Acid Reflux - Calm Your Gut in 9 Easy Ways

Acid reflux is considered one of the more common ailments besieging the American population. According to recent studies, acid reflux is so rampant that it affects nearly 20 million Americans.

The symptoms of acid reflux can be so discomforting to go unnoticed. That burning sensation behind the chest bone accompanied by the all-too familiar pressure in the chest and the telltale sour taste in the mouth can be so disturbing that fast relief.

Here is good news! You do not need to go on suffering from the symptoms of acid reflux. To ease or maybe even prevent discomfort caused by acid reflux, just follow these simple rules.

1. Loosen it up! If you like to wear tight fitting clothes, you may be in for a very discomforting situation. Studies indicate that wearing tight fitting clothes may aggravate your acid reflux. Belts, pantyhose and waistbands may put undue stress on the stomach and send off stomach contents back up into the esophagus. It would be better idea to go for more comfortable clothes instead to reduce stress build-up in your middle.

2. Reduce stress. In addition to your regular exercise, why not try to incorporate listening to music or other stress-reducing activities to your routine? Stress is also a well-known aggressor of acid reflux and reducing stress will definitely give you a better chance against this discomforting condition.

3. No alcohol and no nicotine. Drinking and smoking are two of the most common factor, which makes acid reflux worse. Alcohol and nicotine cause the muscles of the esophagus to loosen which can trigger the onset of acid reflux. In addition, alcohol adds up to the acidity of the stomach contents, which also aggravates the condition.

4. Maintain a healthy body weight. Being overweight increases your chance of suffering from acid reflux. The excess body weight puts additional pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter, which in turn triggers acid reflux.

5. Make gravity work for you! Why not make gravity your ally? Nighttime acid reflux can be significantly worse than daytime acid reflux since it can cause greater damage in your esophagus, not to mention that it may also keep you up. To resolve these bedtime triggers, make sure that you elevate your head using extra pillows to keep you in a more upright position as you sleep.

6. Load up on fiber-rich foods. Vegetables, fruits and multi-grain bread and cereals are all good for you. Fiber-rich foods will not only help you lose weight, they can also help minimize acid reflux. Fiber-rich foods are scientifically proven to minimize stomach acidity and aid in the digestion of foods. Hence, loading up with these kinds of foods may help you a lot in dealing with your acid reflux and losing weight.

7. Walk away from acid reflux. Cardiovascular activities may help you in warding off an acid reflux episode since they improve circulation and accelerate weight loss. Walking is a great form of exercise and it can definitely help you in keeping acid reflux at bay.

8. Eat smaller portions at mealtime. Eating too much at any one time causes the stomach to expand way above normal capacity. This puts you in the danger zone. Doing so can sent off the excess food and stomach acids back into the esophagus. If this does triggers your acid reflux. You are better off eating smaller portions several times during the day.

9. Avoid lying down right after a meal. If your idea of rest puts you in a prone position right after a meal, well, think again! This may induce a change in your stomach pressure and trigger the backflow of stomach acid. To avoid this from happening, make sure that you eat your dinner at least 3 to 4 hours going to bed.