Strategies For Acid Reflux Sufferers To Reduce Your Discomfort

Strategies For Acid Reflux Sufferers To Reduce Your Discomfort

Acid reflux is nothing to joke about. Rather than accepting it as a part of life, do something about it. For more insights and ideas, read on. Plan your meal several hours before you go to bed. Staying upright can help the food get pulled into your stomach. Laying down could cause acid to come back up. Therefore, to reduce or alleviate acid reflux, be sure to refrain from eating just before sleeping. Food consumption is a main trigger of acid reflux. Some people eat fast and take in a good bit of food. This habit does much more harm than good. You want to stop eating when you're full instead of when you're stuffed. Eat slower too. Chew your food carefully and between each bite, lay down your fork. If you smoke, it's time to quit. Smoking makes acid reflux worse, and may actually be a trigger. Smoking reduces the production of saliva and slows down digestion, causing stomach acids to increase. Finally, your esophageal sphincter is weakened. This is the reason why you should quit right away.

Fatty Foods

Keep track of the types of foods that seem to trigger acid reflux symptoms. People who have acid reflux can usually point to specific foods that cause problems. When you know which foods are hurting you, you can avoid them. Fatty foods produce bad acid reflux results. When you eat fatty foods, the esophageal sphincter is signaled to relax. This causes acid reflux problems. Fatty foods also cause weight gain, which increases your susceptibility to reflux. Learn to make good nutritional choices. Smoking causes acid reflux, so if you have this problem and you smoke you are well advised to stop. The nicotine in cigarettes creates acid in the stomach, causing acid reflux. Don't stress yourself by stopping smoking all at once as this could also exacerbate your problem. Take your time with your quit attempts. Acid reflux can be triggered with some foods. The list includes fatty foods, caffeinated beverages, chocolate and alcohol. Citrus, tomatoes, onions and garlic are other common triggers. Specific triggers can vary for each person, so you will have to experiment to figure out which particular foods trigger your acid reflux. Avoid all these if you want to be on the safe side. After eating, avoid lying down for two to three hours. Lying down can force acid back up into your esophagus. You can provide your esophagus with relief by sitting or standing. Slippery elm, when ingested as a supplement, can help thicken mucous in your stomach and reduce erosion of the stomach lining. The extra mucous provides protection from acid. Some folks take a couple tablespoons of it in water each night before going to bed. Keep cinnamon gum on you at all times, and eat a stick of it after every meal. The act of chewing causes increased saliva production. Saliva helps neutralize the acids in the stomach. Since you swallow more when you chew gum, this will also wash down any acid remaining in your throat. If cinnamon is not your thing, try some fruit flavored gum instead. Gum containing mint is not a smart idea. Mint relaxes the esophageal sphincter and worsens acid reflux. Smokers need to quit if they suffer from acid reflux. Nicotine helps increase stomach acid production, which makes your acid reflux worse. You should quit at your own pace instead of quitting cold turkey and taking the risk of upsetting your stomach even more. Take your time with your quit attempts. Elevate the head portion of your bed. Use blocks of wood, bricks or even the raisers made for beds to lift it up. Ideally, your head should be elevated six full inches higher than your feet. This keeps acid in your stomach where it belongs.

Acid Reflux

Avoid clothing that is too restrictive. Tight fitting pants, belts and pantyhose can really make you feel worse. These clothes not only restrict movement, but they put excess pressure your stomach. Acid reflux signs and symptoms often result. Put on clothing that feels good and doesn't press down on your stomach. Use this information to rid acid reflux from your life. Avoid having acid in your throat when trying to go about your daily life. Instead, use the information from this article to get control of your acid reflux. You can reduce symptoms of acid reflux by losing weight. Obesity is one of the most common contributing factors to acid reflux symptoms. Just losing ten percent of your weight can cause acid reflux symptoms to diminish noticeably. Weight loss can be achieved through smaller portion sizes, not crash diets.