Lifestyle and Acid Reflux -- 7 Helpful Tips

Lifestyle and Acid Reflux -- 7 Helpful Tips
By: Fallon Cullerne

Our overall health can be influenced by lifestyle choices to a surprising degree. Acid reflux is one of those areas, and if your doctor has diagnosed this condition, you will want to investigate how you can control the symptoms as much as possible to live more comfortably. The disease won't easily go away, unfortunately, but its effects can be tamed and sometimes prevented by making a few lifestyle changes. The following seven tips are a great place to start.

1. Reduce Meal Sizes

If you typically eat three big meals a day, try adjusting your schedule to taking six small daily meals instead. This can help to prevent you from overeating. When your stomach gets too full, there is an increased amount of gastric pressure. Overeating is a major cause of acid reflux flare-ups, so stick to smaller meals and give your stomach a break. Eating more slowly can also help to reduce your discomfort.

2. No Bedtime Snacks

Don't eat or drink anything for at least two hours before going to bed. If you typically take an afternoon nap, try doing it in a chair. Lying down on a full stomach will cause the contents of your stomach to press against the lower esophagus, increasing the chances of acid reflux.

3. Choose Foods Carefully

Acid reflux can be triggered by a host of common foods and beverages. They either increase acid production, and thus gastric pressure, or relax the lower esophagus muscle, leading to the reflux. Foods that trigger your own heartburn should certainly be avoided. Write down a list of what you know cause this in you, perhaps spicy foods, juice or citrus foods, coffee, and so on. These irritate the esophagus lining in many people. Especially at dinner, avoid these foods and you can avoid nighttime heartburn. If you don't have a list of heartburn suspects, keep a record for a couple of weeks to keep track of foods to avoid.

4. Quit Smoking and Reduce Alcohol

Another smart step in reducing acid reflux is avoiding alcohol consumption. Alcohol has two problems: it creates stomach acid, and relaxes the muscle of the lower esophagus. When relaxed, that muscle can allow stomach contents to reflux back into the esophagus. Consuming very small amounts of alcohol might be okay, but keep an eye on your reactions. And stop smoking as soon as you can if you have digestion problems. Along with dozens of other health concerns, smoking stimulates production of stomach acid, and of course that leads to greater acid reflux symptoms.

5. Sleep Smart

The basic laws of gravity apply here. If you sleep with your head higher than your torso, the contents of your stomach are more likely to stay where they belong. Purchase a wedge-shaped pillow to keep your head and shoulders elevated. You can also try propping the legs of your bed with bricks or blocks to create an incline. Adjustable beds are also excellent choices.

6. Loosen Up the Waistband

Tight clothing can constrict your stomach, squeezing food in your stomach against your lower esophagus. Of course, we know where this will lead! So loosen that belt, or buy clothing with adjustable waistlines or elastic support. Be free and loose, and your stomach will thank you.

7. Get More Relaxed

Stress may not have a close relationship with heartburn, at least researchers have not found one yet, but it still may be implicated in acid reflux. Stress may be more of a precursor to the problem. In any case, it is a good idea to use relaxation techniques to help reduce stress, and help you avoid heartburn inducing behavior.

Some health conditions aren't caused by a single factor; they're the result of many factors making up one big problem. Trying various lifestyle changes can add up to big relief from chronic acid reflux.