If you’ve ever experienced the symptoms of acid reflux, you’ll know how unpleasant it can be. Acid reflux occurs when acid from your stomach rises into your esophagus, which is the tube connecting your throat and stomach. Heartburn is the most common symptom of acid reflux, manifesting itself as a burning sensation in your chest. This is why people experiencing acid reflux for the first time often mistake it for a heart attack.
Acid reflux has numerous causes and trigger factors, so there is no universal cure. There is a wide range of different reflux remedies available, so if you want to relieve your symptoms, it’s necessary to take a look at your eating and lifestyle habits to determine what is causing it. From there, you can take action to prevent the effects from recurring in the future.
To get you started, here are four tips to prevent acid reflux.
Maintain a healthy weight
Being overweight is one of the most common triggers for acid reflux. Your best bet of relieving symptoms is to try and maintain a healthy body mass index. Eating a nutritious diet with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables will help, as will a regular exercise regime. Thirty minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each day is more than enough to experience the health benefits.
Eliminate food triggers
For most people with acid reflux, there are certain foods that make it worse. Foods that are overly spicy, acidic, fatty, or oily are much more likely to cause reflux and heartburn than others. It might take a little bit of trial and error to work out which foods are bad for you, so experiment with cutting different foods out of your diet to see if there is any noticeable improvement.
Eat slowly and eat less
Wolfing down huge quantities of food is one of the worst things you can do if you suffer from acid reflux. When your stomach is full, there will be a lot more acid brought back into the esophagus so you can remedy this by eating sparingly. Put less food on your plate and eat it slowly, taking time to appreciate and savor your meal. Mindful eating is an excellent practice to help you control your eating habits and slow down.
Change your sleeping position
Sometimes acid reflux is nothing to do with your eating habits, and it can be caused by an improper sleeping position. If your head isn’t slightly elevated above your body it can make it much easier for acid to rise up into your throat, which might explain why you often feel heartburn at night. Your head should ideally be 6 to 8 inches above your feet, and you can achieve it through the strategic use of pillows, a foam wedge support for your upper body, or even adding risers to the legs of your bed.
It may take some time to work out what is causing your acid reflux, but once you pinpoint it you will be able to eliminate triggers and prevent painful symptoms in the future.
