid reflux symptoms. You should only allow yourself to have small sips of water in between your bites of food.
Try to keep yourself elevated when going to bed. Sometimes it could be enough to just add a pillow or two to help you. However, sometimes you may need to have pillows or cushions set up to help you sleep in a sitting position. You might also want to consider sleeping in a recliner on some of your bad days.
Avoid eating fatty foods such as french fries, pizza and other fried foods. Fatty foods relax the stomach muscles allowing acids to rise into the esophagus resulting in increase acid reflux. Instead of fatty foods, opt for lean proteins such as baked chicken breasts along with fruits and vegetables.
Take off the extra weight. Extra weight, particularly around the belly, boosts your chances of having problems with acid reflux. Fat around your midsection puts pressure on your stomach, which causes the reflux. Just dropping a couple of pounds may provide lots of relief.
Consider taking a proton pump inhibitor. Drugs such as omeprazole work to reduce the amount of acid your stomach produces, stopping acid reflux at the source. Make sure you talk to your doctor before starting these types of medicine, even those that can be obtained over-the-counter. You will need to make sure that too much acid in the stomach is the cause of your acid reflux.
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.
There are lots of potential trigger foods that can cause you heartburn and acid reflux. Try to avoid these foods. The usual suspects are fatty fried foods, caffeinated drinks, chocolate, alcohol, citrus juices and fruits, spicy foods, tomatoes and beverages with lots of carbonation. If you just avoid these foods, you will eliminate many symptoms.
Did you know that acid reflux, when untreated, can lead to ulcers? You can have perforations of both the stomach and esophageal lining, leading to intense pain. When your heartburn seems to have kicked up a notch, talk to your doctor to get the right tests done to rule out this complication.
Keep a journal of the foods you eat and how you feel after you eat them. This can help you determine what your particular trigger foods are. If a food bothers your stomach and causes you acid reflux symptoms, you should do your best to avoid this food as much as possible.
Take the advice that has been given to you here, and work towards eliminating acid reflux from your life. It’s not going to happen instantly, but you can be assured that the strategies here will help you. Do not subject yourself to that daily discomfort any longer, and make sure that you follow the advice that has been given to you.
