Home Remedies to Quickly Deal with Acid Reflux
A few home remedies or treatments are definitely worth trying before resorting to medicines for controlling acid reflux.
Acid reflux or heartburn can cause a burning and painful sensation in your throat or chest.
However, most people are familiar with painful & burning sensations in the center of their chest that are linked with acid reflux. Before you know about home remedies or treatments, it is necessary to understand what is acid reflux.
How does acid reflux feel and what causes it?
Acid reflux also called gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) happens when your stomach acid & food come back up in the esophagus. It might be an occasional problem or you might have frequent symptoms in the form of a persistent condition called gastroesophageal reflux disease.
You need to know that acid reflux is a digestive problem that affects several people including infants and older adults. One can suffer from GERD at any age. However, with the right home remedies, you can treat this condition easily.
This disorder happens when the muscle at the bottom of the esophagus permits your stomach content to move upward.
While suffering from acid reflux, experiencing heartburn is common. You can experience this, especially after having a big meal.
Sometimes, acid reflux can be painful and might be caused by particular conditions.
You will experience heartburn, while other symptoms can also include:
- Bad breath
- An unpleasant sour taste in mouth
- Bloating and feeling sick
- Recurring cough or hiccups
- Hoarse voice
If you lie down or bend over after eating then some symptoms can become worse.
Though anyone can experience acid reflux, certain conditions can increase chances:
- Smoking
- Being overweight
- Certain medicines like calcium channel blockers, some asthma medicines, benzodiazepines, NSAIDs
- Being pregnant
Home treatments to deal with acid reflux
If you are struggling with recurrent acid reflux symptoms then here are some remedies that can help you.
Quit smoking
You must know that smoking always hurts your overall health.
Several people are unaware that smoke, even second-hand smoke can increase your risk of experiencing acid reflux.
The lower esophageal sphincter (LES) is a valve present between the esophagus and stomach.
This lower esophageal sphincter prevents your stomach acid from flowing back into the esophagus.
Smoking is responsible for decreasing pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter, causing acid reflux.
However, when you quit smoking, this pressure is normalized and chances of experiencing acid reflux are reduced.
Eat small portions and chew them properly
Large meals are responsible for bringing on large amounts of acid in your body. When you stuff your stomach, abdominal pressure is added and acid reflux increases automatically.
However, eating small portions of food is often a tried-and-true heartburn home remedy that one can try. By eating less, you lose weight and your symptoms of acid reflux condition also decrease.
In case, weight is not a problem and your portions seem right then try to divide your three meals into five mini-meals.
Instead of eating a sandwich, have fruits & salad for lunch, and fruits for snack time.
Manage your weight
Though heartburn can happen to anyone, acid reflux seems to be most common in adults who are overweight. Excess weight mainly in your abdominal area puts too much pressure on your stomach,
This further leads to an increased risk of stomach acid which goes back into your esophagus and causes heartburn. By opting for a balanced diet and doing regular exercise, it is easy to manage weight.
If losing your weight can be an option for easing your acid reflux symptoms then talk to a doctor once.
Avoid certain food items
Certain food items increase your chance of experiencing acid reflux or worsen your symptoms.
When suffering from acid reflux, you must avoid the following foods:
- Garlic
- Coffee
- Mint
- Onions
- Fatty foods
- Chocolate
- Alcohol
- Spicy foods
- Tea
If you eat any of these foods daily then try to eliminate them to check whether your reflux symptoms are controlled.
Later, you can start to add them back into your diet one by one.
Right after eating, avoid lying flat
When you lay down with a stomach full of food, it can trigger acid reflux and worsen your heartburn symptoms.
It is better to avoid eating within 2-3 hours of your bedtime so that your stomach gets enough time to get empty.
Add fiber to your diet
The more you eat fiber, the less likely it is to experience acid reflux or GERD.
Here are some food items that contain fiber and should be added to your diet:
- Apple
- Brown rice
- Whole grains
- Chickpeas
- Kidney beans
- Dried fruit
- Flaxseed
Herbal tea
Replacing beverages with decaffeinated herbal teas like fennel tea, and green tea can reduce acid reflux occurring.
Herbal teas aid in improving digestion and also ease your symptoms like nausea or dizziness.
Therefore, home treatments can be effective, affordable, and quick ways to reduce acid reflux symptoms. You can check Acid reducer Medicines which are helpful in treating acid reflux.
