Do you feel your stomach and chest burning after eating late-night snacks? Are you frequently troubled by acidity due to irregular meal times? If yes, here are some simple lifestyle tips to help you avoid acid reflux and keep this condition at bay.
What you need to know:
Understanding acid reflux
Acid reflux is a prevalent health issue caused by the excessive production of stomach acid, which causes a burning sensation. The esophagus, the tube that links the mouth to the stomach, is protected by the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). This sphincter opens to allow food and liquid into the stomach and shuts to prevent the backflow of stomach acid. However, if the LES is weakened or relaxes inappropriately, it can cause stomach acid to rise to your esophagus, resulting in acid reflux.
Causes and symptoms
Here are some common causes of acid reflux:
- Stomach abnormalities: One common cause of acid reflux disease is a hiatal hernia, which can occur in people of any age. A hiatal hernia happens when the upper part of the stomach and LES move above the diaphragm, the muscle wall separating your stomach from your chest. When it works correctly, the diaphragm typically prevents acid from rising into the esophagus. But if you have a hiatal hernia, acid can more easily move up into the esophagus.
- Pregnancy: Many women experience acid reflux for the first time during pregnancy. This is caused by increasing levels of hormones combined with pressure from the growing fetus. The symptoms almost always go away after delivery.
- Smoking: Smoking contributes to acid reflux disease in the following manner:
- Damaging mucus membranes
- Impairing muscle reflexes in the throat
- Increasing acid secretion
- Reducing salivation, which neutralizes the effect of acid
- Other causes: Here are some common causes that can lead to acid reflux:
- Consuming excessive amounts of any food, mainly if it’s oily, processed, or spicy.
- Eating food and then immediately lying down.
- Insufficient physical activity and sleep.
- Experiencing stress and anxiety.
Here are some common acid reflux symptoms that you can experience:
- Feeling a sharp burning sensation in your chest, throat, and stomach.
- Experiencing nausea accompanied by sour-tasting belches, also known as regurgitation.
- Bloating and abdominal pain.
- Experiencing pain in the chest that could sometimes be confused with heart attack symptoms.
Dietary management of acid reflux in summer
Here are some standard dietary management techniques for acid reflux that you can follow this summer:
Foods to avoid
The following food items can trigger acid reflux. Therefore, avoid including them in your diet:
- Processed snacks that are high in sodium and spices
- Chips, pizzas, nachos
- Fried fast foods like burgers and fries
- Excess caffeine intake
- Street food items like samosa or oily chinese food
- Processed meats like sausages or bacon
- Carbonated drinks like soda or energy drinks with high dietary fat
Foods to embrace
Here are some food types that you can consume to prevent acid reflux:
- Alkaline foods
Incorporating alkaline foods into your diet can help maintain your blood’s pH balance and reduce the risk of acid reflux. Items such as apples, bananas, various melons, nuts, cucumbers, lettuce, whole grains, coconut water, and infused water contribute to healthy blood pH levels and serve as indirect remedies for acidity. Add seasonal fruits to your diet as they are packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
- Sabja seeds and mint leaves
Buttermilk combined with mint leaves and sabja seeds offers quick relief from acid reflux. The lactic acid in buttermilk aids in breaking down complex foods, while the coolness of mint leaves soothes the burning sensation associated with heartburn. Mint leaves, known for their healing properties, can significantly alleviate discomfort. Eat foods rich in omega-3 and omega-6 for prostaglandin production, which helps in mucous secretion.
While some food items can help you manage acid reflux, you should also make lifestyle changes to stay healthy and realize your fullest potential. If you want a personalized fitness plan, visit a healthcare expert and stave off acid reflux forever.
Stay tuned to the Activ Living Community. Keep updated with the latest health tips and trends through expert videos, podcasts, articles, and much more in nutrition, fitness, mindfulness, and lifestyle conditions like Asthma, Blood Pressure, Cholesterol, and Diabetes. Activ Living ke saath sahi sehat ki shuruaat ABHIkaro.
You may also be interested in the following blogs:
- 7 Alkaline Foods to Include In Your Daily Diet Plan
- Nausea vs Vomiting: Tips To Prevent Nausea & Vomiting
Popular Searches
How to lower blood pressure | Fruits good for liver | Unhealthy foods | Ragi Benefits | Basal Metabolic Rate | Acupressure points for High Blood Pressure | Ayurvedic medicine for blood pressure | How to control cholesterol at home | Homeopathy for Asthma | Biological Age | Home remedies for TB | Natural beta blockers | Negative effects of internet | Types of walking | Blood pressure calculator | Blood sugar calculator | BMI Calculator