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Updated at: October 23, 2024 · 9 min read
How Do You Avoid Acid Reflux?
Everyone at some point has suffered from acid reflux, and everyone will know the discomfort that comes with it. This is why so many people will be asking how they can avoid acid reflux. In this article, we will outline some of the main causes of acid reflux, as well as some ways that you can avoid acid reflux entirely. There can be many different causes of acid reflux, and it can be hard to pinpoint what the actual cause of your acid reflux is as many different everyday foods and drinks can potentially cause it. This article will also outline some of the treatments you can purchase for acid reflux.
Key Takeaways
Lifestyle and Diet Changes to Prevent Acid Reflux:
Lying down can worsen acid reflux, while eating certain foods (rather than just eating less) can help manage it. Wearing loose clothing and quitting smoking can also reduce symptoms. Chewing gum, consuming alkaline foods, ginger, apple cider vinegar, and lemon water can help prevent acid reflux.
Potential Causes of Acid Reflux:
Being overweight, pregnant, or diabetic can increase the risk of acid reflux. Certain foods and drinks like fatty foods, alcohol, coffee, fizzy drinks, chocolate, garlic, onions, citrus fruits, mint, and tomato sauce can trigger acid reflux.
Consulting a Doctor:
If you suffer from acid reflux, it's important to talk to your doctor. They can help you identify triggers and recommend effective treatments to manage and prevent acid reflux symptoms.
What does Acid Reflux mean?
Acid reflux is a condition that causes stomach acid to travel up from your stomach into your throat. This will cause a burning sensation that is unpleasant and will cause discomfort. The burning sensation in the chest also goes by the name of heartburn. The name for recurring acid reflux is gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, which is shortened to GORD.
Ways To Prevent Acid Reflux
When you are aware of what could cause your acid reflux, you may be wondering about how you can prevent it by using different techniques.
Will lying down help avoid acid reflux?
You may be tempted to lie down when you are suffering from acid reflux. However, this can actually lead to symptoms worsening. Stomach acid can make its way higher in your throat when you lay down which can cause coughing or choking.
Will eating less help avoid acid reflux?
Eating less is not necessarily the wonder cure for acid reflux. Instead, it is more about what you eat than how much you eat. Many of the foods listed in the questions above should be avoided if you are suffering from acid reflux or GORD.
Will wearing loose clothes help avoid acid reflux?
Tight-fitting clothes such as muscle-fit t-shirts or high-waisted jeans will cause increased pressure on the stomach, and this will then increase the chances of acid reflux. Looser clothing, especially around the stomach will make a difference.
Will quitting smoking help avoid acid reflux?
Smoking is linked to GORD symptoms, and a study of over 100 smokers who suffer from GORD found that around 60% of those that quit smoking also found an improvement in their GORD symptoms.
Will chewing gum help prevent acid reflux?
It is often theorised that chewing gum can help to ease symptoms of acid reflux after eating a meal. This is true, and chewing gum will help to combat acid reflux and relieve symptoms of both GORD and heartburn.
Do alkaline foods help prevent acid reflux?
Alkaline foods are very good for neutralising your stomach acid, and will then be good for preventing acid reflux. Alkaline foods include beans, lentils, seeds, soy, and most fresh vegetables including potatoes.
Does ginger help prevent acid reflux?
Ginger is well known for its anti-inflammatory properties. Ginger is also good at reducing the level of stomach acid you have, and will go a long way to help prevent acid reflux and the symptoms of GORD.
Does apple cider vinegar help prevent acid reflux?
Another well-known remedy for acid reflux is apple cider vinegar. When you take a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar before or after you eat a meal you will be actively helping to prevent acid reflux. This is particularly effective when eating a food that triggers acid reflux.
Does lemon water help to prevent acid reflux?
Small amounts of lemon mixed with water creates lemon water, which when consumed will have an alkaline effect, and will help to regulate your stomach acid, reducing the likelihood of acid reflux. Take this before or after a meal which may trigger acid reflux.
What are the potential causes of Acid Reflux?
Many different things can cause acid reflux. Below is a list of many questions people regularly ask about the causes of their acid reflux. The cause of your reflux can affect if prevention measures are on the rise.
Being overweight
When you are overweight you are more likely to suffer from regular heartburn and acid reflux. The extra weight will create extra abdominal pressure which makes stomach acid backflow or leaking much more likely.
Being pregnant
Both heartburn and acid reflux are much more likely to occur when someone is pregnant. This is due to either the baby growing and pressing on the stomach, or the hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy.
Diabetes
Both type one and type two diabetics are more likely to develop GORD, the most severe form of acid reflux. People with diabetes who suffer from neuropathy or nerve damage associated with their diabetes are more likely to suffer from GORD.
Eating fatty/fried foods
Fatty or fried foods take longer to digest than other foods. This increases the likelihood of getting stomach acid reflux. Fatty foods also release the hormone cholecystokinin. This will also increase the chances of acid reflux.
Drinking alcohol
Alcohol will increase the chances of you suffering from acid reflux. Certain types of alcohol will affect it more, especially more acidic drinks such as spirits and wine. Alcohol interacts with the oesophagus and will thus affect the levels of stomach acid in it.
Drinking coffee
Coffee is also known to cause acid reflux. Caffeine will relax the muscles in the stomach and can increase the chances of stomach acid rising up into the throat. Decaffeinated coffee, therefore, does not bring the same risk of acid reflux.
Drinking fizzy drinks
Gaseous carbonated, fizzy, drinks are a known trigger of acid reflux. Gassy drinks will cause bloating in the stomach. This will cause extra pressure in the stomach and will lead to stomach acid rising into the throat causing acid reflux.
Eating chocolate
In the same way as coffee, chocolate contains caffeine, which is known to increase the chances of acid reflux. Chocolate, specifically the ingredient cocoa, will relax the stomach, making it easier for stomach acid to cause acid reflux.
Eating garlic
There are some theories that garlic causes acid reflux. There is some proof for this theory, and there is also some evidence that suggests eating raw garlic will increase the chances of acid reflux.
Eating onions
There is a clear link between onions and acid reflux. Onions stimulate gastric acid, increasing the chances of someone suffering from acid reflux. Onions sit in the stomach for longer periods of time than other foods, making stomach acid levels fluctuate.
Eating citrus fruits
Whilst there is no real risk from eating citrus fruits alone, eating lots of them could lead to an increased risk of acid reflux. This is because they themselves are very acidic, and higher levels of acid in the stomach can lead to acid reflux.
Consuming mint
Mint, specifically peppermint, will relax the sphincter between the stomach and the oesophagus when it is consumed. This means that people that suffer from GORD will have heightened symptoms when they consume peppermint.
Tomatoes & tomato sauce
Tomatoes will cause an increased risk of acid reflux much in the same way as a citrus fruit would. Tomatoes are an acidic foodstuff and will increase stomach acid levels. These increased stomach acid levels will increase the chances of acid reflux.
Treating Acid Reflux
What is a GORD diet?
GORD Diet
When someone suffers from GORD their doctor may tell them to start a GORD diet. A GORD diet consists of foods that are not going to trigger acid reflux, and it will avoid foods that are overly fatty, fried, or particularly acidic.
Speaking to your doctor
Consulting with your doctor can help you to make an informed decision on the best ways to prevent and treat acid reflux.
What medications can help to treat acid reflux and where can I buy acid reflux medication online?
At UK Meds we provide a few different acid reflux medications that you can use if you have not been able to successfully prevent acid reflux. Among these medications, there are both over-the-counter treatments as well as prescription-only medications. To purchase prescription-only medications you can either use an existing prescription or if you do not have a prescription you can complete a consultation online.
Pending a successful consultation, you will be given a prescription from an independent prescriber and you will then be able to purchase your medication online. Some of the most popular prescription-only medications to treat acid reflux include Omeprazole and Pantoprazole. If you struggle with acid reflux a product such as Famotidine may be perfect for you as well. Please note, all requests for supply of prescription medications are subject to an online clinical consultation and the decision to prescribe will be made by a registered independent prescriber.
Medically Reviewed by:
Dr. Alexis Missick MBChB. MRCGP
GMC reference no: 7151419
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