If you’re one of the millions of adults who has heartburn or acid reflux, then you’ve probably also noticed how it can wreak havoc on your social life.
Not only are you dealing with having an uncomfortable sensation in your body that makes it hard to relax and enjoy yourself at parties, family gatherings and other get-togethers, but studies have shown that you may face more than just the discomfort. GERD is associated with a multitude of health problems that range from heart disease to weight gain, to anxiety and depression.
Although medications often provide immediate relief from heartburn, many lifestyle changes can also help you reduce symptoms and improve your quality of life. Modifying some daily habits such as eating smaller meals more frequently throughout the day, avoiding overeating and eating before lying down, and chewing gum after eating may help relieve heartburn for individuals with GERD.
If you believe that you will benefit from medication, speak with your healthcare provider about all treatment options available to you. For millions of people with heartburn and reflux, relief can be as close as a tube of sugar-free gum in the purse or pocket. New research has shown that chewing gum made with bicarbonate degrades the acid that causes reflux — a natural way to neutralize stomach acids that may help relieve heartburn and GERD symptoms within minutes.
You might think that sleeping on your side is comfortable. But that may not be true when you're prone to nighttime reflux. When you're face-down, the stomach acid in your esophagus collects and refluxes into the lower part of your esophagus (also known as "acid pocket").
This collection process can be uncomfortable and make it harder to fall asleep. And you'll likely feel worse in the morning if this has kept you awake through the night.
Changing the position that you sleep in by elevating the head of your bed could help reduce symptoms of acid reflux and improve sleep quality. Many people experience heartburn or regurgitation when they lie down after eating.
The problem is worse for people who have severe gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or who have had esophageal surgery. So it’s often recommended that these people sleep with their head higher than their chest. Many people experience heartburn or regurgitation when they lie down after eating.
The problem is worse for people who have severe gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or who have had esophageal surgery. So it’s often recommended that these people sleep with their head higher than their chest. If you’re suffering from acid reflux and are looking to change your diet, there are a few things to consider.
First of all, low carbohydrate diets can help. When you follow a low-carb diet, your body turns to burning fat instead since carbs aren’t available for energy – which helps prevent heartburn, indigestion and abdominal bloating. Thousands of people around the world have benefited from eating much less than before. Our stomach is an amazing organ.
Producing millions of nanoscopic pumps, it churns out thousands of liters of highly acidic gastric juices every day to help us digest our food. Unfortunately, sometimes we experience the unpleasant side effects; in between meals we may find ourselves with a burning sensation in our chest, acid leaking up and causing heartburn.
If you are overweight or obese, have a potbelly, or the fat around your waist has been large, soft and protuberant for several years, then you may have a condition called a hiatal hernia. It’s not what it sounds like. A hiatal hernia is not caused by anything that you eat or swallow. Instead, a hiatal hernia occurs when the opening to your stomach (called the esophagus-not your esophagus ) moves up into your chest through an opening in your diaphragm muscle and creates a direct passageway between your esophagus and your stomach.
The good news is, it's pretty easy to stay away from alcohol when you have acid reflux. Even having one drink may trigger symptoms for a substantial amount of time following the drink. The acidity in alcohol is what causes your symptoms, and there are lots of great alternatives for drinking without worrying about raising your risk for heartburn. For example, if you want to enjoy a relaxed drink with friends at a party, try carbonated beverages like club soda or seltzer water, which help neutralize the acid in your system.
It's not uncommon for people to try and ease their reflux by drinking coffee or wine. While colas do have some special ingredients added to help neutralize acid, we don't recommend them. Studies have shown that even small sips could cause a bout of reflux, especially if you already suffer from GERD. If you're worried about what it is you eat or drink, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about ways you can cope with heartburn.. Coffee may worsen acid reflux for some people.
Although several studies suggest that coffee and caffeine may worsen acid reflux, the evidence is not entirely conclusive. For example, one analysis of observational studies found no significant effects of coffee intake on the self-reported symptoms of GERD (acid reflux). Yet, when researchers investigated the signs of acid reflux with a small camera, they found coffee consumption was linked to greater acid damage in the esophagus. Peppermint and spearmint can be used to make a variety of foods, drinks, and hygiene products.
Peppermint most commonly comes in the form of a candy cane or loose leaf tea. Spearmint is a little harder to find as a food product, because it tends to have less flavor than peppermint. There are also other types of mint, but peppermint is the most common and provides many of the benefits that result from eating mint. Menthol, found in peppermint and spearmint, can worsen heartburn and GERD symptoms in some people. Menthol triggers the release of gastric juices that can irritate your stomach lining.
Certain studies show that peppermint oil could decrease lower esophageal sphincter pressure, which could cause heartburn. You could try using an antacid, avoiding mint altogether, and/or seeing a doctor if you experience heartburn after consuming peppermint or spearmint. While citrus juice probably doesn’t cause acid reflux directly, it could make your heartburn worse temporarily. While citrus juice probably doesn’t cause acid reflux directly, it could make your heartburn worse temporarily.
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