Do you consider acid reflux your worst enemy? Has your acid reflux caused you to have insomnia? Has your acid reflux gotten out of control? Luckily, you do not have to suffer in silence and this article will help you control your acid reflux symptoms.
Be sure to eat supper three hours before going to bed. In a seated position, food and secreted stomach acid is forced downward to your stomach. When you lay down, the acid can rise back up. If you’re up for a couple of hours before bed, you can digest your food.
Acid Reflux
Fatty foods are detrimental for anyone with acid reflux. These high-fat foods relax your esophageal sphincter, making it easier for acid to travel upward from your stomach. In addition, these type of foods make you prone for weight gain. People who are overweight struggle even more with acid reflux. Eat healthy to stay healthy.
Keep stomach acid in your stomach by elevating the top of your mattress with a wedge. If you do not have a wedge, place a block of wood or a few books under your mattress to raise your head. There are also beds that allow you to make this adjustment electronically.
Some foods are very likely to cause acid reflux or make existing reflux worse. Caffeine based foods, chocolate, and even fried foods are common culprits. You should also avoid spicy foods as much as possible. Specific triggers can vary for each person, so you will have to experiment to figure out which particular foods trigger your acid reflux. Stay away from all these foods to avoid acid reflux.
If you are a smoker, consider quitting. Nicotine can cause acid reflux to worsen. You should quit at your own pace instead of quitting cold turkey and taking the risk of upsetting your stomach even more. Gradually quit.
If you have acid reflux, you can cause yourself big problems if you exercise right after eating. Contractions of the lower stomach during exercise can cause undigested food to be forced upwards in the esophagus. If you must exercise after eating, at least wait an hour before doing it.
Chew on cinnamon gum after your meals. Saliva within the mouth increases with chewing motions. Saliva helps neutralize the acids in the stomach. You will also find that you swallow more, clearing acid from the esophagus. You could opt for fruit flavored gums. Chewing minty gum is not a good option since it can relax your esophagus and cause acid reflux.
There are known food triggers for acid reflux symptoms. You should avoid these types of foods to prevent bouts of acid reflux. Things to stay away from are carbonated drinks, acidic juices, milk, coffee, spicy foods and fatty foods.
Avoid laying down after a meal if you have acid reflux. When laying in a prone position, it is more difficult to digest your food. You’ll keep your reflux at bay and feel a lot better if you try to stay upright more often.
Take your time while eating. Be aware of the size of the portions you are consuming – don’t overeat. Always sit down and spend half an hour to have your meal. Overeating and gulping down your food can trigger your acid reflux. Avoid distractions that will keep you from realizing your are full, and take breaks in between courses.
Eat often, but don’t eat much. Eating fewer, larger meals can contribute to your acid reflux symptoms. A very full stomach will open up because the sphincter, located between your stomach and esophagus, has too much pressure on it. The stomach acid can then get into the esophagus and cause heartburn. This is why eating small meals is better for you.
If you are an acid reflux sufferer, you should avoid drinking alcohol. Alcohol greatly increases stomach acid production. If you have to drink, stick to one glass a day.
High fat foods should be avoided. No fried chicken, potato chips or french fries for you! Make sure that you carefully read all food labels and other nutrition information on the label.
Make it a point to relax whenever possible. You will suffer from acid reflux if you feel stressed after or during eating. When you are done with your meal, engage in a yoga session. Avoid laying down immediately after a meal; sit upright instead.
Do not eat a meal within 3 hours of going to bed. This is important, as your stomach does not process food as well when you are sleeping versus when you are awake. Heartburn is quite common when the stomach has not had time to properly digest a meal before sleep.
Gluten is a big trigger food when it comes to acid reflux. Anyone who deals with acid reflux ought to consider cutting barley, wheat and oat intake. Millet and quinoa are great grains that can actually help your digestion.
If acid reflux has bothered you before, you know the difficulty of eating pizza and foods like it. Adding sugar to tomato sauces may help mitigate the negative affects. This may make the sauce a little sweet, but it will be easier to eat.
Stop eating about three hours before going to bed to decrease the effects that your acid reflux has at night. Eating stimulates your entire digestive tract. The process produces stomach acids in response to the food. The more time between bedtime and eating, the more chance your body has to naturally get rid of your stomach acids.
Get control of your stress levels to reduce acid reflux. Although stress itself doesn’t directly contribute to acid reflux, it could cause you to participate in harmful activities, such as smoking, drinking, and overeating, which worsen acid reflux symptoms. When you reduce your stress levels, you will reduce these activities.
Do you now feel able to win the war against acid reflux? You can now enjoy sleeping once again. Has the time come to regenerate and heal your esophagus? The advice shared here will help you to take back your life so that you can feel better quickly!