Diet Tips

• Symptoms of acid reflux disease develop when fluids and food leave the stomach and flow back into the esophagus. Preventing and curing reflux disease involves employing tactics to stop the backflow. Oftentimes, people living with reflux disease can control their symptoms by simply altering their diet and avoiding specific foods, including fatty foods, spicy foods, tomato products, citrus foods, alcohol, chocolate and caffeine. Symptoms may develop shortly after consuming certain foods. Use a calendar to record your meals and symptoms, which helps pinpoint foods that bring on reflux.
  
  

Lose Weight

• Obesity also is a known acid reflux trigger; controlling symptoms of reflux disease may involve losing a few pounds and maintaining a healthy body weight. Shedding weight requires adopting better eating habits and developing a workout routine. You can safely lose one to two pounds a week by cutting your calorie intake by 500 calories a day and exercising for 30 to 60 minutes three to five times a week. Along with a consistent fitness program, removing certain types of foods from your diet can assist your efforts. These include fatty foods, sugary foods and other high-calorie snacks.
  
  

Remain Upright

• A simple home remedy to control acid reflux disease involves keeping your head in an upright position while sleeping or after meals. You don't have to sleep sitting upright. Rather, find a way to elevate the head of your bed by six to nine inches. Ideal choices include placing a cement or wood block under the bedpost. Sleeping with the head elevated controls reflux disease (gravity keeps food and liquids in the stomach). Also, avoid lying down immediately after eating. This can prompt acid reflux. Instead, wait at least two to three hours before sleeping.