Acid Reflux Relief Tips

acid reflux disease │  acid cause reflux │ acid reflux treatment │ acid reflux relief │ acid reflux disease diet  │ acid reflux food │ Privacy policy

Custom Search

Natural prevention and treatment can be very useful when it comes to acid reflux. Using antacids and other medicine is second choice to treat acid reflux — whereas employing optimal nutrition, healthy digestive habits, good quality supplements, and emotional well-being provide long-term solutions. Following suggestions step bellow, will help to treat digestive disorders like acid rebound, gastritis and ulcers.

First, address your eating habits. How and when you eat matter! Shifting your meal pattern from three meals a day to five smaller meals puts less pressure on your digestive system. Try to eat your largest meal earlier in the day and have a light dinner. This will allow your system ample time to digest before you go to bed. Try not to eat for three hours before going to bed, but if you do have a snack make it light and easy to digest. Eat plenty of high-fiber fruits and vegetables to keep your intestinal flora happy and your bowels moving. Keep greasy foods to a minimum, as digesting fat can prolong the digestive process and exacerbate acid reflux.

 ads

Chew your food thoroughly. Just like your mother said, digestion begins in your mouth! The digestive enzyme amylase targets starches in the mouth and gets the whole digestive cycle going, signaling production of gastric juices in the stomach, which then trigger production of pancreatic enzymes that go to work further down. When we eat on the go, we practically inhale food instead of breaking it down, which puts added stress on the stomach. The smaller the pieces are when they get swallowed, the easier it is for your digestive system to break them down and absorb their valuable nutrients. And speaking of chewing, if you think you have a problem with your teeth or the way your teeth fit together, consider seeing a dentist to help you correct the problem.

Work with gravity. Try not to lie down within three hours of eating, when acid production is at its height. Gravity helps keep your stomach contents down where they belong. When you lie down to sleep or rest after a meal, you lose this assistance. Some patients find relief from nighttime acid reflux symptoms by simply elevating the head of their beds. Others find that taking a casual walk after a meal helps move digestion along.

Find your triggers. Try our Quick-Cleanse diet for a few weeks to root out the trigger foods that upset your system. Keep a food journal to record what you eat and when, as some foods may bother you only if you eat them at certain times, like close to bedtime. Some of the most common problem foods to avoid with acid reflux are stimulants such as chocolate, coffee and tea (even decaf), soda, alcohol, dairy and wheat. Others include fatty foods, onions, tobacco, and acidic juices like orange and tomato. Simply avoiding these foods can often clear up the problem. People assume that spicy foods cause heartburn, yet there is little evidence to support this. But we are all individuals, and if avoiding certain spices helps you, this is what you should do.

 ads

Examine your stress levels. Whether it’s through meditation, reading or getting more exercise, finding ways to cut back on stress will help your symptoms. It’s especially important to relax when you eat and for a while afterward. Think about what’s eating you before you sit down to a meal. Consider talking with a therapist or another trusted individual to help you learn to cope with your stress.

Consider digestive support. At Women to Women, we’ve had great success improving digestion and acid reflux by boosting stomach function naturally with digestive enzymes and supplemental fiber. Talk to your practitioner about a trial of digestive enzymes or visit your local health food store for bitters or probiotics to restore your natural acid balance and digestive function.

Enrich your diet. Try a high-quality nutritional supplement like the one we offer in our Personal Program to give yourself the nutrients you need as you are working through your acid reflux. One of the concerns with undigested food is that your body never gets the important nutrients it needs to function well. This can send you on a downward spiral quickly.