Are there any heartburn natural remedies or are they just an embroidered collection of old wives’ tales? It’s certainly true that many of these supposed natural remedies are dismissed by many qualified medical practitioners as mumbo-jumbo and, in some cases, quite unlikely to have any beneficial effect.

Before discussing the antidote it might be as well to quantify the various causes of heartburn and indigestion which are not often disputed. Unquestionably, heartburn is the penalty we have to pay for our modern lifestyle. Many folk have become used to three king-sized main meals containing a liberal supply of fatty and spicy foods; often lubricated with a copious supply of alcohol and/or fizzy drinks laced with caffeine followed by two or three cups of coffee. Unfortunately, many of the foods suspected of causing heartburn are probably among our favorites and figure in large numbers in our staple diet. Add to these the twin evils of excessive smoking and obesity and there is little wonder that the Internet is awash with people of all nationalities seeking heartburn natural remedies.

It seems to be incontrovertible that the food we eat and a general lack of exercise contribute in no small degree to heartburn, so what’s the answer? We simply cannot just carry on downing antacids without altering the way we live. However, that’s not what folk want to hear about; therefore the search for a selection of heartburn natural remedies. Preferably those that allow us to eat and drink what we want and when we want.

There are two quite separate points of view about indigestion and heartburn natural remedies; those that need no medication of any kind as opposed to the lotions and potions classed by some as just old wives’ tales.

With a bit of willpower and some discipline you can be a healthier person by paying some attention to what you eat and when. For instance you can choose to have more, but smaller, meals spread throughout the day rather than gorging yourself three times daily. And, at the very least, if you cannot in the first instance do without spicy, fatty foods and caffeine, try to cut down quite drastically. Add to this a spot of walking for just 15 minutes five times weekly and you’ll be well on your way to a much healthier lifestyle and, all the more so, if you’re able to miss out tobacco. Change your way of life and heartburn and indigestion won’t trouble you to the same extent and if you add a little exercise you may well get rid of any stress you may have. Also, many people suggest that eating slowly and counting the number of times each mouthful is chewed will significantly improve digestion.

It’s a pity you can only go no further back than your grandparents because they and their forebears had not heard of prescription drugs. Many of the old-fashioned remedies sound rather bizzare to us but a few have been around for an awful long time and maybe worth a go.

One such is Slippery Elm Tea – first used by Native American Indians – which is an excellent digestive pick-me-up and eases any heartburn feelings. Another herbal remedy is licorice, especially DGL licorice (De-Glycyrrhizinated Licorice) which can be chewed and has a quite pleasant taste. Other natural substances with a big following include chamomile, cinnamon, cumin, fennel seeds, zinc and aniseed as well as clove water. One of more popular herbal healers is honey which is naturally anti-inflammatory and will quickly settle an upset stomach when combined with ginger in a cup of warm water.

Some of the more exotic heartburn natural remedies from different countries include an African heartburn remedy from the Congo, tangawisi. Tangawisi is a concoction of mango tree sap and crushed ginger. Or perhaps a bottle of mustard from France; said to have been a favourite of the early Spanish Conquistadors.

Acupuncture and acupressure have been popular in China for almost 3,000 years although not all the medical fraternity are yet convinced that these treatments serve any useful purpose although some professionals in the western world now recommend them.

It’s possible you might have a quiet chuckle at some of these remedies and conclude that you’d have to be desperate to consider some of them. On the other hand, if you really were desperate, it’s likely you might just try any one of heartburn natural remedies.

Many women tend to experience heartburn symptoms when they are still carrying their babies, and this happens for several reasons.

One of these is the increase of hormones in the women’s body while they are pregnant. The occurrence of this will result in softening the ligaments which function is to keep the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) firmly closed. When the LES rests at unsuitable periods, tendency is, this will let the gastric acid and food to reflux back to the esophagus and throat.

One more reason of experiencing heartburn during pregnancy is because the changes in the body and the development of the baby creates more pressure in the women’s stomach. Therefore, the stomach contents are forced right into the LES, and then to the esophagus.

However, there are several methods that a pregnant woman can observe to lessen the discomfort brought by heartburn. The following are good advices, although this may not remove the heartburn totally:

•    Avoid the food that triggers heartburn. Examples of this are chocolates, spicy foods, citrus fruits and juices, mustard, tomatoes and tomato based products, fatty foods, fried foods, and highly seasoned dishes. Try to refer to medical specialists to know the complete list of foods to avoid Acid Reflux. Also, for foods that you may take which contains little danger of causing heartburn.

•    Get rid of drinks that have caffeine, like tea, coffee, and soda. Too much of these will cause the LES to relax and let the acid to return into the esophagus.

•    Stay away from alcohol beverages. This, like caffeine tends to relax the LES thus, creating the same effect-triggering heartburn.

•    Avoid eating large meals. It is suggested that taking numerous small meals throughout the day will be better.

•    Avoid rush in eating your meals. Chewing food thoroughly will really help in avoidance of heartburn, so better take your time in eating.

•    Rest for at least three hours after having your last meal before taking your sleep.

•    A pregnant woman is advised to take more glasses of water a day, at least 8 to 10 glasses, though this must be taken not just during meals. Through this, the stomach will expand, and then the LES will be given more pressure, obliging it to open inappropriately. Hence, it is really recommended to drink more water and other fluids in between meals.

•    When sleeping elevate the head of the bed for at least six to eight inches. Try to sleep with an elevated head and shoulders through a wedge pillow. Through this, the gravity will work as much that it will keep the acids in your stomach in their place-in the stomach, not in the esophagus. Try to consult physicians to gain additional knowledge on how to relieve nighttime heartburn.

•    Don’t wear tight fitting clothes. Tightness around the waist and stomach will trigger heartburn as it causes uneasiness.

•    When bending, do it at the knees, not at the waist. This will avoid in creating too much pressure in the stomach.

•    Don’t slouch; rather sit erect in a relaxing chair.

•    Maintain a sensible amount of weight, too much weight and fatness will give more stress in your stomach. As a result, this will force stomach contents throughout the LES and to the esophagus. Stay with your doctors guidelines.

•    Avoid smoking. Doctors stated that smoking could cause several effects to a pregnant woman, much that it can add to the possibility of experiencing heartburn.

Many people experience heartburn once or twice in their lifetime, but a few people have chronic heartburn. This is when you get heartburn more than 2 times per week. It doesn’t matter what you eat, or drink, you still get heartburn. It is those people who search for home remedies for heartburn that really work, but the key to beating heartburn is understanding it.

Pineapples are a storehouse of enzymes and contain bromelain, an enzymes that breaks down proteins. Pineapples facilitated digestion, reduce inflammation, and supports wound healing. The fresh juice has a high level of enzymes that will help you stop your acid reflux. It is reported that using fresh pineapple provides better results.

Charcoal – Charcoal soaks up anything in the stomach (this is why it is often given to people who swallow poison), acid included. Instead of eating coal, try eating some burnt toast. Don’t do this long term though because eating lots of burned food is not good for you.

Chamomile tea and banana settle the stomach well and reduce reflux. Ginger root has a reputation of being a good remedy for heartburn. Nobody knows how it works, but some doctors are convinced that it does. It neutralizes the acid and calms the nerves. It is available in capsules.

First of all, to understand how these remedies for heartburn work, you have to know what heartburn is. Pretty much, heartburn, or acid reflux, is a case where acid from your stomach actually flows upward into your esophagus. Thus, one good way to avoid heartburn is to avoid any kinds of acid based foods that could help to spark up this rise in acid levels. So your first home remedy for heartburn is to try and avoid eating a lot of citrus juices or vinegar based foods.

Getting heartburn can be difficult for somebody who has been directed not to take over-the-counter medications that may interfere with the current medications that they are currently taking. You may want to find a remedy that is available to you at your home as opposed to buying medication every time you get heartburn.

Heartburn home remedy, on the other hand, has a soothing effect by keeping the presence of acid to the required level in your body. The excess of acid in your stomach acquires two forms viz. acid reflux and acid flux. If the stomach always has acid reflux, it goes to the esophagus and erodes its lining causing sores, which may turn malignant at a later stage. On the contrary, if there is acid flux, it may likewise cause burns resulting in duodenal ulcer or it goes downward into the small intestines causing stomach ulcers.

Peppermint also has an effect of relieving heartburn symptoms. It is available as a herbal tea or you can simply buy whole peppermint leaves and pour boiling water into a cup with a few peppermint leaves.

When the brilliant colors of autumn are gone and the weather starts to turn a bit nippy, we look ahead to the holiday season with wonderful images of the past dancing in our heads. It’s a magical time when we are reunited with friends and family; a time when children are the happiest and all of us are at our very best. Needless to say delicious food will be the cornerstone of all this festivity.

Whether it’s Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Years, it’s truly a challenge to prepare food that is acid reflux friendly. During the holiday season, we are tempted to indulge in all those fatty, sweet and acidic foods that we enjoyed so much in childhood. We like to think of this as comfort food, however, acid indigestion is anything but comfort to those who suffer from it.

Complete abstinence from acidic, fatty and sweet food would defeat the purpose of celebrating the holidays. Dishes that do not bring back memories of childhood would do the same. Thankfully, there are simple ways to make seasonal dishes healthier without ruining all the fun.

If you can’t resist that holiday drink or chocolate dessert then it would be wise to let moderation be your guide. Also, keep in mind that eating too much of even the most alkaline food can cause indigestion, as well.

I have created what I consider to be the perfect holiday menu. The dishes below retain the important flavors of the season, yet are healthy enough for most acid reflux sufferers to enjoy in comfort. The entire family will love this dinner. It’s also quick and uncomplicated to prepare. This menu will feed six easily with leftover beef.

Bon appetite!

SOUP COURSE

Country Style Creamed Pumpkin Soup

1 pat of unsalted butter

¼ cup natural chicken stock (Kitchen Basics, if possible)

1 Cup finely minced yellow onion

15 oz can pure pumpkin

Chicken stock (fill empty pumpkin can)

½ cup maple syrup

¼ tsp. cinnamon

Freshly grated nutmeg

¼ cup half & half

Crumbled nitrate free bacon, chopped chives and ¼ sour cream in squeeze bottle (optional)

In a 2 qt. soup pot heat butter and stock to the simmer.

Add minced onion and cook covered stirring occasionally until tender and translucent.

Blend in pumpkin and can of stock. Cook at the simmer for 10 minutes.

Blend in maple syrup and spices. Simmer another 5 minutes.

Take off heat and add half & half and mix well.

Note: This dish is best made the day before. Reheat in a double boiler.

Serve in a soup terrine and offer garnish on the side. Garnish with bacon for the non-gerd guests and chives for others. After plating the soup, make decorative zigzag patterns with sour cream from the squeeze bottle.

MAIN COURSE

Roasted Beef Tenderloin with Caramelized Root Vegetables

1 (4 to 5 pound) trimmed & tied tenderloin roast

Olive oil

Head of garlic, peeled and sliced

Salt and pepper

Fresh rosemary chopped

3 parsnips & 3 turnips peeled and cut into 1” pieces

½ pound peeled baby carrots

15 small pearl onions, peeled (make an X with knife at the root end)

1 pound new potatoes cut in half

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Fresh chopped thyme

Parsley for garnish

Heat oven to 425 degrees F.

Place roast in roasting pan.

Massage thin coat of olive oil into roast.

Rub sliced garlic over roast and discard.

Season with salt & pepper to taste.

Insert meat thermometer into thickest area of roast.

Place vegetables in bowl & coat well with olive.

Season with salt & pepper to taste and mix well. Sprinkle with chopped thyme.

Empty vegetables into roasting pan around beef.

Roast for 40 – 50 minutes until the thermometer reads 140 degrees F.

Stir vegetables several times to keep moist.

When beef is done, remove to warm platter and tent with foil.

Let roast rest for 20 minutes.

If vegetables are not done, stir and continue to roast until tender and caramelized. Garnish with parsley.

Serve with horseradish sauce to those who are non-gerd and au jus from the cutting board, for those more sensitive.

Note: If using a convection roasting oven, adjust the cooking time accordingly.

SALAD/CHEESE COURSE

Belgium Endive, Toasted Walnuts & Blue Cheese with Walnut Vinaigrette

6 heads Belgium endive leaves washed & dried

1 cup toasted walnuts (toast lightly in heavy pan and shake skins off)

½ pound crumbled good blue cheese (Gorgonzola, Stilton or Roquefort)

4 tbsps. Sherry vinegar

1 large shallot finely minced

¾ cup walnut oil

¼ cup olive oil

Salt & pepper to taste:

In a bowl, whisk vinegar & shallots together. Slowly drizzle oil whisking continually until dressing becomes thick & creamy. Season with salt and pepper.

Toss together in a salad bowl; endive, walnuts, blue cheese and dressing.

DESSERT COURSE

Rustic Apple Tart with Apricot glaze

5 Golden Delicious apples, cored, peeled, quartered & sliced ¼ inch thick (toss in bowl with a little lemon juice to retard discoloration)

¼ cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

½ cup apricot jam

¼ cup dark rum

1 sheet commercial puff pastry (Dufour if you can find it, or any brand in the super market freezer case)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Slice apples with a mandolin or by hand and place in bowl tossing with lemon juice.

Place sheet of pastry on floured surface and turn edges in to form a border.

Place pastry on parchment paper covered cookie sheet & adjust.

Arrange apple slices neatly overlapping in alternate rows.

Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.

Place on middle rack of hot oven.

Bake for 40 – 45 minutes, or until golden brown.

Microwave apricot jam & rum in plastic wrap covered bowl on high for 30 seconds. Whisk to blend.

Paint finished tart with apricot mixture with pastry brush while still warm.

Serve with ice cream or crème fraiche. Garnish with a sprig of mint or fresh raspberries.

Note: This wonderfully festive dessert can be prepared hours before dinner is served. If you should use the wrong apple and, or if your apple patterns go amiss, don’t despair. You can’t go wrong with this rustic dish. It will look appetizing anyway it turns out. Just say that you intended it to be that way!

Bon appetite!

For more free recipes, articles and important information about acid reflux, please visit:

Reflux Gone Forever

© Wind Publishing

If this is your first pregnancy, you are probably wondering what you can expect to feel like when you are 32 weeks pregnant. The baby has been kicking quite a bit lately and your belly has become larger. If you were to see your baby on an ultrasound at this stage, you will see that it is able to suck its thumb. Your visits to the doctor office will change from this week onwards. Up until now, your doctor wished to see you once a month, but after this visit you will have a two-week schedule for your visits. If you have any questions, you should start writing them down and bring them with you when you do see the doctor so that you can get as much information as possible.

 

When you lie down, you will be able to see the imprint of a tiny foot moving across your belly and you will actually feel the baby turning over. This is an exciting time in your pregnancy because the baby starts to become a real person. When you are asleep, you may be awakened suddenly by a sharp kick or movements ?quite often just under your ribs. The baby will start to have hiccups in the 32nd week, which you will feel as short jerky movements inside you. You can alleviate the discomfort that this causes by moving around or drinking a glass of water.

 

The baby will start to turn in the uterus so that its head is down towards the birth canal. It won start moving downwards just yet, but it will start getting in the right position for delivery. Since the baby is starting to put on a lot of weight, you will notice weight gain as well ?often as much as a pound or two per week. Within the next two months, the baby will double its current weight.

 

In the 32nd week, the baby is able to blink its eyes, look around, pee and use its hands to making grabbing motions. There may or may not be hair. According to old wives?tales, if you have experienced a lot of heartburn during your pregnancy, the baby will have lots of hair when it is born. The baby usually weighs about four pounds by this week and measures about 17 or 18 inches in length.

 

As the baby grows, you will have increased aches and pains in your stomach and lower back. This is due to the pressure the baby places on your kidneys and your muscles. The ligaments in your stomach, hips and buttocks are still stretching, which accounts for the pulling and stretching pains you feel in these areas. You may also experience slight contractions as the baby starts to move downward, but they are mild and do not last very long.

 

This is the time when you should start finalizing your plans for the baby arrival ?completing the nursery and starting to stock up on diapers, blankets, undershirts and sleepers.

Does that cup of morning coffee cause you pain and suffering? Are you frustrated when an evening dinner out with friends ends in discomfort instead of relaxed conversation? Do you carry and take antacids every day?

Heartburn is a lot more than a mere nuisance. It can detract from enjoying a good meal and force you to change your routine. It dictates your every decision – what you can eat, what you can drink, when you need to lay down.

What is this vexing problem and how can you find relief?

WHAT CAUSES HEARTBURN?

Heartburn occurs when stomach acid makes its way back into the esophagus. A burning sensation and bitter taste are commonly experienced by heartburn sufferers.

If you are suffering more than a couple of times each week you may have the more serious problem of acid reflux disease – also known as GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease).  

Not all heartburn is caused by GERD. Occasional heartburn can be caused by many different factors. However, if you have regular episodes there are a number of things you can do to help.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?

If you have regular heartburn, the first thing you should do is stop regularly using antacids. Antacids can alleviate the pain of occasional heartburn, but because they are designed to neutralize the acids in your stomach they can cause the stomach to create even MORE acid – a vicious cycle called ‘acid rebound’. Also, some antacids cause diarrhea or constipation.

Avoid heartburn-triggering foods such as caffeine, chocolate, alcohol, citrus, spicy or tomato-based foods as well as fatty or fried foods, onions or garlic.

Smoking or being overweight also increases the risk of GERD. Lifestyle changes may help to control the symptoms.

Activities such as lying down after a meal, bending forward, lifting heavy items or eating large meals can cause the onset of acid reflux. Avoiding these activities after a meal and eating smaller portions may help.

A few natural products such as extract of orange peel are being researched for their abilities to curb heartburn.

WHO IS AT RISK FOR GERD?

Anyone. But it should be noted that pregnant women, the overweight and smokers are all good candidates.

Additionally, young babies have immature digestive systems, so they may be prone to GERD. Precautions like frequent burping and keeping the infant upright for 30 minutes after eating can minimize the occurrence.

Older children may have to take precautions in diet and activity just as adults do. You should always consult your physician when you suspect GERD, just to avoid future complications.

If you suspect GERD, contact your doctor right away. There can be harmful side effects of persistent heartburn including scarring of the esophagus, erosion of the teeth and even an increased risk of esophageal cancer. Frequent, persistent heartburn can also be a symptom of other serious conditions and should be checked on by a physician. You can also seek holistic methods which have proven to be very effective in treating heartburn.

Further reading: Acid Reflux Symptoms.

Read more about what foods to avoid if you have acid reflux: Acid Reflux Food To Avoid.

More about acid reflux symptoms: What does acid reflux feel like?.

Pregnancy is usually accompanied by a number of telltale signs. If your spouse is pregnant, these pregnancy symptoms will most likely let you know—much before a medical test confirms your happy suspicion. Read on about how to identify signs that could tell you that your spouse is going to become a mother.

Your spouse may report increased sensitivity in her breasts. While some women experience this only around their nipples, in others, this feeling extends to the entire breasts. You may see a cluster of bluish veins appear around the breasts. The areola, or the dark circular portion around the nipples, may reveal small, lighter colored bumps. Your spouse’s vaginal area may swell. She may also experience vaginal discharge due to the increased blood flow in this region. Changes in your spouse’s skin may also be a pregnancy symptom. Acne, rashes, and drying or chapping of the lips is quite common during pregnancy. Many pregnant women also experience a dull cramping pain that is similar to what they experience before or during menstruation. Heartburn may be another sign that could suggest your spouse is pregnant. Morning sickness, characterized by nausea, is a common pregnancy symptom. Your spouse may become intolerant to many smells. Even smells she liked earlier may cause her nausea. Another sign of pregnancy is if your spouse suddenly starts complaining of increasing fatigue. The early stage of pregnancy may also be marked by heightened hunger pangs. At the same time, your spouse may actually develop an aversion for many foods that she relished earlier. Heightened emotional sensitivity is another common pregnancy symptom. Your spouse may display erratic mood changes during this phase in her life.

While these pregnancy symptoms are often reliable pointers, only a medical test will be able to confirm this.

It can be stated as a burning feeling which keeps bothering you now and again. This happens mainly because due to acidic fluid flowing upwards from the stomach into the esophagus or the swallowing tube. Even though it is known as heartburn, it has nothing to do with the heart. It is very common digestive problem. Sometimes you can feel the pain at the same level on the back. Heartburn, indigestion and pain all go hand in hand causing problems for us. Knowing about your nutrition can help in some manner to provide relief for the heartburn.

Heartburn for our own surprise is very common in our society and people who consider themselves healthy may sometimes be the soft target. It is a very uncomfortable feeling and can sometimes be dangerous. Heartburn mainly occurs after meals and even when you skip meals can cause such problems. It has been noticed that at least once a month a person suffers from heartburn which may not be good news. It has also come to notice that nearly 25% women suffer from heartburn or indigestion very frequently. Pregnancy can be stated as one of the reasons for having heart burns or indigestion, other reasons are smoking, overeating, being overweight and wearing tight clothes around your waist.

Some common symptoms of heartburn *A burning sensation or pain in the chest *Backflow into your mouth or throat makes things worse for you *Belching *Bloating *Passing gas *Headaches *Nausea *Burping *Difficulty in swallowing

Things to avoid *Spicy and oily food *Medications which incite the condition of heartburn *Eating without control *Skipping your daily meals *Too much caffeine *Carbonated drinks *Smoking *Alcohol *Overeating *Citrus fruits *Ketchup and Vinegar *Lying down *Bending over

Remedies *Sucking on to the clove may relieve you from the acidic influx *Having a cup of vanilla ice cream or drinking a glass of cold milk can do the trick *Almonds help in relieving heartburn and having it everyday will help you a lot *Eating lemon strips mixed in salt helps to prevent heartburn *Chewing basil leaves every morning also helps *Eating watermelon and banana would help you cool down

Experiences and opinions on how early can you have symptom of pregnancy have been diverse. Though, most of the symptoms arrive with a missed period or within one or two weeks of it, however, for some it happens the reverse. It is not rare when some pregnant women have claimed to feel significant body changes even before a missed period or within only a couple of days after conceiving. Therefore, keeping a track of all noticeable changes before and after a missed period is essential, in order to confirm your pregnancy.

Earliest Possible Signs Of Pregnancy

Several experiences of pregnant women reveal how they differ in noticing the pregnancy symptoms. They not only differ in terms of variety of symptoms, also in the order of their arrival and the period of pregnancy in which those are noticeable. Following experiences of pregnant women will give you practical tips on how early can you have symptom of pregnancy –

1.Determining symptoms of pregnancy can be varying with women, as some women conclude that within seven or eight days from implantation of eggs in the uterus, HCG hormones starts to be released that trigger symptoms of pregnancy to arrive.

2.Pregnancy hormones start taking effects from about ten days from the conception. Symptoms tend to be more intense with gradual increase in the level of pregnancy hormones. Even if these hormones emerge quite early stage of pregnancy, yet it is not possible to detect such hormones through your blood or urine before schedules of your periods.

3.Many reported to have noticed frequent urination and aversion to foods around two weeks after fertilization. Still, instances are not rare when no symptoms were noted until two months of pregnancy.

4.Some women claim to be unnoticed about their pregnancy for about one month. Weight gain can be a determining factor in detecting pregnancy, as some noticed their weight to remain same even after permutation of various weight loss regimens. In spite of losing they started to gain weight, on the contrary. If you experience the same, take a closer look on what other changes you are undergoing along with weight gain to detect pregnancy.

5.Apart from a missed period, another obvious symptom of pregnancy that most women notice is tender, sore and heavy breasts, which may arrive even before missed periods. This symptom may often accompany with other symptoms like heartburn, morning sickness, achy cramps, fatigues, nausea etc., which again may vary in women.

6.Increased level of basal body temperature for some has been first early symptoms of pregnancy. Chart your body temperature as well as other signs that may come with the temperature rise. People who have waited till their body temperature to be raised until 20 degree higher before testing along with presence of other few symptoms have shown a positive pregnancy test result.

Though, usually baseline of how early can you have symptom of pregnancy is fixed as fifth or sixth week of conception, however, make a chart of any possible sign you may notice that was not before you were pregnant.

First things first, what is acid reflux? The more technical term is GERD or Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease. This is where mucous damage exists due to the production of abnormal gastric juice content in the esophagus.

Usual symptoms for acid reflux include heartburn that is persistent, chest pain, morning hoarseness, problems in swallowing, as well as a feeling that there is something stuck in the throat. Bad breath is also caused by GERD or acid reflux as well as cough that is dry.

So now that you know you have them, what should you do to help prevent acid reflux?

First things first, the most common and convenient way to relieve the symptoms that acid reflux bring are through antacids that quickly and effectively do away with the symptoms mentioned. However, a regular habit of eating appropriately and in the appointed time – such as not skipping meals, not overeating and avoiding acidic food – help eliminate acid reflux as well.

How should one with acid reflux eat then?

Contrary to popular belief, size does matter. It therefore helps that meals taken are small yet frequent compared to large portioned meals at regular times of the day.

The logic behind this concept works this way. Foods that are taken in little amounts would allow the stomach to also exert little effort in digesting it therefore requiring less secretion of acid during the process of digestion.

So what foods should one eat?

Those that are rich in carbohydrates are advisable to be taken in. Such foods include bread, rice, pasta. These types of meals are all easy in one’s stomach and any excess acid is tied up by them.

What foods should one avoid?

Foods that are high in fat – for instance those that one buys in fast food joints – should very well be avoided. These types of food usually stay longer in the stomach and takes a lot more acid in order to digest them.

How should one eat?

Try not to forget that over-eating is a big no-no. Eating too many too much actually stimulates the tummy to secret a lot more acid required to digest the items one is taking in. As much as possible, do everything in moderation.

Limit life’s little pleasures

Of course, having acid reflux does not mean that one should totally take out and avoid experiencing life’s pleasures. All that is needed is to limit one’s intake of the following food items if total elimination would prove to be difficult: alcohol, caffeine, chocolate, even tea. It is your choice, either that piping hot coffee or the opportunity to let your stomach make and break acid. Remember that anything put in your stomach affects the way acid is produced in them. This applies to all types of beverage also. Believe it or not, beer – everyone’s best friend – actually doubles the acid secreted by the stomach within an hour of its intake.

What should be your position after eating then?

As much as possible, stay upright for an average of forty five minutes after taking a meal. This allows the stomach to do its job the best way it could. However, when acid reflux has set in and you need to lie down, do so with the head elevated about six to eight inches from the bed.

All in all, acid reflux is totally controllable provided you take care of your self, your stomach and your diet.