Most people will experience acid reflux at one point or another. It can happen in healthy adults and children – usually after a big meal.
Most acid reflux episodes are brief and don’t cause problems, however, if it has become a problem for you, there are some ways you can help treat and prevent acid reflux and support your gut health overall.
Your gut health and acid reflux
Modern lifestyles such as increased stress, lack of exercise, lack of sleep, poor nutrition and posture can be detrimental to our gut and digestive system, affecting our overall wellbeing and ability to function.
Here at PGP Health, we approach gut health holistically. Read on to learn more about acid reflux and how you can treat it, with a focus on doing so naturally.
What is acid reflux?
Acid reflux is a common condition that occurs when stomach acid flows back into the oesophagus. This can cause a burning sensation in the chest, known as heartburn, as well as other symptoms such as regurgitation, difficulty swallowing, and a sour taste in the mouth.
What does acid reflux feel like?
The most common symptoms of acid reflux include:
- Heartburn. Often worse after lying down, it’s a burning sensation in your chest.
- Regurgitation (backwash) of food or sour-tasting stomach acid
- Upper abdominal or chest pain.
- Trouble swallowing, also known as dysphagia
- Sensation of a lump in your throat
What triggers acid reflux?
There are many things that can trigger acid reflux, whether that be a once off or over time. Some of the most common triggers include:
Medical conditions: obesity, certain medications, hiatal hernia can all cause acid reflux.
Diet: It varies from person to person, but certain spicy foods, fatty foods, chocolate, caffeine and citrus can trigger acid reflux symptoms.
Lifestyle habits: Overeating, smoking and alcohol consumption can also cause acid reflux.
When should I be concerned about acid reflux?
See a GP if: lifestyle changes and pharmacy medicines are not helping your heartburn, or you have heartburn most days for 3 weeks or more.
You should also talk to your GP if you have other symptoms, like food getting stuck in your throat, frequently being sick, or losing weight for no reason.
Long-term effects of acid reflux
Frequent acid reflux can turn into a more serious condition like gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). If left untreated it can cause more serious issues, like trouble swallowing and long-term damage to the oesophagus.
If you believe you are suffering from GERD, you should contact your medical provider for further information and treatment.
How can I prevent acid reflux?
Eating smaller, more frequent meals
Large meals cause the stomach to expand, which prevents the sphincter at the top of your stomach from closing completely, resulting in the contents of your stomach washing back up into to your oesophagus.
Skipping meals can also cause acidity in some people, so eating small amounts more regularly might help you.
Quitting smoking
Smoking is known to slow digestion, decrease saliva production and increase stomach acid. If you’re a smoker, quitting may be helpful on your journey to treating and preventing acid reflux.
Avoiding or limiting alcohol use
Alcohol consumption has been shown to contribute to acid reflux in multiple ways. The chemicals in some alcohol may irritate stomach tissue and increase acid production. Sugary, carbonated or citrusy drinks are more likely to trigger acid reflux in some people.
Waiting three hours until lying down after eating
When you eat a meal, your stomach produces stomach acid to help break down the food. If you lie down too soon after eating, the stomach acid can flow back into the oesophagus, causing heartburn and other symptoms of acid reflux.
Waiting at least three hours after eating before lying down allows your stomach to empty its contents more fully, reducing the risk of acid reflux symptoms. This gives your body enough time to digest the food and for the stomach acid to reduce in concentration. It’s important to note that this three-hour time frame is just a guideline, and some individuals may require more or less time to fully digest their meals before lying down.
Sleeping with your head elevated
In addition to waiting before lying down, it can also help to sleep with your head elevated, to prevent stomach acid from flowing back into the oesophagus while you sleep.
This can be achieved by simply using an extra pillow, or by placing blocks under the head of the bed frame.
Natural remedies
Some of the most effective natural remedies include apple cider vinegar, ginger, aloe vera, slippery elm, and baking soda. These remedies can help to neutralise stomach acid, reduce inflammation, and improve digestion.
It’s important to note that while natural remedies can be effective for treating acid reflux, they may not work for everyone. It’s also important to speak with a healthcare provider before trying any new remedies, especially if you’re currently taking medication for acid reflux or any other medical conditions.
Medicines
There are many medications available both over the counter and by prescription to help manage acid reflux symptoms and to reduce stomach acidity. These include antacids, acid blockers and proton pump inhibitors (PPI).
These can cause more harm than good with use over an extended period, so it’s worth chatting with your health provider to work on a solution which includes lifestyle changes together.
Drink more water
Water can generally help balance the pH following a particularly acidic meal, which may help to lower acid reflux symptoms, or to stop them from occurring at all.
Support your digestive health with PGP Health Wear
At PGP Health, our approach is to improve your health holistically, starting with the all-important gut through compression therapy.
For those suffering from acid reflux, the gentle pressure on the lower part of the abdomen can help with the reduction of inflammation, elimination of toxins and breakdown of foods – improving your overall digestive health. The gentle pressure also limits your appetite, so you will be inclined to eat smaller meals, more frequently and thus help reduce the food in your stomach washing back up into the oesophagus.
Explore our range of Health Wear here.
