Do you ever experience chest pain? Does it get worse when you rest? Do you notice it after eating? Do you taste bitterness in your mouth? What about your voice, are you often hoarse, especially after eating? You should keep reading to find out more about what you can do to reduce acid reflux.
If you have a weight that is proportional to your height, GERD is less likely to occur. Your esophagus sphincter relaxes when fat in your stomach presses downward. You will need your sphincter to become tight if you want to prevent the acid from coming up; losing weight will help.
Smokers need to quit if they suffer from acid reflux. Nicotine increases stomach acid, thus, increasing bouts of acid reflux disease. Avoid quitting cold turkey since it could stress your body more and worsen reflux. Quit slowly instead.
Reflux can be quite painful, sometimes mimicking a heart attack. Don’t ever ignore chest pains. There is a chance that a heart attack is occurring. Contact your doctor to learn what you should do. Do not take any risks if you believe your health might be at risk.
Shed some pounds. If you are heavier than you should be, you may have more frequent bouts with acid reflux. More fat near your stomach adds to the pressure on it, contributing to your condition. Dropping a couple of pounds can help.
If you’re pregnant, your baby could be pressing into your stomach, giving you acid reflux. Speak to a doctor to see what to do about it if this is what you have, especially later in the pregnancy.
Slippery elm lozenges can offer some relief. This lozenge can provide a shield and extra liner to your digestive tract. Lozenges also reduce your coughing and soothes your irritated throat. You can find them at most health food stores.
Reduce your alcohol intake if you have acid reflux. Alcohol leads to additional acid production. If you must drink alcohol, try drinking at most a couple of glasses and look for alcohol or wine that doesn’t worsen your symptoms of acid reflux.
People with acid reflux should always avoid foods that trigger attacks. Citrus, onions, tomatoes, mint, alcohol and carbonated drinks are some of the many culprits. Some people are bothered more by certain foods than others, so feel free to eat what does not cause you pain or other symptoms.
Stay away from fatty foods. Fast food is one of the main culprits that you must avoid. Check food labels to see how much fat the items have.
Chewing a stick of cinnamon gum after your meals may help with acid reflux. Chewing gum increases saliva production, which helps neutralize your stomach acid. Chewing some gum also causes most people to swallow with greater frequency. This helps keep your stomach acid where it belongs, in your stomach.
Ask your doctor about having surgery if nothing else is working. Fundoplication is a very effective surgical procedure for acid reflux. This is a procedure that creates a new valve for reducing stomach acid from entering your esophagus. This serves as a permanent solution which may provide a full cure.
One way to cut down on reflux is to avoid drinking while eating. Consuming liquid fills your stomach to capacity. This adds pressure to the esophageal sphincter, raising the danger of reflux. Therefore, try to drink before and after meals in order to reduce acid reflux.
When you arrive home from work, try to avoid hot and spicy foods. These include Mexican foods, jalapenos and peppers. When you eat spicy food, acid reflux may result. Additionally, some believe that spicy foods cause problems such as dry skin, indigestion and a general malaise.
Stop smoking now. Quitting smoking can help your fight against acid reflux among many other health benefits. Smoking slows down digestion and increases acid in your stomach. Smoking additionally works to lower production of saliva, further slowing digestion. If you must smoke, try to avoid smoking within 2 hours of meal time.
Acid reflux symptoms can be aggravated by your consumption of alcohol. Alcohol can lead to acid reflux. While an occasional drink is fine, make sure to avoid drinking in excess to find the relief you are looking for.
Some acidic foods and drinks make your acid reflux worse. Avoid spicy foods and drinks such as coffee and alcohol. By monitoring your consumption of these items, you are taking the right measures towards relieving your acid reflux.
You are not experiencing a heart attack. You don’t have a cold, and it isn’t necessarily the food you are eating disagreeing with your stomach. However, acid reflux is bothering you, and you now know what to do about it. Learn how to prevent this troublesome problem by making dietary and lifestyle changes to get back to feeling good.