How to prevent heartburn or acid reflux

Have you ever experience the feeling of rising stomach acid, sour unpleasant acid taste in your mouth, burning or pain in the chest or throat especially after a big meal? These are some of the symptoms of heartburn or acid reflux.

Heartburn is a condition of an imbalance of chemical reaction in the body occurring in the esophagus instead of the stomach. It affects both children and adults and it is an unpleasant experience. It's usually triggered by intake of certain food such as chocolates, citrus fruit and spicy foods. Food taken a certain time of the day especially late at night when the digestion is slow and over eating can also cause such unpleasant acid reaction. 

How can you manage heartburn? Here are some tips on how to prevent heartburn or acid reflux:

1. Through proper diet - Build a food diary; list the food you are eating and the amount. Observe your body reaction to the different types of food, recording the times when the food or the amount causes a heart burn reaction.

2. Avoid food that is known to cause acid reflux. Food such as curries, fried food, caffeinated drinks, alcoholic drinks and peppermint can trigger acid reflux.

3. Eat small, frequent meals and avoid heavy meals before bedtime. Preferably, have your last meal of the day 3 hours before going to bed.

4. Food that is rich in complex carbohydrates such as bread, rice and pasta can soothe the excessive acid in the stomach.

5. Eat slowly and chew your food well to maximise the nourishment. It will help the digestion process in the stomach

6. Avoid food that is high in fats as they take a longer time to digest causing the stomach to secrete more acid for digestion.

Some of us could occasionally get heartburn after a meal. However, persistent acid reaction can lead to a chronic disease known as GERD, which is a condition of irritated or damaged esophagus. Consult a doctor if you are experiencing frequent acid reflux or heartburn as it can potentially lead to serious complication.