If you suffer from acid reflux, you are one in literally tens of millions in this country. Acid reflux affect most adults at one point or another. Instead of just suffering through the pain, take the steps necessary to prevent these symptoms from occurring in the first place. The article below will show you how.
Keep stomach acid in your stomach by elevating the top of your mattress with a wedge. Prop your mattress with a plank or some book to make sure your head is elevated. Electronically controlled beds are optimal to use if you want to do this.
Avoid eating large quantities of food that contain a lot of acid. This may cause you to experience heartburn and other acid reflux symptoms. These foods include grapefruit, vinegar, lemons and tomatoes. If you are going to eat these foods, make sure that you are very mindful of the portion size.
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Keep a journal. If you can track when and what you are doing when you have an acid attack, you might be able to alter your life to eliminate those attacks. Write down what you eat, what you have done that day and if you have had any discomforts. You may be surprised at what you find and how easy it is to eliminate some of your problems.
Certain foods will cause your acid reflex to act up. Chocolate is one of them, unfortunately. Also try to avoid mint, ketchup, mustard and even mint. If you are able to change your diet even just a little bit, you should feel much better and should have less episodes going forward.
If you are overweight, try shedding some pounds. Being overweight can increase the severity of your acid reflux. This occurs because excess body fat can increase the pressure in your stomach and cause your lower esophageal sphincter muscle to relax, which causes food to come up. Lose weight and watch your acid reflux improve.
If over the counter medicine isn't giving you acid reflux relief, try pineapple for a more natural solution. Pineapple contains bromelain, which has been shown to lessen acid reflux symptoms. Bromelain is only present in fresh pineapple or fresh pineapple juice, however. Canned pineapple and store bought juices will not contain bromelain.
If you are overweight, your recurring acid reflux problem could be caused by your extra pounds. Focus on losing some weight in your midsection to reduce the pressure on your stomach and make digestion easier. You can easily get in shape by doing some abs and adopting a healthier diet.
Exercise regularly but moderately. Your acid reflux problem should not be as bad if you are in shape and live an active lifestyle. Avoid exercising intensely or your stomach could become upset. You could for instance go for walks everyday or find a new hobby that allows you to be more active.
As was mentioned at earlier in this article, millions of Americans have the unfortunate experience of having to deal with acid reflux. If you are one of them, make sure that you implement the tips mentioned above. Not only will you alleviate your symptoms now, but you'll prevent them from occurring int he future.