How to Cure Chronic Acid Reflux Disease
Heartburn and indigestion are extremely common conditions. Most Americans will experience symptoms at some point in their lives. When these symptoms become worse or occur several times a week, it is time to take action. Since acid reflux is so common, it is often not taken seriously as a real health threat, but when left untreated, it can wreak serious havoc on your digestive system, leading to painful ulcers amongst other things. Luckily, there are several things you can do to prevent and cure acid reflux.
Instructions
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Avoid trigger foods. These usually include spicy foods, fried foods and highly acidic foods like tomato sauces and citrus products. Overeating of non-trigger foods also leads to acid reflux.
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Go easy on caffeine and tobacco. Smoking and caffeine are both triggers of acid reflux. Your best bet is to avoid both.
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Lose weight. Being overweight is a common cause of acid reflux. Often, losing those extra pounds is all that is needed to cure the disease.
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Don't eat right before bed. Give your food a few hours to digest before laying down. Also avoid bending over directly after eating, which can also trigger acid reflux.
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Sleep propped up. Sleeping on your back can allow stomach acid to travel into your esophagus. Prop yourself up with pillows, or use a mattress pad or risers for a more permanent solution.
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Take prescription medications. Doctors can recommend prescription medications that can both slow the production of stomach acids, and allow acid damage to heal. Many people report immense relief of symptoms through prescription medication. Talk to your healthcare practitioner about the severity and frequency of your acid reflux. These medications can offer permanent solutions, or just be used as a bridge until other methods, like weight loss and smoking cessation take hold.
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Try an over-the-counter medicine and see if that offers you relief from your symptoms. There are some medications that used to require a prescription, and are now available over-the-counter.
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Try herbal supplements. Orange peel extract is being researched for its benefits at preventing and curing acid reflux. Natural remedies cited as offering relief for acid reflux are apple cider vinegar, baking soda, apples, digestive enzymes and probiotics. Always tell your doctor about the natural remedies you are using.
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Tips & Warnings
Keep a journal of foods and activities to help monitor what might be triggering your acid reflux.
While it can be beneficial to make health improvements on our own, don't go too long without seeing your doctor, as recurring acid reflux can damage the lining of your esophagus, stomach and intestines.
Resources
- Photo Credit http://www.sxc.hu/photo/971653
