It is easy to see why acid reflux really is something that many people fear. The pain and irritation it causes so many people cannot be overstated. Fortunately, by gaining a thorough understanding of the condition, it is possible to manage it successfully. Keep reading to learn precisely how it can be done.
When you find you have acid reflux overnight, raise the head of your bed up at least six inches. This will keep your esophagus angled downwards, ensuring that acid stays in your stomach and doesn’t try to creep back up towards your throat. If six inches doesn’t help, try eight instead.
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.
Acid reflux can be caused by eating large meals too quickly. If at all possible, try to break your meals down into smaller portions throughout the day. If that isn’t possible, take the time to eat your food slowly. This will make it easier to tell when you’re full, and prevent acid reflux caused by overeating.
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.
Keep a journal of all of the foods that seem to be causing you to get acid reflux and the ones that are not. Steer clear of the foods that you see to be a problem in your life. Every person reacts differently to certain foods, so personalize your regimen to account for this.
When working out to help your acid reflux, be cautious of what and when you consume food and beverages. Eating too soon or eating and drinking the wrong things can negate the positive effects of exercise for your reflux. You should wait at least two hours after a workout to eat. Don’t drink sports drinks since their acidity can trigger your reflux.
Keep your stress levels down to prevent flaring up your acid reflux. Stress causes tension and can contract some of your stomach muscles leading to reflux. Watch how you react to emotional or stressful situations to avoid making matters worse in your stomach. Also try keeping your temper below the boiling point to avoid major reflux symptoms.
If you enjoy vigorous exercise, try to avoid participating in activities immediately after a meal. While some exercise is essential to avoid acid reflux problems, vigorous exercise can upset your digestive system and bring about reflux. Try to space your meals and exercise at least forty five minutes apart, or enjoy less intense exercise immediately following a meal.
Try to reduce stress. Stress is a very common trigger for acid reflux. When you are stressed, you will often notice your muscles are affected, and this includes the muscles in your digestive tract. Try to avoid stressful situations and look into meditation or yoga to help manage your stress in a healthy way.
After you eat, try your best to stay upright. Gravity is your friend when you remain upright. The length of time you should wait will depend on your personal symptoms as well as the foods you have eaten.
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.
Consider keeping a food diary if you suffer from reflux. There are several foods that are often found to be acid reflux triggers for some individuals. They include things like tomatoes, onions, coffee, tea and even chocolate. If you keep a food diary, you can easily spot when your reflux problems are taking place and which foods appear to be causing the problems.
Shedding the pounds is a great way to control acid reflux. The heavier you are, the more weight is put on your abdomen, pushing the contents of your stomach upward. Also, increased body fat seems to exude chemicals into the system which causes digestion to slow to a crawl and even malfunction.
The agonizing impact of acid reflux on many people’s lives is nothing to be overlooked. This condition causes discomfort that runs the gamut between mildly irritating and seriously crippling. With any luck, the information detailed above has served as a wonderful resource for anyone wishing to learn more about ameliorating the symptoms of acid reflux.
