Acid reflux, also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), is a condition that involves the acid that is found in the stomach. This acid builds up and then flows back into the esophagus and throat causing pain and a burning sensation. The burning sensation that comes accompanied with reflux is known as "heartburn," and this pain can also be felt in the chest. When it comes to curing acid reflux, the steps include eliminating lifestyle and dietary habits that can promote it and acquiring lifestyle and dietary habits that can help it.
Helping the Heartburn
Step 1
Elevate your bed. When you lie down for long periods of time, the acid in your stomach has an easier time flowing back up into the esophagus ,which can exacerbate your symptoms. To stop this from happening, elevate the top of your bed so you are at a slight downward angle.
Step 2
Keep your portions respectable. Eating large amounts of food in single settings can cause the stomach to release a lot of acid. Keep your portion sizes smaller to prevent this from happening. This is especially the case with your last meal of the day, since it is the one you eat before bed.
Step 3
Eliminate the trigger foods. There are various foods in particular that can flare up acid reflux, and they should be avoided. The worst of all is deep-fried foods and fast foods, as they are high in saturated fat and they cause the stomach to release a lot of acid to help break them down. Some other foods to avoid include peppermint, chocolate, soda, chili pepper, black pepper and tomatoes.
Step 4
Add some alkaline foods to your diet. Acid in the body can be neutralized by eating foods and drinking beverages that have a high alkalinity. Some of these include cucumbers, celery, sprouts, apples, avocados and greens. You can also make alkaline water by adding a few cucumber slices to it.
Step 5
Break the habits. Smoking and drinking are already known for their negative impact on the lungs, kidneys, liver and brain. But they are also contributors to acid reflux. Smoking slows down digestion, it stimulates acid and it also makes the acid more potent by eliminating bile salts from the intestines. Alcohol, especially beer, causes an increase of stomach acid secretion.
Tips and Warnings
- To add further protection with your meals, instead of eating two to three big meals a day, eat five to six smaller meals a day.
Things You'll Need
- Pillows
- Healthy foods
