If you have suffered from Acid Reflux you’ve probably reached for Tums, Rolaids or any number of over the counter fast acting treatments to ease your pain.  While this can be a quick fix and initially feel comforting, often the best treatment for acid reflux is diet.

Avoid Spicy and Acidic Foods

Most people would think that if you have acid reflux, things like Coffee, Hot Sauce, Grapefruits and generally foods considered spicy, acidic or caffeinated should be avoided.  However, a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine in May 2006 showed that none of these old wives tales hold any merit. Researchers from the Stanford University found that there are two powerful  behavioral changes that can reduce symptoms of acid reflux - elevate your head while sleeping and eating smaller more frequent meals.

Healthy Acid Reflux Diet

The key to making your body feel better and to produce less acid. One way is by eating smaller more frequent meals.  Americans as a whole are conditioned to each three large meals a day, but that is probably part of your problem.

By eating smaller less frequent meals your body does not work as hard to break down the food in your stomach and requires less acid secretion for digestion.

Alcohol Is Not a Friend

Especially beer which could double your stomach acid within an hour!  Beer, Soda, Wine, Hard Alcohol can all wreak havoc on your digestive system.  Also the worst thing you can do after a big meal is to lie down.  Try and stay upright for at least an hour after eating and if possible go for a walk to help your body naturally digest your meal.

Sleeping With Your Head Elevated

This trick takes zero medicine and you don’t even need to remember to do it.  Raise your bed 6-8 inches where your head is.  You can either build something into your bed or there are many GERD related foam wedges you can find online.  This simple trick will stop acid from creeping up your esophagus in the middle of the night.  Simple gravity!