Patients diagnosed with GERD should adopt and get used to the acid reflux lifestyle – a lifestyle which includes a number of changes designed to alleviate their condition and, at the same time, eliminate any factors which may trigger a reflux flare-up.
Eating smaller meals at shorter time intervals is one of the changes adopted by GERD patients starting their acid reflux lifestyle. This is done to prevent the pressure build-up in the stomach which occurs when large quantities are ingested. Also, the patient may want to maintain a healthy weight, as this will further reduce the patient’s abdominal pressure.
The acid reflux lifestyle is largely based on the patients carefully selecting their foods. There are two parts to this – first of all, avoiding any foods and beverages which increase the production of acid and overall gastric acidity (such as carbonated and caffeinated beverages, tea, spices, onions, products based on tomatoes or tomato juice, citrus fruits, chocolate, peppermint and any fatty or fried foods) while consuming larger quantities of foods and liquids with soothing or acid-reducing properties. To make this easier, it is advised that the patient maintains a logbook, noting what foods cause his condition to worsen and which improve it.
It is strongly advised that, as part of the acid reflux lifestyle, the patient completely avoids smoking and drinking alcohol. Also, the patient should try and avoid being put in any stressful situation – although stress is not directly linked to acid reflux, it may influence the flare-ups.
After eating a meal, the patient should refrain from lying down for half an hour to one hour. This will allow gravity to assist with the digestive process and with holding the gastric contents inside the stomach. And, to allow gravity to continue doing so at night as well, the patient should make sure to sleep with his head elevated six to eight inches above the level of his waist.
Along with all the other changes, the patient’s acid reflux lifestyle should also reflect in his selection of clothes, avoiding apparel and garments which put pressure against the patient’s waist. Again, this pressure could negatively influence the balance of pressure affecting the lower esophageal sphincter, possibly causing the gastric acids to reflux.
While for some patients the above changes may be difficult or tedious, they are nevertheless required. Regardless of whether the patient is simultaneously undergoing a different treatment method for acid reflux or not, these lifestyle adjustments will provide relief – and in some cases, they are sufficient to treat the patient’s condition by themselves.
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