Acid reflux, more commonly known as heartburn, is a digestive condition that occurs when the muscles of the lower esophagus do not perform properly. The sphincter muscle at the end of the esophagus which is meant to keep the acids of the stomach in place doesn’t close all the way, allowing food and stomach acid to leak back in. Heartburn and its symptoms can be worsened by certain foods and medications. Follow these tricks and tips to prevent the pain and discomfort of acid reflux.
Don’t Go to Sleep on a Full Stomach
To avoid a heartburn flare up, eat your meals at least two hours before sleep or lying down. This is plenty of time for the food to digest and move through your digestive tract away from your stomach. It also gives enough time for your stomach acid levels to decrease.
Take Your Time While Eating
Rushing through your meals will result in eating too much, making you full and bloated, and more likely to experience acid reflux.
Eat Smaller Portions
Instead of 3 big meals, try having 5 or 6 smaller meals a day. This will reduce the amount of digestion your body has to perform at any given time and decreases your chances of a heartburn episode.
Avoid Heartburn Triggers
Avoiding food and drinks that are a common trigger of heartburn is a good idea. These include onions, minty foods, chocolate, spicy food and drinks high in caffeine.
Lose Weight
If you are overweight, shedding some of the extra pounds will help in reducing the amount of heartburn that you experience.
Quit Smoking
Nicotine weakens the lower esophageal sphincter, which is the muscle that prevents the food and stomach acids from going back up into the esophagus.
Cut Back on Alcohol
Alcohol can aggravate the acids in the stomach and increase the chances of a flare up; cutting back is a good way to prevent this unnecessary problem.
For more information on how to prevent acid reflux, visit the GI Doctor online at http://www.gidoctor.com/ or by calling (310) 271- 1122.