If you suffer from acid reflux, you are one in literally tens of millions in this country. Acid reflux affect most adults at one point or another. Instead of just suffering through the pain, take the steps necessary to prevent these symptoms from occurring in the first place. The article below will show you how.

Stay away from acidic foods. They can both cause and exacerbate acid reflux. While this is by no means a comprehensive list, try to avoid oranges, tomatoes, grapefruit and vinegar. If you can’t cut them out of your diet completely, at least try to avoid eating them in the evenings, so acid reflux doesn’t strike when it is time for bed.

After you take a bite or two, put down your fork. This ensures you are chewing fully and truly slowing down while you eat. Consider what this bite tastes like, and what was different than the last bite. Enjoy the texture of the food both when it first enters your mouth, and once you are done chewing.

When you are done eating a meal, prevent acid reflux by chewing on some gum. More saliva is produced when you chew some gum. The more saliva that is produced during digestion, the less acid is produced, in turn, preventing acid reflux from occurring. Ideally, you should chew on sugar-free gum.

Stop smoking if you are trying to rid yourself of issues with acid reflux. Many people do not know this, but smoking causes the muscles in the esophagus to relax. This can create some of the symptoms associated with acid reflux, so quit if you are trying to make things better.

Try eating your meals slower. Due to the extremely fast-paced world we live in, we tend to always be in a hurry. This carries over to our eating, causing us to eat way too fast. This increases the odds that we will overeat, which can cause acid reflux. Instead, take your time while eating. Thoroughly chew your food, and put down your fork after every few bites. Stop eating once you feel comfortable, not stuffed.

Slippery elm, an herbal supplement, is believed to thicken the stomach’s mucous lining and limit erosion from acid reflux. The acid in your stomach will stay where it belongs with this supplement. To obtain the maximum relief, many people mix one or two tablespoons of slippery elm into their glass of water right before bed.

There are certain foods that trigger acid reflux. Therefore, it’s in your best interest to avoid these if possible. One example is chocolate. While dark chocolate doesn’t appear to be as bad as high-fat milk chocolate, they both contain caffeine and cocoa, which are both known to cause acid reflux.

Avoid wearing clothing that is restricting around your abdomen. Wear your belts loosely and avoid pantyhose that are tight if at all possible. These articles could push on your stomach. This pressure on the abdomen could easily lead to heartburn. You may have to do some sit-ups each day to avoid buying new pants and skirts that fit properly.

If you are overweight, try shedding some pounds. Being overweight can increase the severity of your acid reflux. This occurs because excess body fat can increase the pressure in your stomach and cause your lower esophageal sphincter muscle to relax, which causes food to come up. Lose weight and watch your acid reflux improve.

Try moderate exercise that keeps you upright, such as walking. Exercise like this can help lessen the acid reflux effects, for a variety of reasons. First, staying upright helps your stomach digest food more easily. It also contributes to weight loss, which helps to prevent reflux. You should definitely get moderate exercise in, but intense exercise might actually worsen your condition.

Eat small meals frequently, instead of indulging in larger ones. Eating fewer, larger meals can contribute to your acid reflux symptoms. A very full stomach increases pressure on your esophageal sphincter, which causes it to relax. This gives stomach acid a way to enter the esophagus, and this causes heartburn. Consider eating smaller meals more often, over the course of the day.

Drink less alcohol if you are dealing with acid reflux. Alcohol can cause your stomach to produce more acid than needed. If you insist on drinking alcohol, try to only drink one or two glasses and find a wine or alcohol that does not increase your acid reflux symptoms.

Try to create separation between your workout regimen and the meals that you eat during the day. It is important to give your body this rest so that it can rehabilitate from your intense session of working out. This time will give your stomach the opportunity to become strong so that it can break down your food efficiently.

As was mentioned at earlier in this article, millions of Americans have the unfortunate experience of having to deal with acid reflux. If you are one of them, make sure that you implement the tips mentioned above. Not only will you alleviate your symptoms now, but you’ll prevent them from occurring int he future.