Do you have a friend or family member with acid reflux? If so, you know how much pain this can cause. It’s no fun feeling like your insides are on fire. You can find an efficient solution to your acid reflux problem if you keep reading.
Stay at a normal weight to avoid suffering from acid reflux. The sphincter at the bottom of the esophagus becomes relaxed when the weight of extra fat presses down on your stomach. By losing weight and trimming your midsection, your sphincter will tighten up as well, which will help to prevent acid reflux.
Pregnant women sometimes suffer from acid reflux. As the fetus grows in size, it crowds your stomach, causing acid to be pushed up from the stomach into the esophagus. A diet of low-fat, low-acid foods helps to prevent this. Also, consume teas that can have a healing effect on your esophagus.
The slippery elm supplement can aid your acid reflux symptoms by helping to thicken the mucuous membranes in your stomach. This supplement can serve as a layer of protection in your stomach. Take a couple tablespoons with water both after eating and right before you go to bed in order to maximize your relief.
Watch what you eat. Certain foods and beverages are more likely to cause these effects. Once you’ve identified your trigger foods, you can avoid them and start to feel better.
Exercising after eating can be a disaster if you’re suffering from acid reflux. Food from your stomach will move into your esophagus if you work out low abdominal muscles. Wait a couple of hours after you eat before doing any physical activity.
Elevating the top of your bed can help. Use risers or bricks to increase the incline. Be sure your head is half a foot higher than the bottom of your bed. By keeping your upper body elevated, you can prevent stomach acid from rising while sleeping.
You should never lay down after a meal. Laying down can make it hard for your digestive system to work properly. Keeping yourself upright can help you keep the acid out of your esophagus.
Weight loss could be beneficial. A few additional pounds could put too much pressure on your stomach and cause acid reflux. That’s because extra abdominal fat increases pressure on your stomach, which increases the odds that reflux will occur. Just losing a little weight can have a big impact.
You should drink between meals rather than during them. The muscle of your lower esophageal sphincter relaxes under the pressure when liquids are added to the food in the stomach. This creates a situation under which acid is much more likely to rise into your esophagus.
Slippery Elm
If you suffer from acid reflux, you might want to give slippery elm lozenges a try. The primary ingredient in this product helps to form a protective coating on your esophagus. Additionally, slippery elm bark lozenges will help relieve your coughing and soothe your irritated throat. Look for slippery elm products at health and natural food stores.
The pH levels in food are not relative to the alkaline levels it contains. Foods that seem to be acidic, like lemons, are actually highly alkaline after digestion. When you have acid reflux, this could be confusing. Learn all you can about food pH if acid reflux is an issue.
Acid Reflux
Did you know that the alkaline or acid-forming tendency of a food really has nothing to do with the relative pH level of the food? Foods you believe are acidic, including lemons, are extremely alkaline after they have been digested. For those who have acid reflux, this can cause some confusion. If you have acid reflux, learn about food’s pH levels.
Do not drink as much while eating. Drinking provides added stress to the stomach. The liquids can create added pressure on your stomach. Take small sips instead of full gulps while eating.
Go seek the care of a doctor right away if you notice you have bloody stool or if you’re vomiting blood. This is not simple acid reflux, and you must have it checked out. Whatever your problem is, it could be easily treated after seeing what your doctor has to say.
Don’t smoke if you suffer from acid reflux. Quitting smoking can help reduce the symptoms of acid reflux. Smoking increases stomach acid production and slows down digestion. Smoking can also decrease saliva production and that will slow down digestion. If you must smoke, try to wait for a minimum of two hours after meals.
Smoothies can help deal with acid reflux. Blend together a banana, a pear, an apple, celery, lemon juice, romaine lettuce, spinach, and water. When you take this in the morning, you’ll find constipation goes away, a leading factor in relaxing your esophagus. This mixture is also a good way to reduce stomach acid.
If you have nightly heartburn, try considering how you sleep. Get into the habit of sleeping on your left side. This will keep your stomach acids in place.
Don’t allow stress to rule your entire life. Stress itself doesn’t cause reflux, but it can cause you do take part in unhealthy activities that do cause it. You can reduce the likelihood of acid reflex by the reducing stress in your life.
Trigger Foods
What are your trigger foods? Even though there are many commonly recognized trigger foods, not everyone responds the same to each one. What affects one person may not have the same effect on your body. Track your food, and find out what causes you pain.
The next time acid reflux flares up, you’ll know exactly what to do. Prior to learning how to prevent acid reflux flare-ups, you had to suffer through the pain. Now you can finally manage your acid reflux. Once equipped with this information, you can finally defeat acid reflux.