Many people do not realize exactly how painful and annoying untreated acid reflux can become. Whether you want to take preventative measures or need advice on medicines you can take, researching is the right thing to do. Read this article for helpful tips so you can reduce the suffering you experience!

The more fluid you drink during your meal, the more volume is placed in your stomach. This causes more distension in the stomach and adds pressure to the lower sphincter of the esophagus, creating the perfect condition for acid reflux. Try drinking between meals and drink water in small sips rather than big gulps.

Exercise is a good way to stop acid reflux. Through exercise, you can lose weight, which will put less pressure on the stomach and reduce the severity and occurrence of heartburn and acid reflux. The key is to use moderate, low impact exercises. Intense exercises can cause reflux through excessive agitation. Try to avoid drinking sports drinks and eating food before exercising, as these can cause reflux as well.

For quick relief, pick up cinnamon flavored gum. When you chew gum, your salivary glands pick up the pace which can help neutralize stomach acid. On top of that, you’ll swallow more and help clear the acid out of your esophagus. Lastly, choosing non-mint and non-citrus flavors ensures you don’t trigger your acid reflux.

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.

We truly are what we eat. If we eat high-fat foods, we will become obese and be at risk for acid reflux. It is important that we instead focus on low-acid foods, which are lean and healthy. Choose vegetables and whole-grain carbohydrates along with lean protein for your meals to curb your suffering.

Don’t drink alcohol if you are trying to treat symptoms of acid reflux. The effects of alcohol actually work to relax the muscles in your esophagus, which worsens reflux. Consider what you are eating, how you are eating and if you’ve got too much stress in your life as possible reasons for frequent acid reflux and change them before reaching for your next drink.

Quit smoking to help your acid reflux problem. Nicotine can cause acid reflux to worsen. Still, don’t try to stop immediately. This could cause your acid reflux to get worse, as your body will be going through withdrawal. Gradually quit.

Do you suffer from respiratory problems? Do you have a chronic couch or wheeze often? If so, it could be an acid reflux problem. Heartburn could cause these symptoms. Your doctor might suggest a pH test. This procedure is done on an outpatient basis over the course of 24 hours and can determine if reflux is a problem.

Certain foods cause acid reflex more than other foods. Keeping a diary of your eating habits can help you understand when acid reflux is at its worst. After you’ve eaten, if you begin to feel acid reflux symptoms, write down what you ate, what the symptoms are, and how they are affecting you.

Raise the head of your bed. You can raise your bed with bricks or wood blocks. The head of your bed should be six inches above the foot. If the chest and head are elevated, then you may be able to keep the stomach acid from rising.

Exercising too strenuously can actually aggravate your acid reflux. Increase your intake of water. Water keeps you hydrated. This also promotes healthy digestion. You can curb acid production in your stomach by using water to promote healthy digestion.

Refrain from consuming foods that have a high acid content if you want to alleviate your acid reflux during the night. Some of these foods include fruits such as grapefruit and oranges. These fruits can cause the burn that you feel, especially if you have them right before you lie down.

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.

As stated in the beginning of the article, you do not have to deal with the problems of acid reflux without help. Besides using preventative measures, there are other avenues to explore. By remembering that as well as the tips in this article, you can take your life back and enjoy it again.