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.
If you’re experiencing acid reflux lately, try a new diet that consists of low-acid foods. Avoid spicy or acidic foods and eat your food slowly. If you still get acid reflux, it’s probably time to check in with your doctor. Although your problem may not be serious, it may require medication that your doctor can recommend or prescribe.
High fat foods may be tasty, but that can be troublesome for anyone who suffers from acid reflux. Foods that are high in fat cause the sphincter of the lower portion of the esophagus to become relaxed and increase the time it takes for the stomach to empty. Both of these conditions make it possible for acid reflux to occur. Eat a healthy balanced diet of vegetables, fiber, grains, and lean protein.
Learn your trigger foods. When you know what foods or beverages cause you acid reflux, you can avoid them to keep your symptoms to a minimum. Some foods that often cause symptoms are foods that are fried, fatty, spicy and carbonated drinks. These are just some examples and what bothers someone else, might not bother you.
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.
Keep a journal. If you can track when and what you are doing when you have an acid attack, you might be able to alter your life to eliminate those attacks. Write down what you eat, what you have done that day and if you have had any discomforts. You may be surprised at what you find and how easy it is to eliminate some of your problems.
Wear clothes that are loose-fitting and comfortable. If you wear clothes that are too constricting and tight, they will put added pressure around your abdomen and your lower esophageal sphincter. When your abdomen area is free from any added stress, it can do its job much better and tight fitting clothes do not allow this.
Chew a stick of gum if you feel like your acid reflux issue is not under control at night. A stick of gum can increase the amount of saliva that you have in your mouth, which can help push down the acid that is getting into your esophagus from your stomach.
Skip the antacid. An antacid is fine if you only suffer from acid reflux occasionally, however more frequent sufferers should look for better treatment options. An antacid is only a temporary fix, working to mask the pain. It does nothing to treat the underlying cause of the problem. Using antacids too frequently can even cause your stomach to start producing more acid in response.
If you are overweight or obese and you have acid reflux disease, you should do your best to lose weight. When you are overweight, organs surrounding the stomach could actually push into the stomach, causing too much acid to form. It could even weaken your esophagus, making it more likely for acid to come up.
Sleep at least 8 hours at night to help prevent acid reflux in your life. A good amount of rest during the night can help your body to recuperate from the day and get back to 100%. This will aid in reducing the acid in your body, which is a catalyst for acid reflux.
If there are not enough reasons to quit smoking, here is one more. Quitting smoking will greatly reduce the likelihood of contracting GERD. The digestion process is slowed down by smoking and it also increases production of stomach acid. Smoking reduces the production of saliva which is the body’s defense against stomach acid.
You may find spicy foods to be tasty, but if you have acid reflux disease, you need to stay far away from them. The spiciness causes the stomach to produce too much acid, which of course, triggers acid reflux. If you refuse to give up spicy food, at least limit your intake.
Stick to raw foods instead of processed foods if you want to help speed up your digestive functionality and reduce acid reflux symptoms. Raw foods are healthier and are easier for your stomach to process effectively. This can help you live a healthier lifestyle that is filled with the nutrients that you require.
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!
