What Is Acid Reflux And How To Prevent It

Acid Reflux: What You Need To Know

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It's something you might have heard of, or maybe you vaguely thought it was some weird indie band, but no - acid reflux is a health problem that affects many people, at best a painful inconvenience, at worst it could be a more serious condition that needs treatment.

So What Exactly Is It?

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Your stomach contains acid that's important for breaking down food - but sometimes, it doesn't want to stay in the stomach. Acid reflux is when stomach acid travels back up towards the throat, causing a lot of discomfort in the chest, throat and mouth.

Is Acid Reflux The Same As Heartburn?

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It's easy to think of heartburn as acid reflux - they both happen in the chest and make you feel a burning sensation. But heartburn is more a symptom of acid reflux - acid reflux is the process of the acid returning up towards the throat, heartburn is a result of that.

How Do You Know You're Having Acid Reflux: The Symptoms

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If you've never had it before, you might wonder what it feels like, or what to watch out for. As mentioned, one of the main symptoms can be heartburn. It's also likely you'll feel bloated and sick because of the acid repeating up your throat, sort of how you feel after a very heavy meal that doesn't agree with you!

Does It Affect The Mouth And Throat?

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Because acid reflux sees stomach acid repeating back up to the throat, some other symptoms you may have can include a sore throat, a bad cough, and a very bad sour taste in your mouth, which will be a result of the acid. It's also common to get hiccups when the acid comes up.

Acid Reflux Versus GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease)

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GERD is the more serious result of many bouts of acid reflux happening time after time. When the stomach acid repeats up the throat so many times, it can result in GERD, where it becomes a more serious condition and where the lining of the throat has been seriously irritated.

Can You Have Acid Reflux Without Heartburn?

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While heartburn is a very common symptoms of acid reflux, it's not actually guaranteed that you'll always get it - so make sure that's not the only symptom you're watching out for! Often, people with GERD have other uncomfortable symptoms rather than heartburn.

What Are The Symptoms Of GERD?

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While you can still have heartburn as a symptom of GERD, you can also just have a general pain in your chest. It's also likely you'll have trouble swallowing because of the throat lining being compromised so much. This can feel like you have food stuck in your throat, and you might have a hoarse voice, too. Bad breath is of course a huge indicator as well!

Is Acid Reflux Serious?

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If you have occasional bouts of acid reflux from time to time, it's not too much of an issue. If you develop GERD and you have it for a long time, this is when it can become more serious. Because the more acid repeating, the more it's going to start breaking down the throat's lining, which can lead to serious health issues long-term.

What Causes Acid Reflux?

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The most common cause of acid reflux is - you guessed it - food! What you eat and what you drink all have an impact on whether you feel bloated, feel like you have heartburn and whether your stomach acid decides to rebel. Other causes can be smoking, being overweight and even pregnancy.

It's Mainly Acidic Foods That Are The Issue

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As the name rightly suggests, it's those really acidic foods that you have to watch out for. Not only can these cause acid reflux, but you also don't want to be having them if you already suffer with heartburn. Acidic foods include citrus fruits, as well as spicy foods.

Who's Likely To Get Acid Reflux?

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As mentioned, people who smoke a lot, are overweight or pregnant are highly likely to have a case of acid reflux and more at risk of GERD. In general, anyone of any age can get acid reflux depending on their lifestyle, but it's more likely in people over the age of 40.

How You Can Prevent It: It's Time For Lifestyle Changes!

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As with all things like this - and all things you enjoy in life like good spicy food and sitting on the couch for extended periods of time - it's time for a healthier change! Watching how you live, what you do and what you eat is a sure-fire way to tackle the symptoms or risks of acid reflux. Here's what you can do.

Try Not To Eat A Lot Of Fatty Foods

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If you're eating a diet that's high on fat, it's not only going to increase your risk of putting on weight - which can then increase your risk of acid reflux - but it's also going to cause you to feel more bloated, and increase your risk of heartburn from the greasy fat build up!

And Avoid Irritating Food And Drink Which Are Highly Acidic

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Certain food and drink can be triggers for acid reflux, as mentioned, so you might want to meal plan your week so that you can eliminate anything you think might be a trigger. Citrus fruits like lemon and orange, a lot of caffeine, onions and tomatoes and curry can all be triggers. Even just limiting them would be a good start!

If You're Overweight, It's Time For A Workout Plan!

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If you're wanting to combat any issues with stomach acid, bloating and heartburn, losing weight is one of the best things you can do. You're more likely to avoid digestion issues if you get to a healthy weight, and keep it that way! So adjust your workout and diet for that.

If You Smoke, Quit

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Apart from the numerous other health benefits of quitting smoking anyway, this is also one of the ways you can limit the risk of acid reflux! That's because smokers are more at risk of getting heartburn anyway, so it's a good idea to stop. Not to mention bad breath caused from acid reflux plus smoker's breath might not be the best.

Eat More Slowly

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We're all guilty of wolfing down our work lunch because we're so busy, but cramming food down before you've even had a chance to chew it is only going to increase the risk of it repeating on you. Taking your time to eat mindfully will mean your body can better process food.

Ditch The Tight Clothes!

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This is particularly true of around the stomach, because we've all been there trying to eat out at a restaurant with the latest and greatest skinniest skinny jeans! You don't want to feel like you're wearing a corset when you're trying to eat because this will just make you at risk of indigestion.

Try Not To Eat A Few Hours Before Bed

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Your body and digestive system needs chance to settle before you tuck in for the night, and if you eat late at night before getting into bed, you're more at risk of acid reflux because you're going to lie down right after eating. This can disrupt the process, especially when your stomach is trying to work against gravity!

Give Ginger A Go

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It's been believed for a long time that ginger is a great thing to soothe a sore stomach as well as help with acid reflux. You could try adding ginger to your meals, eating raw ginger or even drinking ginger drinks, like ale or beer (within reason, because you don't want too much fizzy drink!).

You Can Try Antacids

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The first thing you might reach for when you have heartburn or indigestion is a pack of antacids. These can definitely help with symptoms of acid reflux, as it's what they're designed to do, but you don't want to become dependant on them, or take too many of them!

Eat Smaller Meals More Often

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A big meal is going to make it more likely you'll get full and feel bloated - and then comes the heartburn. But you also don't want to reduce your healthy calorie intake, so instead you could try eating the same amount a day, but split it into smaller, more manageable meals, which you can eat more often throughout the day.

Try To Avoid Snacking (We Know It's Hard)

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Again, anything you're stuffing your face with is going to risk disrupting the digestion process, so if you're a snacker, especially fatty or unhealthy foods that you binge on, you might want to try stopping that - or at least find a healthier snack alternative, like carrot sticks, as opposed to chips and dip (we know that doesn't sound appetizing though).

Wait At Least 30 Minutes After Eating Before Exercising

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You don't want to be wolfing down your meal and then heading straight out for the gym - your body needs a bit of time to process the food before you start jumping about. Apart from likely getting a painful stitch, you'll also likely get indigestion or heartburn and feel that acid in your mouth!

Get Some More Supportive Pillows

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If you bed pillows are quite flat, it can be a good idea to hitch yourself up a little bit more with firmer and more supportive pillows. If your throat and mouth is supported a bit higher up it can help to stop acid coming back up because you won't be led completely flat.

Sit Up Straight When Eating!

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We're sure your parents always shouted this at you when eating at home, but they had a very good point! If you sit up straight with good posture when you're eating, it means the food can travel through more comfortably. If you're hunched over with your stomach scrunched up, it's going to be more uncomfortable.

And After Eating, Too

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The same applies after you've finished a meal, too! You don't want to sit up ramrod straight in your chair whilst eating only to then go and throw yourself on the couch and slouch in front of the TV. Your food is digesting after you've finished your meal, so try to keep sitting up straighter for a bit afterwards, too.

Try To Drink Less Alcohol

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A huge trigger for acid reflux can be when you're drinking a heavy amount of alcohol whilst eating a heavy meal! Think a night out while you're trying to eat a greasy take out at the same time. Drinks like wine and beer can also make it worse, because they're carbonated or acidic.

Speak To Your Doctor

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If all else fails, it's important to speak to your doctor if you keep having repeated instances of acid reflux, because if it's happening time and again, it could be the GERD that we talked about! Your doctor will also be able to recommend the best ways to feel more comfortable.