Ways to prevent heartburn: 15 simple methods
Luckily, it's possible to avoid or reduce symptoms by making some very simple changes. Here are 15 ways to prevent heartburn and save your esophagus!
Wear comfortable clothes
Did you know that heartburn can be aggravated by tight clothing? Believe it or not! Wearing pants that are too tight could put pressure on your stomach and release acid into your esophagus. Find clothes that fit your body comfortably, thus avoiding a reflux episode that causes you discomfort or that leads you to interrupt your most important activities.
Good posture is one of the easiest ways to prevent heartburn
Posture is another factor that can positively or negatively affect the lives of people with heartburn. Thus experts recommend straightening your back as much as possible. This is because, by adopting a hunched posture, the stomach area can compress and release acid, causing symptoms such as spitting up or unexpected vomiting.
No smoking
Cigarette smoke is an irritant that causes damage to more than just your lungs. It can aggravate gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Smoking has been shown to cause heartburn and, although many people believe that smoking will lessen their discomfort, science says it does not!
Sip apple cider vinegar
This natural remedy is one of the simplest ways to prevent heartburn. Although science has not yet fully proven that apple cider vinegar eliminates all symptoms, a large number of people claim that aids digestion. One way to consume it is by diluting apple cider vinegar in water and drinking it after each meal, as it helps to counteract acidity.
Consume ginger to take care of heartburn
Ginger is a natural remedy that, for centuries, has been used to relieve nausea and stomach upset caused by various diseases, including GERD. Ginger can be added to many drinks and recipes. For example, you can drink a cup of ginger tea after lunch to help prevent heartburn.
Avoid overeating
Eating a balanced, irritant-free diet will almost certainly decrease heartburn. Avoid highly seasoned or spicy foods and also avoid eating too much food at one sitting. Allow yourself time to digest between meals so your stomach has room to do its job.
Adopt healthy habits for a healthy stomach
Healthy habits don’t only apply to food, but also other areas of life. For example, consuming more tea or plain, un-carbonated water are easy ways to prevent stomach issues. Your body will benefit from these measures. Exercise will even help improve your posture, which is also a recommended way to prevent heartburn.
Limit alcohol consumption
Numerous scientific studies have concluded that the consumption of alcohol, even for healthy people, occasionally produces reflux symptoms. If you have chronic heartburn, consuming alcohol can make it act up and irritate your esophagus.
Drink less coffee
Like alcohol, coffee is considered a harmful drink for patients with heartburn. This is because caffeine weakens the esophageal sphincter. Of course, the way in which coffee is prepared and consumed also has to do with the how your body reacts. In fact, there are some patients who have reported not feeling any kind of symptoms after drinking a cup of coffee.
Don’t eat before bed
Experts say to avoid eating before bed. People with heartburn or reflux are advised to have dinner at least three hours before bed to avoid symptoms. This recommendation is especially useful if you eat very spicy food for dinner or consume acidic beverages. You’ll find you sleep better too!
Sleep on your left side
One way to alleviate heartburn is to avoid sleeping on your right side. Instead sleep on the left side of your body as much as possible. Sleeping on the right side is believed to promote relaxation of the esophageal sphincter, the muscle that connects the esophagus to the stomach and defends the body from reflux.
Avoid citrus
Eating foods high in citrus, as well as drinking lemon, grapefruit or orange juice, for example, will increase the possibility of suffering from reflux symptoms. Citrus beverages, especially in their pure state, will lead to the production of stomach acid.
Avoid carbonated drinks
Carbonated drinks, according to science, contain unique properties can worsen heartburn and GERD. Avoiding soda and carbonated water will not only reduce your stomach acid, it can lessen bloating and even help you lose a little weight.
Chew gum
One easy way to prevent heartburn is to chew gum, since it stimulates saliva production which, in turn, reduces acid production. Chewing gum allows you to eliminate any type of acidity more quickly. Although not all gum is beneficial, experts do advise chewing gum with bicarbonate of soda.
Drink baking soda water to help with heartburn
Speaking of bicarbonate, this is a natural remedy that helps to relieve heartburn. It is a very simple drink to prepare and baking soda is available at any grocery store. One way to prepare it is by adding a teaspoon of baking soda powder to a glass of about ¼ liter of water. Drink it during breakfast or after lunch.
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