What Is Acid Reflux? & 10 Smart Diet Tips To Relieve Acid Reflux

Are you experiencing frequent burning pain in the chest after having your meals? Does regurgitation of sour liquid or food irritate you often? If these are your concerns, you might be suffering from acid reflux. Acid reflux is the discomforting condition which results when stomach acid flows back into your esophagus, which connects your throat to your stomach. When acid reflux occurs frequently, it’s called GERD (gastroesophageal reflux). While conventional treatment involving antacids may offer you relief, it’s temporary and may make you suffer from side effects when you use it for a long span. Fortunately, dietary modifications can help you treat the condition naturally and safely with no adverse effects. So, you might be wondering what symptoms of acid reflux are, what causes the overproduction of acid in the stomach, what are the types of acid reflux or GERD, and what foods you should include in your diet plan for acidity and gas for relief, aren’t you? Learn everything about this by reading this blog below

Symptoms of Acid Reflux/GERD

Here are some common symptoms of acid reflux.

• Frequent heartburn

• Sour taste in the mouth

• Chronic hoarseness of the voice

• Recurrent cough

• Aspiration (food rising through the esophagus and returning down the trachea)

• Trouble while swallowing

• Dental issues

• Bloating

• Nausea

What Causes Overproduction of Acid in the Stomach?

Excess stomach acid results due to:

• Helicobacter pylori

1. pylori is a kind of bacteria which damages the tissues of your duodenum and stomach. If you suffer from acute H. pylori bacterial infection in your stomach, it can lead to an increase in stomach acid. Chronic infection is also responsible for increased stomach acid levels.

• Stress

Stress inhibits gastric emptying and disrupts gastrointestinal function. It can also deplete prostaglandins which safeguard the lining of the stomach from gastric acid, thereby increasing your chances of developing ulcers.

• Ulcers

They are commonly observed in people who take high doses of NSAIDs, are infected with H. pylori, and have high-stress levels. All these factors contribute to the increased production of stomach acid.

• Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome

In people suffering from rare inherited genetic issues, such as multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1, happen to have hormone-secreting neuroendocrine tumours called gastrinomas. These tumours produce gastrin, which is a hormone that stimulates the production of stomach acid. The combination of a lot of stomach acid due to high levels of gastrin and the development of ulcers in the small intestine or stomach characterizes ZES, a rare health condition.

• Medications

Medicines such as H2 blockers, proton pump inhibitors and Pepcid, reduce the production of stomach acid. However, if you are taking them regularly and stop them abruptly, you may experience a rebound in the production of stomach acid.

Types of GERD

Frequent acid reflux leads to GERD. Its types are:

• Mild GERD

In this, you experience minimal acid reflux just once or twice a month. Dietary and lifestyle modifications can help you manage the symptoms.

• Moderate GERD

If your gastrointestinal symptoms are frequent enough that they affect your daily activities negatively and make you seek prescribed medication from the doctor, it’s moderate GERD affecting you.

• Severe GERD

When the symptoms of acid reflux are very painful and you fail to get relief even from prescribed medicines, it’s severe GERD. It may affect your quality of life adversely.

• Precancer or Cancer

If frequent acid reflux or GERD is left untreated for several years, the esophagus may develop Barrett’s esophagus, a precancerous condition. The precancerous lesions, if not treated, may lead to the development of esophageal cancer.

10 Effective Diet Tips to Relieve Acid Reflux

Making dietary modifications can help you obtain relief from acid reflux. Here are simple yet highly effective diet tips that can work wonders in promoting relief from acid reflux.

1. Eat Diet High in Fibre

Consuming a diet rich in fibre alleviates your acid reflux symptoms. Add foods abundant in fibre to your diet plan for acidity and gas. Fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, seeds, beans, and nuts are foods that supply you with enough fibre for smooth digestion and minimize acid reflux.

2. Sip Heartburn-friendly Beverages

If you are wondering what juice is good for acid reflux, go for carrot juice, cabbage juice, and juices extracted from beet, watermelon, pears, and spinach. You can have non-citrus juices, decaffeinated teas, plain water, and low-fat or non-fat milk. Make sure you avoid citrus juices, sodas, tomato juice, carbonated drinks, and alcoholic beverages.

3. Avoid Foods That Cause Acid Reflux

Refrain from consuming spicy foods, fatty foods, chocolate, garlic, tomatoes, onions, tea, coffee, mint, and alcohol, as these can trigger acid reflux. If you are eating any of these regularly, work to eliminate them from your diet to mitigate reflux symptoms.

4. Eat Food Sparingly and Slowly

When your stomach is quite full, greater reflux may occur in the esophagus. So, when following a diet chart for acidity patient, consume small meals more frequently instead of eating three large meals a day.

5. Drink Some Water After Every Meal

After you relish meals, drink a small quantity of water before getting up from your plate. Drinking water at the end of meals helps dilute or wash down stomach acid that otherwise may rise into the esophagus.

6. Avoid High-Fat Meals

High-fat meals happen to stay in the stomach for longer which can trigger acid reflux. Also, fried or greasy food can weaken the LES (lower esophageal sphincter) muscle. So, avoid eating delicacies and foods that have plenty of unhealthy fat.

7. Say No to Smoking and Alcohol Intake

Smoking or drinking alcohol before, during, or post meals can cause heartburn. Also, these unhealthy habits can weaken the LES muscle. So, if you wish to obtain relief from acid reflux symptoms, work on quitting smoking and curb your intake of alcohol.

8. Stay Up after Eating

Gravity helps keep the acid in the stomach down and prevents reflux when you are standing and sitting. However, if you lie down immediately after eating or some time post your meals, you may suffer from acid reflux. So, avoid naps immediately after meals, snacks, and late suppers. Make sure that you have your meals three hours before you go to bed even when you are following an acidity diet chart.

9. Avoid Vigorous or Strenuous Workouts after Meals

Doing vigorous exercises or getting involved in strenuous activities after having your meals is bound to trigger acid reflux. Taking a stroll after dinner is healthy but engaging in running or any exercise putting pressure on your stomach is a  big no.  Make sure that you do no activity that involves bending over that sends gastric acid back into the esophagus. If you wish to practice any exercise, wait at least 2 hours after your meals.

10. Reduce Your Weight if You are Obese

Having a lot of belly fat or being obese or overweight can exert pressure against the stomach and this can make the stomach acid rise into the esophagus. So, consult a dietician who would provide you with a diet plan for acidity and gas that also promotes weight loss.

So, if you are suffering from frequent heartburn and acid reflux and wish to obtain relief from the discomforts naturally, resort to dietary modifications. Consulting dieticians, such as health experts at Health Total, can help you receive a personalized diet plan for acidity and gas comprising all nutritious foods that prevent stomach acid reflux. We take care to eliminate foods that stimulate acid reflux from your diet. Our acidity diet chart not only alleviates your acid reflux symptoms but also nourishes you, manages your weight, improves your immunity, and reduces the risk of potential health hazards. So, be quick, reach out to us at Health Total, and obtain relief from your acid reflux discomforts naturally and safely with our customized diet plan for acidity and gas.

Sign up for a FREE consultation with Health Total experts to get more tips on obtaining relief from acid reflux naturally or for managing any other health condition. Call toll-free at 1-800-843-0206 and book an appointment!