Dealing with acid reflux can be a painful and very disheartening condition. With the right information, anyone can learn to make the condition more tolerable. Continue reading for more details.

If you are a smoker, it is high-time to throw out the cigarettes once and for all. Smoking worsens acid reflux disease. It slows both digestion and saliva production, while encouraging the body to produce more stomach acid. In addition, the sphincter of your esophagus can become weaker. Therefore, quitting the cigarettes must be a priority.

Fat around your stomach doesn’t just put you at increased risk of type II diabetes, heart disease and stroke, it also causes you to be more likely to develop acid reflux or will worsen symptoms if you are already a sufferer. Lose weight by exercising moderately and eating low-fat, low-acid foods.

Make Best Iowa Department of Public Health?

Stay upright after eating. It can be quite helpful if you stay sitting or standing for at least two to three hours after you eat a meal. This will give your food time to digest and help keep your acid reflux symptoms down to a minimum. If you must lie down, do your best to elevate your body above your waist.

The food you consume each day will make a difference in your reflux. Avoiding acidic foods, peppers, greasy foods and alcoholic beverages could help. These foods and drinks could be causing the problem. Also, avoid eating less than three hours before you bed time. Going to bed with a full stomach could make for a rough night and morning.

Limit the amount of drinks you have when you eat. Beverages can add volume to the food that you digest and increase how distended your stomach is. Having a full stomach puts some pressure on your LES or lower esophageal sphincter, which is responsible for keeping food from getting back into the esophagus. This increases your chances for having reflux. To lower chances, take small sips when eating and try drinking your beverages between meals instead of during meals.

Losing some weight can help with your acid reflux. Being overweight can contribute to heartburn. The extra pounds can cause excess pressure on the stomach making the LES or lower esophageal sphincter relax causing backflow. Extra body fat can also release some chemicals that interfere with normal digestion. Losing a few pounds can relieve many of these symptoms and keep heartburn to a minimum.

Do not smoke. If you smoke now, do your best to stop and if you don’t smoke, do not pick up the habit. If you smoke, quit. Smoking has the ability to cause your lower esophageal sphincter to fail and not be able to do its job of blocking stomach acid.

Try drinking less during a meal to help with your acid reflux. Liquids can cause food to expand in your body, and they increase the volume of foods inside of your body. Instead, consider eating your meals first, and then enjoy your beverage about fifteen minutes after your meal is through.

Learn to manage the stress in your life if you’ve been experiencing frequent symptoms of acid reflux. A nervous stomach will certainly exacerbate your problem and make diagnosing the real causes difficult. Eat in a calm environment and savor each bite. Forget about the stress in your life at least during the meal; it’s better for your mind and body.

Anyone that suffers from acid reflux can definitely describe the pain and irritation. Learning the appropriate treatments can help you stay away from acid reflux over the long term. You can provide relief for yourself and your loved ones if you use this advice.

Make Best Iowa Department of Public Health?