Acid reflux can prevent sleep and enjoying daily activities. It may seem like a difficult thing to get rid of it, but there are different remedies available. But, how do you cope with acid reflux? Read on to find out how to turn acid reflux into a thing of the past.
Avoid drinking during your meals. It’s more likely that you are thirsty rather than hungry, and this will settle your hunger pangs. Additionally, if you drink separately from eating you will find that you don’t suffer from bloating and acid reflux as much.
Fatty foods make it that much worse for people suffering from acid reflux. Fatty foods encourage acids to flow in the wrong direction. They also contribute to obesity, and people who are overweight suffer from acid reflux more frequently than those at a healthy weight. Try to stay as healthy as possible with your diet.
Stress is a major contributor of acid reflux disease. Excess stress increases stomach acid production, which causes acid reflux. Therefore, it is a good idea to engage in an activity that you find pleasurable after eating. This could range from meditation to something as simple as watching TV.
Stay upright for a couple hours after each meal. If you don’t, acid is more likely to rise up toward the esophagus. When you stand or sit, you’ll feel better.
Avoid reclining after eating. Laying down can make it hard for your digestive system to work properly. When you are upright, gravity will assist in keeping acid down.
Try eating slowly. Rather than consuming your entire meal all at once, stop before you get full. Savor your meal and chew slowly. The faster you eat, the worse you’ll feel when done. One trick to slow everything down is to put your fork down after every bite.
Try using slippery elm lozenges for your acid reflux. Your digestive tract will receive a protective coating from the slippery elm bark which is contained within these lozenges. It helps to lessen the discomfort of a sore throat and reduces coughing when taken in the lozenge form. These lozenges can be found at most health foods stores.
Stay away from those fatty foods. This means you should eliminate fried foods, fast food and red meat or at least reduce the quantities of unhealthy foods you eat. Always look at the labels of the foods you eat to get an idea of how much fat they contain.
Chewing cinnamon gum following a meal may help with acid reflux. Chewing gum increases saliva production, which helps neutralize your stomach acid. In addition, chewing gum makes people swallow more. This will put your stomach acid back where it should be.
The last meal of each day should be consumed three hours prior to bedtime. For instance, if you hit the sack at 11, you should be eating your last meal before 8. The LES muscle is under additional pressure when you are lying down after a meal. Consequently, the acid reflux will emerge.
Try to limit food consumption in the hours leading up to bed. Your body has a harder time trying to process food in a sleep state. Heartburn is quite common when the stomach has not had time to properly digest a meal before sleep.
If you notice your acid reflux worsening, you may want to speak with a physician about having surgery. A procedure that can really help this condition is called fundoplication. What happens is the doctor can insert a new valve which can lessen how much acid makes it into the esophagus. This treatment is a permanent one and possibly eliminates your condition entirely.
If you want to prevent acid reflux, eat meals slowly and stop chewing every couple of bites; your stomach can properly digest the food if you do this. Allow yourself to actually enjoy what you are eating! Avoid overeating by stopping once you are full.
Don’t drink beverages at mealtime. This will only add weight to your stomach, increasing your chance for acid reflux. This creates more pressure on the sphincters in your esophagus and can lead to reflux. To stop this from happening, drink only between meals.
See a physician right away if you have bloody stools or are vomiting. You may have a very serious problem that needs to be addressed. Often these problems can be treated quickly once properly identified.
Look for stress relieving techniques to help your acid reflux. When you are stressed you may engage in activities you otherwise wouldn’t, like drinking and smoking. If you can decrease stress, you will probably improve acid reflux indirectly because you won’t be as likely to participate in these harmful activities.
You’ll have an easier time controlling your acid reflux now that you’ve learned this information. You will eventually find a solution if you keep trying different things. Read on to find out what you can do for acid reflux.