Acid reflux relief can be obtained from a variety of different methods. It's important to try numerous things because each person is different when it comes to this health issue because there simply is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to acid reflux relief. However, if you try some of the methods outlined below, and experiment, then you should find the relief that you desire.
First, you have to evaluate your lifestyle choices. Different things you do in your life may be inviting frequent bouts of GERD, or acid reflux. For example, if you eat too much, especially foods that contain higher levels of acids in them, then your risk heightens, and it will be tough to get any form of relief. At the same time, consuming alcoholic beverages, smoking, drinking too much caffeine or coffee are things that are keeping you from experiencing relief.
Besides that, stress is also a major contributor. In this case, relief is as simple as setting aside two 15 minute sessions a day to meditate or relax. The best way to do this is to purchase one of those audio programs which take you through breathing processes to help you relax and unwind. Try this for a few weeks -- it does wonders for acid reflux relief. It may sound silly to some, but it is effective.
Also, how you sleep can affect your acid reflux. Have you ever tried an acid reflux pillow? If not, you should. At the very least you should slightly elevate your upper body while resting. It can help give you some relief as well.
Over-the-counter medications can be used to block acid secretion into your stomach, as well as to reduce the amount of acid that is already in the stomach. However, this is only a temporary solution. The same can be said for prescribed medications.
A more popular alternative these days is to use natural acid reflux treatments. These include some of the lifestyle changes we talked about earlier in this article, as well as using different herbal remedies to achieve relief. These are combining different herbs and making teas.
Only in the most extreme cases will surgery ever be required. Usually the surgery involves strengthening the barrier between the esophagus and stomach to stop acid reflux from recurring. The surgery has shown good results, but can be quite expensive and of course with any surgery there is always a risk.
A diet for GERD relief must begin by understanding what it is we want to relieve. What is GERD? Technically speaking, GERD is an irritation or inflammation of the esophagus. It is believed that the condition is due to stomach acid flowing back up into the esophagus. The esophagus is the pipe that carries swallowed food from your mouth to your stomach. Where they meet, a ring of muscle called a sphincter separates the stomach and esophagus. This lower esophageal sphincter (LES) relaxes to let food into the stomach, and tightens to keep stomach acids from flowing back, and coming into contact with the sensitive lining of the esophagus.
A diet for GERD relief must recognize that the problem is muscular. The LES is not functioning properly. If this is somehow caused by food, the issue must be addressed in diet. Let's look at some possibilities.
Meal Times
A diet for GERD relief can help with GERD that occurs during sleep. How? Rather than change the type of food in the diet, the GERD sufferer should leave more time between the evening meal and bedtime. If you suffer from GERD, acid reflux, or heartburn, you may be going to bed too soon after your evening meal.
In addition, GERD treatment calls for smaller meals, reducing the amount of food in the stomach at any given time. This permits the stomach to work more efficiently, and reduces the amount of pressure placed on the LES.
Foods You May Want to Avoid
As stated, GERD is a muscular disorder. The LES is relaxing too much. This relaxation can be caused, for some people, by certain foods.
A diet for GERD relief should test this theory be avoiding certain foods to determine if they are at fault. The following are thought to aggravate GERD. They may or may not aggravate your symptoms.
1. chocolate
2. creamed foods
3. fast foods (most)
4. fatty foods
5. milk
6. oils
7. peppermint
If you have GERD, with inflamed lower esophagus, you may want to avoid, or at least limit, caffeinated drinks such as coffee, soft drinks, and tea. These are thought to irritate the inflammation. Citrus fruits and their juices may also irritate.
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