Acid reflux is accompanied by a burning sensation in the chest. Everyone has occasionally experienced this painful symptom. Among all the digestive conditions, the seriousness of heartburn can range from mild to severe.
Here are the 8 things you can do to prevent heartburn
- Sleep on your Left Side
Our digestive tract is structured in such a way the esophagus runs down the mouth and connects to the stomach from its right side. The door between the stomach and esophagus, which we call a sphincter, remains at a higher level when we sleep on the left side.
- Keep your Head Elevated While Lying Down
Scientific studies have shown that many people experience acid reflux only at night due to their position during sleep. This, not only causes heartburn but also makes falling asleep a difficult task.
- Increase the Time Between Dinner and Sleep
It is advised by all professional gastroenterologists to have dinner earlier before going to bed. This advice is given to prevent a wide range of digestive conditions and therefore, helps in reducing heartburn too.
- Shift to Piece Meals Diet Plan
Acid reflux is generally caused after taking a meal. Sometimes, you may have experienced, having more than 2 big meals in a day exaggerates the symptom of heartburn.
- Cut Down your Body Weight
There is a condition known as hiatal hernia which is commonly seen in people with obesity. In this condition, the amount of pressure on the esophageal sphincter created by belly fat increases to the point of pushing this sphincter up from the abdomen against the diaphragm.
- Reduce Carbohydrate Intake
Low carb diets, high protein diets may be the things you have heard in these years continually. This is because recent studies have shown that diets decrease the symptoms of heartburn.
- Reduce your Alcohol Intake
It’s a no-brainer that drinking alcohol increases the risk and severity of acid reflux. Alcohol stimulates the acidity in the stomach and relaxes the lower esophagus sphincter.
- Limit your Coffee Intake
As coffee acts to relax muscles of the body, this applies to the esophagus sphincter too. This can cause heartburn. However, there are not enough studies to support that one cup of coffee per day worsens the symptoms of acid reflux.
