Living with Constant Heartburn? How to Manage Acid Reflux
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Acid reflux is extremely painful and can get in the way of your daily activities.
If you suffer from constant heartburn, you’re probably desperate for ways to get some relief.
With this helpful guide, you’ll discover some practical, effective ways to manage your heartburn so you can get back to worrying about the things that matter to you.
Eat Small Meals, and Eat Them Slowly
If you eat a large meal, your stomach will get full quickly and create a high amount of gastric pressure. This pressure causes acid to flow back into your esophagus, resulting in painful heartburn.
When you eat smaller meals, you’ll allow your stomach to properly digest food at a reasonable pace. You can break the meals into six small ones if you like so you’re still getting the nutrition you need.
Whenever you eat, chew your food slowly and thoroughly. This will ensure that less food enters the stomach and that’s already broken down.
Avoid scarfing down meals no matter how tempting it may be. By eating slowly, you can manage constant heartburn by allowing the chemical messengers in your brain to work alongside the ones in your stomach.
Avoid Triggers That Cause Constant Heartburn
There are several foods and beverages that can send your acid reflux symptoms into overdrive. You likely already know which foods cause your heartburn to trigger, so try to avoid eating or drinking them whenever possible.
Spicy foods and citrus fruits are common culprits along with high amounts of coffee and fruit juice. Pace yourself if you decide to eat these foods and monitor how you feel.
Other things to avoid include alcohol. Drinking alcohol will increase the amount of stomach acid, causing heartburn to flare up almost instantly.
Make a daily log and record everything you eat and drink along with any noticeable symptoms. This process will help you weed out the culprits so you can learn what’s acceptable and what you should avoid altogether.
Greasy, fried food and chocolate are other known heartburn triggers. A good way to prevent dealing with acid reflux is to try and prevent it from happening in the first place with an acid-reducing medication.
Practice Good Anti-Heartburn Habits
Many heartburn sufferers tend to feel the effects most strongly at night. This is because they often lie down directly after eating a meal. Laying down after you eat can trap the food in your upper digestive tract, causing your stomach acid levels to flare.
To prevent this problem, always eat or drink at least two hours before bedtime. If you’re tempted to take a nap after a heavy meal, resist the temptation or take a short nap while sitting upon a recliner or sofa.
When you lay down after a meal, it can cause severe acid reflux that can stay with you for hours. Try to restrict your mealtimes to an early dinner if you have a current sleep schedule.
By creating a meal schedule, it’s much easier to stick to a healthy routine. And on the occasions where you want to enjoy a fun night out and a meal with friends, try to stay aware of how long it’s been after the meal before you hit the hay.
You can also try sleeping with your head propped up using a pillow. This will keep your head higher than your stomach to reduce pressure and keep the contents from rising into the esophagus.
If pillows aren’t cutting it, try any sturdy item you can place under your head as you sleep. Wedge pillows are a good option since they’re comfortable and designed to keep your head elevated all night long.
Try Antacids
An antacid will work quickly to help relieve you of your constant heartburn. Try an H2 blocker that lasts a lot longer and can sometimes provide relief for up to 12 full hours.
If you’re still not getting anywhere, talk to your doctor. They may be able to prescribe you something stronger or recommend a good combination of antacids and a proton pump inhibitor.
Any time you notice that your acid reflux is becoming chronic, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible. A chronic condition means that you’ve been dealing with heartburn for a period of one full week or longer.
Wear Loose Clothing
Anything you wear that’s tight around your stomach will put the squeeze on your body. Tight clothing can force food against your lower esophageal sphincter which in turn causes reflux.
Instead of those skinny jeans, wear loose pants that have elastic. Other items that might cause you to experience heartburn include belts and tight undergarments like shapewear.
Whenever you can, wear clothing that’s comfortable, breathable, and loose. This will keep you from feeling the pain in places like work or school where you’ll likely need to leave to find relief.
Quit Smoking
One of the main causes of constant heartburn is smoking. The habit of smoking will irritate your esophagus and increase the production of stomach acid.
Smoking also decreases saliva, which has been shown to help neutralize stomach acid and slow digestion. When you stop smoking, you’re not only helping your heartburn symptoms, but you’re also making a healthy life improvement.
Quitting smoking can reduce your risk of heart disease and a variety of cancers. If you need help, talk to your doctor about possible smoking cessation options.
Relief Is on the Way
With these simple tips, you can get long-lasting relief from constant heartburn. Be aware of the triggers and avoid bad habits like lying down after a meal, smoking, or wearing tight clothing.
Visit our website for a full selection of heartburn relief options and much more.
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