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How To Combat Acidity?

Dt. Anusha Bharadwaj

3 Min Read

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Bloating, burning sensation in the stomach, and nausea are the most common discomforts that all of us experience sometime in our lives. It occurs due to acidity, a condition resulting from an excess of acid production in our stomach by gastric glands. Unhealthy lifestyle habits, poor eating habits, untimely meals, certain foods and beverages, medications, pregnancy, slow digestion, and obesity are some of the most common causes of acidity.

Dietary guide to follow when dealing with acidity

Here are some easy yet effective dietary modifications that can work wonders.

(1) Add alkaline foods to your diet:

Diet modification is the simplest, most natural, and most effective way to get rid of acidity. Consuming a greater quantity of alkaline foods and minimizing your acidic food intake help reduce the gastric acid’s backflow in the esophagus. Alkaline foods effectively neutralize your stomach’s acidic contents and relieve you of acid reflux. So, add unsweetened yogurt, green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, sweet potato, radish, beans, lentils, fresh acidity fruits, such as watermelons, pomegranates, figs, and apples, and nuts and seeds, such as flax seeds, almonds, and sesame seeds, to your acidity diet. These acidity foods soothe your digestive system and help minimize your acidity discomfort naturally.

(2) Ensure you drink adequate water:

Staying hydrated is the key to staying healthy and minimizing the discomforts of acidity. Adequate water intake dilutes the gastric acid produced in your stomach and relieves the acidity symptoms. So, water is a natural acidity drink that can help you experience relief effortlessly. A good intake of water is also beneficial for maintaining overall good health.

(3) Keep acidity-triggering foods at bay:

While battling acidity, it is important to identify which foods make you suffer from digestive discomforts after you consume them and eliminate these acidity-causing foods from your diet. Usually, foods abundant in fats happen to increase your risk of developing acidity. Fried foods, such as samosa, and puris, oily delicacies, such as pickles, and sweets full of fats, such as jalebi, laddoos, and barfis, should be avoided when following an acidic diet. Also, stay away from packaged foods, as they contain abundant sodium, which can aggravate your acidity discomfort.

(4) Avoid spicy foods:

Spicy foods may please your taste buds; however, they may irritate your digestive system and make you suffer from heartburn. So, it would be wise to avoid eating spicy foods, such as spicy food preparations containing garam masala, tadka dal, foods containing plenty of chilli powder, and chaat preparations, such as bhel puri, that contain a spicy mix.

(5) Limit your intake of caffeine:

Most of us are used to drinking coffee many times a day to keep our minds fresh and active. However, excess coffee can make you experience discomforting acidity symptoms, as it boosts gastric secretions. Also, if you are in the habit of eating a lot of chocolate or desserts with a lot of chocolate, avoid it while battling acidity. Staying away from caffeine can be an effective step.

(6) Say no to alcohol and carbonated drinks:

The intake of alcohol induces acid reflux. It also irritates your esophagus tissues, relaxes the muscles surrounding your stomach, causes an excess of production of gastric acid, and makes tissues sensitive to the acid. Thus, alcohol aggravates acidity symptoms. Carbonated beverages also worsen your acidity discomforts. So, stay away from alcohol and carbonated drinks while trying to get rid of heartburn with an acidity diet. Sip on the water whenever you feel like having any beverages.

(7) Stick to your meal timings:

Set your meal timings and stick to them. Having your nutritious meals on time daily prevents you from improper eating habits and skipping meals. Timely meals help promote smooth digestive functions. Having your dinner just before going to bed can worsen your acidity. So, make sure that you finish your dinner early i.e., at least three hours before going to bed, to keep acid reflux symptoms at bay.

(8) Practice portion control:

Portion size is an essential factor in acidity management. Eating food in large portions can lead to digestive issues. So, always prefer smaller meals with smaller portion sizes. You can have small meals with an increased frequency. Use smaller bowls and plates to regulate your portion sizes. Avoid munching on more food if you are not hungry after having meals.

(9) Eat food slowly and in peace:

Eating your meals in haste or gulping down the food is a prominent cause of digestive problems. Make sure that you enjoy relishing your meals and eat them slowly. You may take 20 to 30 minutes to savor your meals. Avoid gobbling up snacks and breakfast while on the way to your work in the car or bus. Take time to sit at your dining table and enjoy your breakfast and meals. Chew well every bite of food you have.

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Written by

Dt. Anusha Bharadwaj

Dt. Anusha Bharadwaj, B.Sc., M.Sc. Clinical dietetics and Applied Nutrition, is well equipped with the clinical knowledge of nutrition in diabetes, hypertension, pregnancy and lactation and gastrointestinal diseases.

How To Combat Acidity?

Dietary guide to follow when dealing with acidity

(1) Add alkaline foods to your diet:

(2) Ensure you drink adequate water:

(3) Keep acidity-triggering foods at bay:

(4) Avoid spicy foods:

(5) Limit your intake of caffeine:

(6) Say no to alcohol and carbonated drinks:

(7) Stick to your meal timings:

(8) Practice portion control:

(9) Eat food slowly and in peace:

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