A doctor specialising in gut health has issued advice on how to cut out a health problem that affects millions of Brits. Acid reflux and heartburn are thought to affect more than a quarter of all adults in Western European countries.
Acid reflux is when some stomach contents, including acid, regurgitate into the gullet, while heartburn occurs when food or drink is consumed and the acid used to break down the contents in the stomach escapes and flows the wrong way up into the oesophagus.
Both can be extremely uncomfortable, with Dr Rossi – who boasts well over half a million followers on Instagram – calling them ‘no joke’. While it is often an uncomfortable irritation, it can be bad enough to affect some people’s daily lives.
The charity Guts UK adds that it can cause severe complications for some people. One in 10 people with acid reflux have Barrett’s Oesophagus. This is a condition that can, very rarely, progress to cancer of the lower oesophagus.
How to stop it
Dr Rossi explained three simple steps that can go some way to helping people suffering from acid reflux and heartburn. She said: “Struggling with acid reflux or heartburn, or know someone who is? It’s really no joke.
“Now, some people are more genetically prone to it; others have a physical cause like a hiatus hernia. And then for many, it’s down to a disorder of the gut-brain interaction.
“But, instead of reaching just for medication, I’m a gut health scientist and registered dietitian, and I’ve seen real success with these three first-line strategies:
“Finish eating at least three hours before bed. This gives time for food to move through your stomach instead of sitting heavy and pushing acid upwards through what we call the oesophageal sphincter—that little trapdoor at the top of your stomach.
“Avoid large meals. Big portions simply increase the pressure in your stomach and can force open that trapdoor. Instead, aim for smaller meals spread across the day.
“Address constipation and bloating. Both increase abdominal pressure and make reflux significantly worse. If these are issues for you, I’d start there. And if you have any of these red flags, please do speak to your GP straight away.”
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