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If you have been experiencing acid
reflux symptoms, then you should pay attention to how you are
living and make some important changes. Acid reflux sufferers
generally find that they can reduce their symptoms when they
adopt specific lifestyle habits. Here is a brief summary of 10
these habits that you should consider making:
1. Have small meals
at frequent intervals. Consuming
large meals causes your stomach to expand and this increases
the pressure in the esophageal sphincter. When this happens,
your lower esophageal sphincter (LES) finds it difficult to stay
closed. When you eat less at a meal and more frequently, the
risk of getting acid reflux is reduced.
2. Make food choices
that are most helpful to you.
You should consume more foods that rarely cause heartburn and
avoid those that cause heartburn. Proper selection of food would
differ from person to person. Also, try to limit the amount of
acid stimulating foods and beverages. Removing coffee, tea, caffeinated
and carbonated beverages, spices, onions, pepper, tomatoes and
tomato based products, citrus fruits, fried and fatty foods,
chocolate and peppermint from your diet is also helpful.
3. Do not lie down
until at least three hours after each meal. The
acid breaking down the food may flow down upwards, if you lie
down sooner than three hours. Lying down just right after a meal
tends to trigger acid
reflux symptoms such as heartburn. Hence, make plans for
regular early dinners and try not to eat late night suppers or
snacks.
4. Work towards
to a reasonable and healthy weight.
Obesity is known to create abdominal pressure, which pushes stomach
contents into the esophagus. In fact, experts say that even a
10 percent drop in weight will improve many people's heartburn
symptoms significantly.
5. Elevate your
head while sleeping. The fourth
lifestyle change to keep your head elevated a few inches while
sleeping. By laying down flat, you put pressure on the stomach's
contents against the LES. Elevating the head a few inches results
in higher gravity that helps reduce this pressure.
6. Give up smoking.
Another lifestyle change is
to stop smoking. This is especially if you suffer from severe
heartburn symptoms. Cigarette smoke increases saliva production
and lowers the amounts of bicarbonates in the saliva, which help
to neutralize stomach acid. Therefore, the longer you smoke,
the more your body will be unable to keep down the stomach acid.
7. Refrain from
alcohol. You should not be drinking
alcohol if you suffer from acid
reflux symptoms. However if you still want an alcoholic beverage,
then limit yourself to rare occasions.
8. De-stress and
relax. Simply resting your body
and mind can help ease heartburn symptoms. Although, stress is
not directly related to heartburn, it can lead to bodily reactions
that trigger heartburn. When you are under stress, you may not
stick to your regular eating and exercise plan.
9. Select clothes
that are loose fitting. Try
not to wear belts or clothes that are tight fitting around the
waist. This will squeeze the stomach and force food up against
the LES causing food to reflux into the esophagus.
10. Maintain an
acid reflux journal. It is suggested
that you keep a record about your acid
reflux symptoms. Maintaining a journal will help. In your
journal, keep a log of what and when you eat. Then record down
what triggers your acid reflux symptoms and their severity. Observe
your own bodily reactions and what you do to find help. Very
importantly, when you visit your doctor, bring your journal with
you so that you can plan on making appropriate lifestyle changes
with his assistance.
It is possible to treat acid reflux
symptoms with diet and lifestyle changes. Visit http://www.treat-acid-reflux.com
for more information on how you can help yourself.
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