Are you, or someone you know, struggling with acid reflux? This health issue is not uncommon. Fortunately, there are a variety of lifestyle factors that can put you in control of this issue, as well as affordable supplements to help stymie acid reflux.
What Exactly Is Acid Reflux?
Acid reflux is the occurrence of stomach acid rising up into the tube connecting the mouth and the stomach, known as the esophagus, per
mayoclinic.com. This occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter, which allows food you've consumed to pass into the stomach, doesn't function properly.
It is quite common for most people to experience acid reflux at some point in time. However, some people experience acid reflux on a regular basis; This pattern is known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), pe
mayoclinic.com. Another name for acid reflux is heartburn, as the primary symptom of acid reflux is a mild-to-moderate burning sensation in the chest area.
Causes of Acid Reflux
It is good news (depending on how you look at it) that acid reflux commonly occurs as a result of certain lifestyle factors – you have a large part in preventing it. However, this is not always the case. Per
mayoclinic.com, factors such as pregnancy and certain medical disorders (e.g., scleroderma, a disease of the skin), can be responsible for acid reflux.
However, the lifestyle factors for acid reflux are common enough that they are very often responsible for its occurrence. These factors include obesity, eating late at night, the consumption of certain triggering foods such as those high in fat or grease, and smoking.
Lifestyle Factors to Consider
The following actions are steps you can take to actively remedy and/or prevent acid reflux.
Avoiding certain foods is a critical way to help avoid acid reflux. Per
health.harvard.edu, foods that are spicy, acidic, or especially fatty have the potential to contribute to acid reflux. They recommend eliminating foods such as mint, spicy foods, tomatoes, onions, coffee, alcohol, and chocolate. If doing so leads to a decrease or halting of your acid reflux, this is a good sign. They recommend next trying one of these foods at a time, to see which of them cause acid reflux, and then eliminating those for good.
Avoid overeating. Per
healthline.com, having consumed too much food can lead to increased pressure on the esophageal sphincter, in turn causing it to malfunction and leak acid into the esophagus. Eating smaller meals, and eating more sparingly, are good alternative habits to adopt. Considering that acid reflux most commonly occurs after a meal, reducing meal sizes is an excellent recommendation.
Losing excess weight, while requiring some effort, is an excellent and worthwhile means to decrease the incidence of acid reflux. Per
healthline.com, excess belly fat leads to increased pressure on the diaphragm – the muscle above the stomach and below the esophagus responsible for breathing. When pressure on the diaphragm is increased, so is pressure on the esophageal sphincter. If excess weight is the cause of your acid reflux, then losing the weight is a very worthwhile undertaking.
Supplements to Help Relieve Acid Reflux
Antacids can be useful in remedying acid reflux that is minor and acute in nature. Per
medicalnewstoday.com, antacids help to neutralize stomach acid. The common active ingredients in antacids are calcium, magnesium, and/or aluminum. Antacids are commonly and cheaply available in supplement form. While antacids are certainly useful in treating the heartburn that occurs with acid reflux, they are not a solution to the root problem.
D-limonene is a compound which helps to neutralize stomach acid, per
exploredwellness.com. It does so by forming a barrier at the top of the stomach, which helps to prevent stomach acid from leaking into the esophagus.
Zinc is a substance useful in regulating acid secretion in the stomach, as well as ensuring good digestive health all around, per
exploredwellness.com. It plays an important role in helping to heal the mucous membranes of the stomach, and protects them from degrading. While it does not
prevent acid reflux, it may help lessen the amount of stomach acid that is produced.
Acid reflux is uncomfortable, but hopefully one of the remedies above will give you some relief.
