Seven Great Tips to Reduce Acid Reflux Symptoms

By: Fallon Cullerne

It's amazing how the lifestyle choices you make can affect your overall health. If you have been diagnosed with acid reflux, it's important to find out how to control your symptoms and begin living a more comfortable life. Acid reflux disease will never go away, but the effects can be reduced and the symptoms can be prevented through simple lifestyle changes. Try these seven tips before taking more drastic actions:

1. Control Meal Size

Most people eat three large meals a day, but many experts suggest that consuming 5-6 small meals is better. Doing so can help prevent overeating. With a full stomach, gastric pressure also increases. So one of the main causes of acid reflux incidents is overeating. Sticking to smaller meals can give your stomach a break, and reduce discomfort, as can eating more slowly.

2. Stop Bedtime Snacking

Don't eat or drink for a couple of hours before you go to bed. And if you should be so fortunate to be able to take afternoon naps, try having your next few in a comfy chair. The point is that lying down with a full stomach has a tendency to allow stomach contents to press against the lower esophagus, increasing the likelihood of acid reflux.

3. Become a Picky Eater

Many common foods and beverages will trigger acid reflux either through the increased production of acid and gastric pressure, or by loosening up the lower esophagus muscle. Any foods that trigger heartburn should be avoided. Certain foods, spicy foods, coffee, and citrus fruits and juices can irritate the lining of the esophagus and should be eaten in moderation. Try to avoid eating these types of food with dinner, to help prevent nighttime heartburn. If you're not sure which foods tend to trigger your heartburn, try keeping a heartburn record for a week to determine which foods you need to stay away from.

4. Avoid Alcohol and Smoking

Smoking is implicated in dozens of health problems and diseases, and acid reflux is among them. It stimulates the production of acid, among other things. And alcohol does the same thing, along with relaxing the lower esophageal muscle and potentially allowing acid reflux to occur. If you wish to drink alcohol in very small amounts, you might be okay, but always gauge your reactions. Obviously, if you start a journal or food record, this would be a good thing to keep track of in there.

5. Sleeping Patterns

The acid in your gut responds to gravity, so keeping your head higher than your waist will help to some degree in keeping the acid down. You might want to purchase a big, wedge-shaped pillow, which will help elevate your shoulders and head. Some people also purchase an adjustable bed, which allows them to incline the head of the bed. A cheaper (though slightly risky) alternative is to prop up your current bed's legs.

6. Loosen Up the Waistband

Remember that tight clothing constricts your stomach, pushing food against the lower esophagus. This can lead to acid reflux symptoms as well. Therefore, try loosening your belt, or wear clothes that are less constricting and have either elastic waist support, or hang loosely.

7. Get More Relaxed

Researchers are unsure about the relationship between heartburn and stress. However, stress may be a factor in acid reflux disease, especially as a precursor. Regardless, reducing stress may help people to also reduce the likelihood that they will turn to comfort foods or drinks that will cause heartburn.

These seven tips can help relieve your acid reflux symptoms. As you know, no single factor can be blamed for this health condition, but a lot of little factors acting together can lead to your problems. So tackle the little things one at a time, and you can find the relief you seek.

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Fallon Cullerne is an author for several popular online magazines, on health plan and senior health topics.
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