Things You Need To Know About Hyperacidity: Prevention And Treatment

Hyperacidity, also known as gastritis or acid reflux, is the inflammation of the stomach’s lining that is usually caused by bacterial infection or other lifestyle habits like alcohol consumption.

All of us have suffered from acidity at some point or other manifested by severe pain in the stomach, burning, bloating, hiccupping, flatulence and acid reflux are the common symptoms.

Usually, we tend treat it with an immediate by taking antacids, but they’re not long-term fix and it might also damage your stomach’s normal flora. Instead, we suggest these effective remedies and natural health tips that may help in the prevention and treatment of gastric acidity so you can always eat worry-free.

1. Avoid Certain Foods

These foods vary from one person to the next, but the following are common for causing hyperacidity:

• Citrus, tomatoes and other acidic fruits
• Vinegar
• Chocolate
• Coffee and tea
• Spicy foods
• Fatty, greasy foods such as burgers and fries

2. Drink Lots of Water

Water helps to neutralize the acid and throw out the excess digestive juices present in the stomach which helps to keep your digestive system robust and perform better. Therefore, drink a glass of lukewarm water in the morning and at night before going to sleep as you will immensely benefit from it.

3. Eat Sparsely and Slowly

When your stomach is full, stomach acids are potentially pushed back upwards to the esophagus triggering reflux, indigestion, stomach spasms and discomfort.

Therefore, eating smaller meal portions more frequently rather than three large meals daily is sufficient to allow for easier and pain-free digestion. It will also allow you to easily control your caloric intake thereby preventing acid reflux.

In addition, make sure to finish your meals 2-3 hours before bedtime so that your stomach gets ample time to carry out the digestive process and empty itself.

4. Consider Your Medications

Many drugs interfere with the digestive process and irritate an inflamed esophagus. The biggest culprits include:

• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen
• Bisphosphonates such as alendronate (Fosamax), ibandronate (Boniva), or risedronate (Actonel)
• Albuterol and other asthma medications
• Calcium channel blockers
• Seasonal allergy medications
• Antibiotics
• Sedatives and painkillers
• Ppostmenopausal estrogen
• Tricyclic antidepressants

You probably can’t stop taking every medication, but you should at least understand which medications may be contributing to such problems. Be sure to talk to your doctor before stopping a prescribed medication. You may also need medication to control reflux even as you pursue different lifestyle changes.

5. Chew Gum

The normal digestive process begins in our mouth. The gum stimulates the flow of saliva, which in turn keeps the acid levels down and balances your pH levels. After your meal, chew a gum for ten minutes to get fresh breath, prevent acidity and reduce irritation in an existing throat inflammation.

6. Use Some Baking Soda

It’s not as appetizing as chewing a piece of gum, but baking soda is a natural antacid by neutralizing stomach acid. Therefore, try drinking a teaspoon of baking soda mixed in a glass of water immediately following a meal. Who knows? This might work for you too!

7. Quit Smoking and Avoid Alcohol

Nicotine and alcohol causes the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) to relax making it much more likely for stomach contents to reflux back into the esophagus. Smoking also causes you to produce less saliva, and alcohol irritates your stomach as well as dehydrates you, both of which will make your symptoms worse.

8. Lose Weight

Many experts believe that extra belly fat increases pressure on the stomach, forcing food and acid back up through the esophagus.

In addition, increased weight spreads the muscular structure that supports the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) and thereby decreasing the pressure that keeps the sphincter closed which leads to reflux and heartburn.

Exercise is the answer to almost all our ailments from controlling blood pressure and lowering blood sugar. So, do those crunches and runs regularly to prevent acidity and shed those extra pounds.

9. Don’t drink carbonated beverages

They make you burp, which sends acid into the esophagus. Therefore, drink flat water instead of sparkling water.

10. Get Some Sunlight

Sun rays help the body produce vitamin D which further balances the production of antimicrobial body chemicals that fight stomach irregularities, helps treat acid reflux and boost the digestive process. So, make sure to get your daily dose of sunlight and vitamin D.

11. Avoid Tight Clothing

Tight clothing compresses your stomach, so loosen that buckle or wear a denim an inch larger to allow an easy passage for your food and let your stomach to function smoothly.

12. Maintain Proper Positioning After Eating

• Stay up – Gravity alone helps keep stomach acids where it belong through standing or sitting properly
• Move, but not too fast – Avoid vigorous exercise for a couple of hours after eating. An after-dinner stroll is fine, but a more strenuous workout, especially if it involves bending over which can send acid into your esophagus.
• Sleep on an incline – Ideally, your head should be 6 to 8 inches higher than your feet. Raise your bed or use a wedge-shaped support for your upper back. A slightly upright position will keep your esophagus pointed downwards while still allowing for a good night’s sleep.
• Sleep on your left side – When you hit the bed, turn onto your left side and sleep. This position prevents acid reflux as it does not allow corrosive stomach acids to enter the esophagus.

13. Try These Home Remedies

These are simple ingredients present in everybody’s kitchen or refrigerator that can be used to get rid of stomach acidity.

• Basil Leaves – stimulate the stomach to produce more mucus which in turn helps to relieve heartburn and nausea that often occurs with acidity. Also, it can soothe the inflamed esophagus and stomach lining caused by excessive stomach acid production. At the first sign of gas, eat a few basil leaves or boil 3-4 basil leaves in a cup of water and let it simmer for a few minutes. Sip on it frequently.
• Mint Leaves – help lower the acid content of the stomach and improve digestion. They are one of the best coolants available in nature and thus this property makes them reduce the burning and pain that often accompanies acidity and indigestion. Chop on some mint leaves or boil a few leaves and drink the water once it cools to boost stomach and intestine health.
• Garlic – is a powerful antidote to acidity too. Raw garlic kills the pathogenic microorganism that is a major culprit in causing gastroenteritis. Including garlic in your everyday meals can actually stimulate your stomach health and prevent indigestion and consequently acidity. However, like most things, too much of garlic in rare cases can lead to minor heartburn. In that case, one or two cloves can reverse this kind of heartburn.

• Pineapple Juice – is another natural remedy tried and tested to provide relief from acidity and heartburn. Drink a glass of pineapple juice if you have had a spicy meal and detect symptoms of acidity. Pineapples also contain bromelain, which is an enzyme that helps controls levels of hydrochloric acid in your stomach and works to prevent severe acid reflux.
• Aloe Vera – the edible ones, is also known to be a coolant and a natural remedy to relieve heartburn.
• Cinnamon – works as a natural antacid for stomach acidity and can settle your stomach, by improving digestion and absorption. Drink cinnamon tea to heal infections in the gastrointestinal tract.
• Buttermilk – is a naturally occurring probiotic that contains lactic acid that neutralizes stomach acidity. The lactic acid further soothes the stomach by coating the stomach lining and reducing the irritation and acid reflux symptoms. To get relief from heartburn, drink up a glass of cold buttermilk.

• Cloves – helps soothe inflamed and damaged stomach lining thus treating acidity, preventing flatulence and getting rid of bad breath. Hence, sprinkle crushed cloves and cardamom in your meals and even desserts.
• Cumin Seeds – work as a great acid neutralizer, aid digestion and relieve stomach pain. Slightly crush some roasted cumin seeds, stir it into a glass of water or steep one teaspoon of cumin seeds in a cup of boiled water and drink it after every meal.
• Ginger – with gingerols as its main ingredient that give healing properties for various digestive and intestinal disorders. These properties destroy the acidity triggering pylori bacteria, decreases inflammation, minimizes nausea and calms the stomach muscles. Combine 1 tbsp of ginger and lemon juice with 2 tbsp. of honey in warm water.
• Cold Milk – that contains calcium which helps to maintain the pH balance and aids in proper digestion providing you an instant relief from the burning sensation caused by acidity and acid reflux. Remember though that this is for those who are not lactose intolerant and that cold milk is more effective than hot milk and not to add any additives like sugar, or chocolate powder to the milk.

Know more about the health benefits of drinking milk regularly.

• Apple Cider Vinegar – though acidic in nature, it has an alkalizing effect which helps in reducing acidity problems. Simply add 1-2 teaspoons of raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar in a glass of water and drink it once or twice a day or before meals.
• Coconut Water – makes our body’s pH turn into its alkaline levels. Also, it helps produce mucous in our stomach, which protects the stomach from harmful effects of excessive acid production. Since it is rich in fiber, it aids in digestion as well as prevents the re-occurrence of acidity.

• Banana – contains natural antacids and has high fibre content which enhances the digestion process. They are rich in potassium and increase the production of mucus in the stomach which prevents excess acid formation and also fights the harmful effects of excessive acid production. A ripe banana is a perfect antidote to episodes of acidity.
• Raw Almonds – are simply natural almonds that have not been soaked or processed in any way. They are rich in natural oils which soothe and neutralize the acid in the stomach. In addition, its high fibre content helps in the digestion process. So the next time you are suffering from a severe heartburn, pop in a handful of almonds instead of those over-the-counter medicines.
• Fennel Seeds – contain a compound called anethole which works as a soothing agent for the stomach and prevents spasm, flatulence, acidity and acid reflux. It is also loaded with vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre that aids the process of good digestion. Chew a few fennel seeds or soak a few fennel seeds in water and drink it to reduce the symptoms of acidity.

Conclusion

There is no special diet specifically for persons who commonly have problems with acid reflux. As with other conditions exacerbated by obesity, a gradual process of healthy dieting, exercise and consultation with a medical professional is the key to reducing your symptoms and improving your health.

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