Is acid reflux making you miserable? If you don’t know the answer to this question, it may be because you don’t understand how acid reflux works. In addition to heartburn, a throat lump, and nauseous feelings can occur. Read on to learn how you can stop having these irritating symptoms.
If you maintain a healthy weight, you are less likely to suffer from acid reflux. Your esophagus sphincter relaxes when fat in your stomach presses downward. By losing weight and trimming your midsection, your sphincter will tighten up as well, which will help to prevent acid reflux.
If you haven’t already quit smoking, do so now. Smoking can actually make your acid reflux much worse. This will result in more stomach acid and frequent occurrences of acid reflux. The esophageal sphincter is weakened as a result. This is the reason you should quit today.
Slippery elm, when ingested as a supplement, can help thicken mucous in your stomach and reduce erosion of the stomach lining. This supplement is very effective at protecting your stomach from harmful stomach acid. Consume about one tablespoon full with water just after a meal and just prior to going to sleep.
Watch the types of foods you eat before a reflux episode. There are probably foods that trigger acid reflux every time. When you know which foods are hurting you, you can avoid them.
Elevate your head above the bed. You can elevate the head of your bed using bricks, concrete or wooden blocks. Ideally, the head of your bed should be a half a foot higher than the foot. By elevating your chest and head, you prevent stomach acid from traveling upward to your esophagus.
Acid Reflux
If you have acid reflux avoid lying down right after you eat. Having a horizontal digestive system leads to problems. If you stay upright, the problems resulting from acid reflux can be avoided.
Time your time, and eat your food slowly. You should eat slowly and stop when you are full. Be sure to sit at the table and eat slowly, chew carefully and savor your food. If you consume your food quickly or you eat too much, acid reflux can be exacerbated. A good tip to slow the process of eating too fast is to place your fork on the table after each bite.
If you have acid reflux, try to restrict drinking to mainly in between meals. The muscle of your lower esophageal sphincter relaxes under the pressure when liquids are added to the food in the stomach. If your stomach is too full, the acid will reach the esophagus and damage the lining of your digestive track.
Pregnant women can get acid reflux because of the baby pressing against the stomach; this results in the formation of acid reflux. Speak to your doctor concerning the best actions to take during your pregnancy.
Try not to drink too much alcohol if you suffer from acid reflux. Alcohol can increase the production of stomach acid. If you have to drink, stick to one glass a day.
High fat foods should be avoided. You will need to cut out high-fat processed foods, fast foods and red meat that is high in fat. Get in the habit of checking labels before you buy food.
Moderate levels and frequencies of exercise are very beneficial towards acid reflux relief. Low impact exercises like walking and water aerobics can greatly aid acid reflux issues. Sitting upright will help the body digest your food and keep everything in your stomach.
Chewing cinnamon gum can help with your acid reflux. When you chew gum, salivary glands begin working which helps to neutralize the stomach acid. It also increases swallowing. The acid will then settle back down toward your stomach.
You should drink less when you eat. Drinking while you are eating increases your stomach volume. The liquids can create added pressure on your stomach. Drink only minute sips of water with your meals.
Talk to your doctor about surgery if your acid reflux is getting out of control. Fundoplication is probably the best procedure for this. A new valve is made to keep stomach acid from entering the esophagus. This procedure is permanent and can often eliminate the condition completely.
See your doctor right away if you have bloody stool or vomit. This can signal a very severe medical issues. If you find out that you have something besides acid reflux, then you can get the right treatment.
While consuming your meals, limit your beverage consumption. Drinking bloats your stomach. This can compress your esophageal sphincter. Do not put too much stress on this muscle if you want to prevent acid reflux.
Acid reflux is a painful condition that affects millions of people. Nearly one third of all adults have acid reflux at one time or another. If this sounds like you, make use of the information presented in this article to lessen the chance of acid reflux affecting you.