A great meal is one of the best parts of life, but the experience can be ruined with acid reflux. This article will give you great tips for fighting acid reflux. You can begin looking forward to delicious meals once you get your reflux under control.
Poor eating habits is often what makes acid reflux rear its ugly head. Most people eat too much, too quickly. This isn’t the best approach for acid reflux sufferers. You want to stop eating when you’re full instead of when you’re stuffed. Eat slower too. Chew slowly, and even go so far as to lay down the fork every so often.
Maintaining a healthy weight can help cure your GERD symptoms. Your sphincter muscle at the lower end of the esophagus loses its effectiveness with extra fat pressing on your stomach. When you lose weight and trim up, you’ll find your sphincter tightens and keeps acid where it belongs.
Acid Reflux
Stress can cause acid reflux. Stress increases the amount of stomach acid and makes acid reflux more likely. Follow each meal with a period of relaxation. Some examples include reading, listening to music, watching television, meditating or taking a little stroll.
If you are a smoker, consider quitting. The nicotine in cigarettes creates acid in the stomach, causing acid reflux. Don’t stress your system by quitting abruptly, but rather cut down gradually. Take your time with your quit attempts.
Don’t wear tight clothing. Pantyhose, waistbands and tight belts are usual suspects. These types of clothing put extra added pressure on the stomach area. This can often lead to acid reflux symptoms. Wear comfortable clothes that allow expansion for your stomach.
If you are active and experiencing acid reflux, you may just need to make one simple change. Drink more water. Water fulfills your need for hydration. It also aids with digestion. This ensures acid production stays at a minimum.
An ideal weight helps you avoid acid reflux, so plan on losing any extra pounds. Obesity can put excess pressure on your stomach. Lose several pounds each week and watch acid reflux disappear. Don’t be silly with excessive dieting schemes, instead reduce the size of your meal portions.
Take your time during your meal to prevent acid reflux. Stop eating before you feel stuffed. Make sure to savor the food and take as much time as you need. Eating too fast can cause you to overeat, which will worsen your acid reflux. An excellent method of slowing down your eating is putting down your fork or spoon after you have taken each bite.
Shedding excess pounds is always a good idea. Having extra weight, especially around your middle, is not good for acid reflux. It could cause stomach acid to rise up into the esophagus. It’s what can really cause the discomfort and real harm to the lining of the esophagus. If you want to keep your weight under control, then diet and exercise are key.
Avoid alcohol if you have acid reflux. Alcohol can cause more acid to be produced in your stomach. Be sure to limit alcohol consumption to two or fewer drinks per day. Choose your drink with care to avoid acid reflux.
Try to relax. If you eat when stressed, it can lead to acid reflux. As soon as you finish eating, perform relaxation exercises, such as meditation, yoga, or deep-breathing exercises. Never lay down or recline immediately after a meal.
Eat at least three hours before bed. Your stomach cannot properly digest if you are laying down. If you eat right before you go to bed at night, there is a good chance that you will wake up with heartburn.
Try to reduce the gluten that you consume in your diet if reflux is an issue. For people who suffer from acid reflux and heartburn, limiting the consumption of foods like wheat, barley and oats is suggested. You may find a small amount of grains helpful.
If you’ve got a few extra pounds, lose that weight. That weight could be responsible for your acid reflux. Your weight could put some pressure on your digestive track and cause acid reflux. Just losing a couple of pounds can be of help.
First time acid reflux sufferers that are pregnant should carefully search for problem areas in their life. You might be eating too many spicy foods or drinking too much water. You will be able to get rid of your acid reflux problem once you figure out what is causing it.
Don’t eat spicy foods during the day. These include Mexican foods, jalapenos and peppers. Eating spicy food may trigger acid reflux attacks, and it also dries the skin and causes indigestion.
Drinking soda or beverages that contain caffeine will not help your battle with acid reflux. These beverages can be acidic, causing you stomach discomfort. They irritate the stomach lining and increase discomfort. Herbal teas like green tea are a great alternative.
Controlling your stress is an important goal for your everyday life. Stress can lead to drinking, overeating or smoking and these activities all promote the symptoms of acid reflux. So, when you decrease stress, you are helping out acid reflux, indirectly.
When you suffer from acid reflux, you can end up dreading meals. Remember the tips you’ve read here to treat the symptoms of your acid reflux. Nothing beats a wonderful meal, and you ought to be able to enjoy them often.