November 2021

FEELING THE 'BURN'?

One in three Americans regularly experience acid reflux.  Try these foods and lifestyle-based strategies to tame the flame.

Hand sanitizer and toilet paper aren’t the only products flying off shelves lately.  Heartburn medications are also more in demand than ever, as reports of reflux (when stomach acid or food flows back into the esophagus, causing symptoms like chest pain or that on-fire feeling in your throat) are on the rise nationwide.  Factors contributing to this spike include changing eating patterns, weight gain and less physical activity.

Over the counter and prescription acid-suppression medications can help.  But wariness of long-term use and potential side effects (including nutrient deficiencies and loss of bone density) have more people seeking nonpharmacologic therapies.   Here are four habits to add to your reflux-reducing repertoire.

Eat dinner early.  Your body depends in part on gravity to help move food through your digestive tract.  Avoid eating within 2-3 hours of hitting the hay, since lying down can allow stomach acid to travel up into the esophagus more easily.  You can also elevate your upper body with an under-the-mattress wedge or use 6-inch risers to life the head of your bed.    Need to eat closer go bedtime?  Keep your meal modest, as large meals take longer to digest and increase pressure in the stomach that can drive acid upward.

Join Club Med.  Those who follow a plant-forward Mediterranean diet have the same reduction in acid reflux symptoms as those who were prescribed proton pump inhibitors.   Unlike animal proteins, plant-based protein is not easily broken down in the stomach, often being absorbed in the small bowel, and thus reducing the amount of acid that’s produced during digestion.

Know your triggers.   Tomato sauce, red wine, caffeine, fizzy drinks, mint and spicy, fatty or fried foods have long been termed refluxogenic for their heartburn-inducing tendencies.  But recent research suggests that they may not be as universally problematic as once thought.  Rather than swearing off pizza forever, eliminate one common trigger at a time to see if your symptoms improve.  Since giving up food you love can be a bummer, try swapping an alternative, like using flavorful herbs instead of red pepper flakes.

Keep it moving.  Engaging in 30 minutes or more of moderate-to-vigorous activity each day may prevent reflux, even among those who manage symptoms with medication.  Physical activity not only supports gut health, it may also help stomach acid clear more efficiently post-meal.   Breathing hard also strengthens the diaphragm muscles that surround and support the lower esophageal sphincter, the gateway between the esophagus and your stomach.

Leslie Goldman, MPH