Are you one of the growing number of people who has to carry antacids with them at all time because of the increased number of acid reflux incidents you are getting? Are you wondering if there is another way to cure heartburn without the antacids?
Acid reflux disease is on the increase in the modern world, and the biggest problem is with the lifestyles we lead. Although problems with the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) is the main cause of acid reflux disease other factors also apply. The food we eat, lack of exercise, and stress play a large part.
If you think that popping antacid pills is the answer then fine, but there are a lot of other things that you can do to help yourself. Changing your diet and the way you eat is one way of alleviating acid reflux symptoms. By eating a healthy diet and with the correct choice of food may be all you need to avoid heartburn symptoms starting.
One of the first things to do is try to avoid acidic foods like oranges pineapples and tomatoes. Also try avoiding high fat content in your food which increases acid production.
Choose lean cuts of meat and avoid deep fried chicken and burgers. Other things to avoid are cream style or fried vegetables, butter sour cream and ice cream which are also high in fat. Coffee and alcohol should also be avoided as much as possible, although the jury is still out on whether coffee will cause acid reflux. (Debates are still raging on this one).
The old wives tale of drinking milk is not correct. Milk actually increases the amount of stomach acid secreted and although it may feel better for a short time your acid reflux will increase if you drink milk.
Foods you can eat include most vegetables, boiled and jacket potatoes have been particularly good for my own acid reflux. Some fruit including apples and bananas are also good, as are egg whites, fish and Soya products. If you want to eat cheese you should choose feta, goats and low fat cottage cheese.
The aim is to reduce acid producing foods and foods that are hard to digest. Hard to digest foods stay longer in the stomach and in trying to digest it more digestive enzymes are required, therefore more stomach acid is produced.
Your eating habits also play its part. Eating too fast and large meals also cause heartburn symptoms. You should take your time and chew you food properly, as this is where the digestion process starts. Enzymes in you saliva start to breakdown the food before it enters your stomach. Eating smaller meals on a more regular basis exert less work on the stomach and less acid is produced to digest the food. With large meals the digestion requires a lot more acid and takes a lot longer to move from the stomach into the duodenum.
Never lie down after a meal, and at night you should eat at least 2 hours before going to bed. Lying down after a meal allows the food to reenter the esophagus due to gravity and this is when most acid reflux occurs.
Elevating your head and torso using a wedge pillow will also significantly decrease the amount of night time acid reflux. And if you want that little bit of luxury buying an electrically adjustable bed is a great way of reducing night time acid reflux.
