Tips to help relieve acidity

Acids present in the stomach helps break down the food during digestion. But when there is excess production of acid by the gastric glands of the stomach, it results in a condition known as acidity. 


Causes of Acidity:


The following are some of the causes of acidity.

• Due to some problems in the functioning of the digestive system
• Sometimes excessive intake of alcohol also leads to acidity
• Acidity also arises either by keeping stomach empty for long time or skipping breakfast
• Eating foods rich in fats like chocolates also causes acidity
• Pregnancy, aging or obesity can also cause acidity

Symptoms of Acidity:


The following are some of the symptoms of acidity


1. Burning sensation or pain in the stomach after one to four hours of a meal
2. Feel hungry frequently
3. Constant pain in upper abdomen
4. Belching, nausea, bitter taste in mouth, vomiting and loss of appetite 5. Heartburn is characterized by a deeply placed, burning pain in the chest behind the sternum (breast-bone). It occurs after meals and is precipitated by increase in intra-abdominal pressure like straining or lifting weights.



6. Dyspepsia is a burning or an aching pain in the upper abdomen, sometimes described as a stabbing sensation penetrating through the gut.


Here are some tips to relieve acidity:

• Maintaining an upright posture for some time after food will help in preventing reflex in to oesophagus.
• Bananas have protective action against acidity and are highly recommended in the diet. The alkaline ash present in banana correct the acidosis caused by acid forming diets.
• Acidity leads to the sour or burning sensation in the chest. Include green leafy vegetables and sprouts in your diet as these contain vitamins B and E, which aid digestion and also facilitate the elimination of acids from the body.
• Put a small part of jaggery (gur) in your jaws and slowly suck it. Repeat it each hour till acidity subsides
• You should avoid any sport activity or exercise like abdominal exercise right after eating food. Abdominal muscle contractions can make the food you just ate to come back on the oesophagus and gastric acid that got to be secreted during eating will get to the oesophagus too. 
• Acidity can be cured and controlled by following simple health tips in our daily routine. Fruits are very good and handy remedy to cure acidity. Fruits have great nutritional value for our health and fitness.
• Make a habit to have a glass of luke warm water every day, it helps relieve acidity. 
• Avoid having pickles, spicy chutneys, vinegar etc. in your food as these are also responsible to trigger acidity. 
• Ginger is also a good source to cure acidity. You can add ginger to your regular food preparation. 
• Acidity can also be a result of excessive smoking and alcohol consumption. So avoid both if you are suffering from acidity.
• Coconut water is a very good source to help cure acidity and soothe your system. So try to have coconut water daily to keep away acidity.
• Always make a habit to have your last meal two to three hours before going to bed. This habit will help control acidity.