Acid reflux, also known as heartburn, is a health condition in which a burning sensation is experienced in the chest area. This burning sensation is caused due to the upward movement of stomach acids back into the esophagus or food pipe. If a person experiences acid reflux more than two times a week, then he/she is diagnosed with GERD (Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease). Apart from hiatal hernia, the most common causes are mostly based on your lifestyle. So yes, acid reflux is a lifestyle disorder and here are the reasons to support it.
How your lifestyle can cause acid reflux?
Here are the top ways in which your lifestyle can lead to health problems like GERD.
- Eating lots of foods – It is always recommended to eat small portions of food for the whole day. This is because small meals help in keeping you fit and healthy. But when you eat a lot of food at once, it can always cause the food to rush back up in the windpipe. Thus, it causes the burning feeling in your chest due to acid reflux symptoms.
- Lying down immediately after eating – Health experts always recommend everyone to take a walk after eating meals. Walking helps in proper digestion of food while preventing issues like GERD and constipation, etc. If you lie down immediately after eating, it can always cause the food to rush back into the food pipe. This happens because the food is still not processed by your stomach. Moreover, your horizontal posture also adds up to the acid reflux process.
- Heavy eating – If you want your digestive system to digest the food quickly, it is always better to eat light foods. When you heavy foods, it becomes difficult for your stomach to process them easily. Thus, it can always cause the food to rush back into your food pipe to cause acid reflux.
- Eating late at night – Medical experts suggest that everyone should eat food 2-3 hours before bedtime. This helps our digestive system to easily process and digest the foods we eat. But if you eat meals right before going to bed, it can always upset your digestive system. Thus, it can further lead to health problems like A.R and GERD.
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- Certain food items – In several medical studies, it was found that the acid reflux problem can be caused due to the consumption of certain foods. These foods include citrus fruits, chocolates, tangy vegetables, junk foods, spicy foods, and chocolates, etc. Thus, it is better to avoid these foods if you also experience acid reflux after eating these.
- Caffeinated & carbonated drinks – The drinks with carbon content and caffeine are also known to be a reason behind acid reflux problems. Thus, it is better to avoid caffeinated drinks like coffee and tea. Moreover, you also need to avoid carbonated drinks like cold drinks.
- Cigarettes & alcohol – Smoking cigarettes is one of the most common reasons behind acid reflux. Apart from this, the consumption of alcoholic drinks can also cause this problem. Thus, it is better to avoid smoking and drinking if you experience this health disorder.
- Pregnancy – During pregnancy, changes in hormones are quite common. These changes can often affect the relaxation of esophageal muscles. Thus, it further leads to various problems like acid reflux and GERD.
- Medications – Various medicines and drugs are also known to cause acid refluxes. Medicines like aspirin, antibiotics, BP control medicines, and ibuprofen, etc. Thus, it is always recommended to talk to your doctor if you experience acid refluxes after taking these medicines.
That’s all!
So these were the top reasons to prove acid reflux is a lifestyle disorder. If you experience acid reflux regularly, it is always recommended to get in touch with a licensed physician. This way you will be able to control this problem from getting worse in the future. Also, make sure to avoid these lifestyle habits to prevent this problem from happening.
