Drinking milk neutralizes acid in your stomach.
Discovery Health reports 15 million Americans suffer from acid reflux, or gastro-esophageal reflux disorder (GERD). While acid reflux is uncomfortable, you may not realize that it also causes damage to your esophagus. As the excess acid splashes through your system, it can damage and burn the lining in your stomach and esophagus. That damage cannot be healed unless you take proactive measures to make sure that you have better digestive health. Through the help of your doctor, you can find solutions to heal your acid reflux damage.
Instructions
1. Make an appointment with your health care provider to talk about your constant acid reflux. She can run tests to look for the extent of damages. In some cases, she may prescribe prescription medicine that heals that damage while keeping future acid reflux symptoms at bay. Make sure to follow all dosage instructions if you are prescribed medicine for acid reflux. These medicines, such as Prevacid or Nexium, heal acid reflux damage by controlling symptoms.
2. Ask your doctor about over-the-counter medicines that you can take daily or as needed when acid reflux hits. You can buy Prilosec OTC and Zantac at your nearest pharmacy. Both have prescription-strength medicine that helps control your acid reflux.
3. Avoid those foods that trigger your acid reflux symptoms. Some common trigger foods are spicy foods, acidic foods like tomatoes and oranges, soda, chocolate and alcohol, which weakens the muscles in your esophagus.
4. Start a new diet made up of foods that don't trigger acid reflux symptoms. Breads and pastas are a reasonable start, along with apples and bananas, dairy products and eggs. Making sure that your diet is made up of "safe" foods means your acid reflux damage has ample time to heal.
5. Drink liquids that will neutralize the acids that are produced in your stomach that trigger your symptoms. Skim or low-fat milk, smoothies made with low-fat yogurt and water will all help keep symptoms at bay, helping your esophagus damage to heal. Try drinking a glass of milk before a meal to neutralize acid on contact and make a protective lining in your esophagus and stomach.
Tags: acid reflux, acid reflux, your acid, your acid reflux, your esophagus