What Is Acid Reflux?

Acid reflux is a common condition that anybody can suffer from. Most of the time, remedying acid reflux involves the use of chemical medications. However, recently, it has been discovered that lifestyle and simple dietary changes and modifications can also help in the treatment or prevention of acid reflux. This has to do with changing certain foods in your diet as well as modifying your diet habit. Also, changes to sleep positions and sleep patterns can also help reduce your chances of developing acid reflux to the barest minimum. Thereby increasing the quality of your life.

Acid Reflux

Acid Reflux is a state that occurs when the acid in the stomach moves upwards from the stomach to the esophagus, a tube that connects the mouth to the stomach, such that when you swallow foods from your mouth, it transports the food directly to your stomach. Acid Reflux could be as a result of poor sleeping positions or even poor dietary choices.

You do not need to be worried about some types of reflux, as some of them can be harmless and normal. This type comes without symptoms. In addition, when it occurs once in a while, especially from bad sleeping positions, then you should not worry so much about it. All you need to do is adjust or change your sleeping position. However, when this condition becomes recurrent, it can lead to the burning of the internal parts of the esophagus, which could cause excruciating pains whenever you try swallowing anything, including water.

According to research, about 15% of adults in some countries have acid reflux in one way or the other.

Symptoms

One of the most popular symptoms of acid reflux is heartburn. A painful and discomforting feeling is usually in the throat or chest. Research has shown that at least 5% of American adults experience this symptom every day.

Some people who experience acid reflux frequently have been diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease. This is a condition that is referred to as the climax or reflux and happens to be the most common digestive disorder in some parts of the world.

Some other symptoms of acid reflux asides from heartburn include; difficulty swallowing, asthma, cough, inflamed sinuses, tooth erosion, and feeling of acidic taste behind the mouth.

The following are ways in which acid reflux can be prevented and controlled. All of these preventive and treatment measures have scientific backings and have proven over the years to be effective.

Avoid Overeating

The more inferior esophageal sphincter is a ring-like muscle that connects the esophagus with the stomach, such that when foods get to the end of the esophagus, the muscle opens up for the food to have an easy passage into the stomach. It opens only when foods, water, belch, or vomit need to pass into or outside the stomach respectively. Other than this is remains closed.

People who have acid reflux experience it because this muscle has become so weak that it now opens up when it is and when it is not needed. For the muscle to become too weak that it can no longer control its own opening or closing, it means a lot of pressure has been placed on that muscle, thus making stomach acid escape through the opening.

Most acid reflux episodes occur after food, and eating too much may cause the symptoms of the reflux to worsen. When you avoid overeating, no unnecessary pressure will be placed on the muscle, causing it to weaken or slack, as there will be no case of worsened acid reflux.

Lose Some Weight

Just like the esophageal sphincter explained above, the diaphragm is a muscle above the stomach that strengthens and supports the lower esophageal sphincter. When you are oversight, automatically, the excess fat in your belly places so much pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter that it shifts away from the support of the diaphragm and can result in a condition known as hiatus hernia. Hiatus hernia is a condition usually associated with pregnant women and people who are overweight or obese, and this is why they are more at risk of developing acid reflux.

In addition, research has shown that when the stomach is bigger than it ought to be, acid reflux will continue to occur and re-occur. Thus, one of the best ways to treat and prevent acid reflux is by maintaining a healthy weight.

Adopt a Low Carb Diet

Many studies have revealed that decreasing your intake of carbs can help reduce your risks of experiencing acid reflux. This is because some undigested carbs can lead to the growth of some bacteria, thus increasing the pressure in the stomach. In fact, some experts have suspected that this might be the major culprit of acid reflux.

Bacterial growth in the stomach is a result of the poor digestion or absorption of carbs. When undigested or unabsorbed carbs become too much in your stomach, you may begin to feel bloated and gassy, making you belch more often than normal.

Following this, studies have shown that consuming diets that contain fewer carbs can help prevent or treat acid reflux.

Reduce Your Alcohol Consumption

Drinking alcohol has been discovered to be one of the major causes of acid reflux. Alcohol contents increase the acid in the stomach, weakening the lower esophageal sphincter and preventing the esophagus from clearing acid out of itself.

In fact, research has shown that moderate consumption can increase the cases of acid reflux in healthy people, talk more of its overconsumption, especially in people who already have gastroesophageal reflux.

Drink plain and ordinary water instead, as this has been linked to a reduced risk of acid reflux compared to the consumption of beer and wine.

Avoid Too Much Coffee

Coffee, according to research, is one of the causes of a weak esophageal sphincter, thereby increasing your chances of suffering from acid reflux. Coffee is packed with caffeine, and caffeine is said to be the culprit of this condition.

You can drink decaffeinated coffee instead, as this has been linked to lower risks of acid reflux compared to caffeinated coffee. In addition, if you already have acid reflux, try to avoid coffee, as coffee can worsen your condition.

Chew Gum

According to studies, chewing gum has the tendency of reducing stomach acid that may escape into the esophagus. The best gums for this effect are ones that contain bicarbonate. Gums help increase saliva production that is swallowed and clear out the esophagus in the process. However, chewing gum does not treat the reflux itself.

Do Not Eat Raw Onions

Studies have shown that most people complain of acid reflux after eating foods that contain raw onions. Raw onions have been closely linked to belching and acid reflux in people compared to foods without raw onions.

Belching frequently occurs after eating raw onions because the stomach is filled with gas that results from the breakdown of the fiber contents from the raw onions. I’m addition, raw onions can cause irritation in the esophagus, especially if the esophagus has sores or burns in it, thus, worsening heartburn.

Reduce Your Consumption of Carbonated Drinks

People who are diagnosed with the severe version of acid reflux, popularly known as gastroesophageal reflux, are always advised by medical experts to avoid carbonated drinks, as they could cause gas in the stomach and trigger acid reflux. In addition, carbonated water weakens the lower esophageal sphincter, causing acids to escape from the stomach into the esophagus.

Avoid Mint

Mint is a kind of flavor used in the processing and production of foods, candies, toothpaste, chewing gums, and mouthwashes. They are also important ingredients in some herbal teas. However, no negative results have been found to be caused on the lower esophageal sphincter upon the consumption of foods that contain mint (spearmint or peppermint). However, consuming mint can worsen the symptoms of acid reflux. It could irritate the esophagus if it already has sores or burns from extreme and frequent reflux. If you figure that mint worsens your acid reflux, quit it.

In conclusion, acid reflux comes with so much discomfort and pain. It results from the escape of stomach acid from the stomach up to the esophagus. One of the common symptoms of acid reflux is heartburn, a pain that affects the heart or chest area mostly.