According to Baos, the main steps that patients must take to avoid stomach acidity are to avoid being overweight, chewing well and slowly, reducing carbonated drinks and very spicy foods.
"Each person knows what foods are especially indigestible and should avoid them," says the specialist, who insists that people who usually have heartburn should avoid lying down before two hours after a meal. "This also helps prevent reflux."
To prevent heartburn
1. Avoid drinking coffee, alcoholic beverages, carbonated drinks, citrus fruits, spicy foods, chocolate, tomatoes, onions and any other food that we have detected as responsible for our acidity.
2. After eating, do not do intense exercise or adopt postures such as stooping; However, if walking at a gentle pace is recommended.
3. Do not lie down until after 2 or 3 hours after having eaten; when you lie down, food presses on the sphincter that, in normal conditions, prevents the return of food to the esophagus.
4. Meals should be light, especially dinner. Copious meals are counterproductive, much more so if they are fats, as they are more difficult to digest and delay digestion.
5. Sleep with your head up about 15 cm. To do this lift the head of the bed or the mattress in the area of the head. Being head taller than the stomach will prevent the return of food. Using more pillows is not useful because during the night, we will move and lose that elevated posture of the head.
6. If you are overweight, lose weight. Obesity increases abdominal pressure, encouraging the return to the esophagus.
7. Do not wear tight clothing or belts around the waist.
8. Do not smoke, a very beneficial recommendation in many other aspects, but if this is why you decide to give up smoking, perfect.
9. Reduce physical and emotional stress. If possible, do relaxation exercises.
10. If symptoms persist, consult your doctor, as there are drugs that can help you if you do not achieve these measures. You should also see your doctor if other gastrointestinal symptoms occur.
