Dealing With Acidity? Here’s All You Need To Know

If you feel a burning sensation around your chest, especially after a hearty meal, chances are it is heart-burn due to acidity. A large number of people experience acidity at some point of time. But before you blame yourself, remember that acidity is mainly caused by our eating habits and lifestyle, which means that you can easily take care of the same.

What is acidity?

Acidity is a digestive condition that happens when the stomach produces excess acid. This excess acid irritates the lining in your food pipe or oesophagus and causes heart-burn. In some cases, it flows up in the oesophagus and right up to the throat and causes what is commonly known as acid reflux. Acid reflux is either acute or chronic. The symptoms of chronic acidity show up at regular intervals or over a long period of time.

Are you suffering from acidity?

Acidity causes a burning sensation in your chest or throat, especially after heavy meals or due to skipping meals or untimely meals. It feels like heartburn which is accompanied by restlessness and belching. It also causes difficulty in swallowing.

Prevention and relief from acidity

Most modern-day health issues, including chronic acidity, are either mainly due to stress or because of unhealthy eating habits and lifestyle. If you have been diagnosed with chronic acidity, a few changes in your daily life can help prevent it.

Try these

• Avoid fried and spicy foods, even pickles, especially if you often suffer from acidity.
• Certain fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, grapefruits and oranges are high in their acidic content, so avoid eating those for the time being.
• Avoid fatty foods, as well as those high in preservatives, such as packaged foods.
• Alcohol consumption can increase the risk of acidity, so avoid it when possible, or reduce it for the time being.
• Keep a gap of at least an hour between your meal and bedtime.
• Lack of sleep and irregular sleep timings can also cause acidity. Try and get at least six to seven hours of sleep each night.
• Add some regular exercise in your daily routine. If you don’t find the time to hit the gym, walk or jog for a few minutes each day, or try some simple home workouts as per your convenience.
• In addition, take some antacid to get relief. However, if symptoms persist, or if you are already on any other medication, make sure to first speak to your doctor.

Acidity also happens to those who are near the age of menopause or are pregnant. Some medicines, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) also cause acidity. Check with your doctor to get more information on the same.

Acidity causes a lot of discomfort, but some lifestyle changes will ease the discomfort and reduce your chances of suffering from it. Also, stress makes you more prone to acidity, so instead of worrying, try and incorporate these changes in your life as soon as you can, to get relief and prevent it in future too.

Blog originally published on the Digitalist Magazine.