In what ways does acid reflux cause an unpleasant experience to any person?
Acid reflux is a sign of indigestion which surfaces in the form of stomach acid reaching the esophagus. It will cause a burning sensation in the chest, creating chances to vomit eaten food matter out of your physical body in the form of waste.
It can create a condition like diarrhea or inflammatory bowel disease. Your stomach also gets swollen in this situation and you would experience the tendency of frequently going to the loo and discharging stool.
Frequent experience of acid reflux will disturb your normal life and it will not let you do your work properly.
It is really a need to go through the process of acid reflux treatment if the problem of acid reflux or GERD persists more than a week’s time. You can also suffer from peptic ulcer disease.
As a matter of fact, doctor will conduct upper gastrointestinal endoscopy to determine the acid reflux causes
Reasons for acid reflux
In most cases of GERD or acid reflux, we are actually responsible for it. Either it is the consumption of the wrong diet. To elaborate in a better way, we would come across the following issues:
1) Consumption of wrong diet
The food that cause acid reflux are Orange, tomato, lemon, onions, chocolate, cheese and peppermint go well with the stomach acid and make you suffer a lot. These food items are rich in acidic properties and unhealthy fats.
2) Dependence on alcoholism and addictive items
Alcoholism, smoking and stress can increase the level of pitta dosha in the body. These things will raise the level of toxicity in the body and make you suffer from acid reflux, diarrhea or dysentery.
3) Eating in odd hours or wrong eating pattern
It is also your overeating habit, eating fast or in odd hours which can damage your digestive system.
4) Hormonal Imbalance
Rise in hormonal levels like progesterone and estrogen can make the people suffer from acid reflux frequently.
5) Dependence on painkillers
Consumption of ibuprofen can raise the level of acidity and make us suffer from acidity and diarrhea.
Acid Reflux Symptoms
It is really very necessary to disclose the acid reflux symptoms which are actually highlighted below:
1) Recurring hiccups.
2) Cracking in the voice.
3) Foul smell in your breathing
4) Stomach getting swollen and feeling unhealthy.
It is then only that a gastroenterologist will come up with the right medication or remedy for the acid reflux. He will be measuring the level of acidity in your stomach. He will also verify to what extent the regular acid reflux has actually damaged the esophagus. And then he will prescribe acid reflux cure for the patients.
You can choose to recover from this discomforting situation by choosing either:
1) Prescription medication as given by the allopathic doctor. Selecting the wrong medicine will you suffer from lot of problems in your body and that includes side effects in form of :
a) Nausea and vomiting.b) Fever
c) Deficiency in minerals like vitamin B1 and magnesium levels.
d) Moreover, medicines like prevacid, dexilant, and Protonix will calm down the problem of acid reflux for a short period of time. Otherwise, it can show a relapsing effect.
Or
2) Home remedies for acid reflux.
It is far safer to choose natural antacid instead of any other prescription medicine. It implies altering your lifestyle.
There are 10 natural ways or home remedies that minimize the problem of acid reflux easily.
1) Banana fruit
Selecting a ripe banana is one of the appropriate dietary items for the patients suffering from mild to severe form of gastric or heartburn issues. It is highly rich in potassium and that makes it for increasing the level of alkalinity in the body. Unripe bananas are known to raise the level of acidity. Other alkaline food items falling in the category of acid reflux diet are melons, cauliflower, fennels and nuts.
2) Sugar free chewing gum
It can also be one of the best home remedies for bringing down the level of acidity in the body. Swallowing it will stimulate saliva to neutralize stomach acid and so not let you suffer further from acid reflux.
3) Keeping any health magazine or journal
You can flip through the pages of a medical journal or magazine wherein you will find the information of natural remedies for acid reflux.
4) Control the urge of overeating
You must avoid eating in small intervals. Eating heavily and quickly will disturb your digestion and make you suffer from symptoms of heartburn or acid reflux. Food matter will come up in the esophagus and you will feel like vomiting and suffer from abdominal pain and loose motion. Rather, it is advisable to eat slowly in small intervals and also in small quantities. You can digest it easily.
5) Avoid eating anything late
It is recommended to eat anything before 7pm. You must have breakfast after 8 am, lunch preferably at 1 pm and dinner in the evening. You must stop eating anything 3 hours before going to sleep. You must also not exercise two hours before eating.
6) Wear anything that is fitting you loosely.
It is also the dressing sense that matters a lot in not letting acid reflux arise. Wearing tight fitting jeans, trousers and skirts would not let your digestion system to work properly. It would trigger acidity and heartburn. It can let you go through abdominal pain. You must wear those clothing items which can increase your physical and mental comfort as well.
7) Choosing an appropriate sleeping position
Raising your head and chest high above your legs is the best sleeping position that you can have for avoiding acid reflux. Turning on the left side and sleeping can contribute to improving digestion and controlling your acid reflux.
8) Practice losing weight
Excess weight of your body relates to accumulation of unhealthy toxins in different parts of the body. Moreover, an obese person is bound to suffer from rise in acidity. Consuming a balanced diet along with performing daily physical activity for 15 minutes can reduce your weight in a healthy way and not let you suffer from obesity.
9) Quit smoking is very necessary
In normal conditions, the amount of saliva works as an alkalinity and neutralizes the stomach acid. Smoking is not good for oral hygiene. It creates dryness in the mouth and makes you suffer from acidity. Smoking makes the stomach acid enter into the esophagus and makes you suffer from acid reflux.
10) Keeping away from unhealthy thoughts.
Unhealthy or negative thoughts can raise the level of stress, depression and anxiety in the body. Good lifestyle habits including meditation and chanting will never ever distance you from progressing happily in your life. You can start your day by adding honey to lemon water and drinking it. It will reduce cortisol level or stress hormones and keep you fresh and active throughout the day. It works like a natural antacid. Drinking 10 to 15 glasses of water will help you in staying hydrated and happy.
Other natural acid reflux remedies are ginger, milk and apple cider vinegar. However, it is recommended to drink apple cider vinegar by adding some amount of water and having it with meals.
F.A.Q
How can I stop my acid reflux?
If you have been dealing repeatedly with acid reflux symptoms, you should:
Eat your meals in small chunks rather than larger bites.
Move your body after a meal, as it can help in digestion.
Have no naps after dinner, try to finish it three hours before bed.
Quit smoking
What is the main cause of acid reflux?
Weakness of the lower esophageal sphincter (valve) is the main reason why acid reflux occurs in one’s body. As food enters the body, this valve closes tightly, however, if it loses, when it should not, that food rises back up into the esophagus.
How does acid reflux feel like?
Well, the feeling of acid reflux is related to the burning sensation in the chest, which might be worse at night, and regurgitation (Backwash) of food, makes this condition worse.
What can I drink for acid reflux?
For dealing with acid reflux, you should drink water, low-fat milk, herbal tea such as ginger tea, etc, because these drinks have the ability to manage this condition effectively.
Will acid reflux go away naturally?
If your condition is not serious, and you have mild heartburn, then this temporary acid reflux will go away on its own. However, if you face acid reflux more often, then you need to see the doctor.
For further information on acid reflux, you can refer to Nirog Ayurved.
