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Understanding Acidity: A Common Ailment

What causes Acidity?

‘Hurry, worry and curry’, in other words: eating in haste, stress and spicy foods are the primary causes of acidity. Besides these, given below are some of the other causes for acidity.

• Irregular Meals
• Excessive consumption of oily and spicy foods
• Over eating especially before going to bed
• Bad posture after meal
• Excessive alcohol consumption.
• Anxiety and stress.

Symptoms of Acidity

• Burning sensation in the digestive tract
• Headache
• Sour burps
• Dizziness due to hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar levels)

The most common symptom of indigestion is first stage acidity and then heartburn, a burning chest pain that occurs when stomach acid and other contents flow backward, or reflux, into the oesophagus. Unlike the stomach, the lining of the oesophagus has no protective lining, so the acid produces irritation and even ulcerations. Obesity and pregnancy may lead to heart burn because of increased intra-abdominal pressure, which tends to force the stomach fluids up into oesophagus. A hiatal hernia is another possible cause.

Severe Acidity or Heart burn caused can usually be controlled with a few lifestyle changes, starting with adopting a low-fat diet that includes a balance of protein, starches and fibre rich vegetables and fruits. (Fatty foods take longer to digest and thus slow down the rate of food emptying from the stomach.) coffee, including decaffeinated brands promotes high acid production so does tea, cola drinks and other sources of caffeine. Citrus fruits and juices can also cause problems.

A gas forming in the stomach or a spasm of the oesophageal sphincter muscle keep the sphincter open the acid contents of your stomach will be able to back up or reflux-into the oesophagus and burn the lining.

We call that feeling heartburn, but we ought more correctly to call it “oesophagus burn.’’ The. Burned lining becomes inflamed, a condition called esophagitis. Sometimes the irritation is extreme enough to cause the strong muscle wall of the oesophagus to spasm over its entire length- an oesophageal spasm- and the pain of that spasm takes more people to the hospital emergency room fearing they ‘re having a heart attack than any other false alarm.

If the stomach acid bath continues, the lining of the oesophagus can erode and ulcerate. When under stress you produce too much stomach acid, or if you take medications such as ibuprofen, aspirin, or prescription anti- inflammatory or arthritis drugs, you can even burn the tough lining of the stomach. This generalized stomach inflammation is called gastritis which start from acidity only. If the burn becomes extreme and the lining of the stomach breaks down in spots, you develop stomach ulcer. Over the counter antacid preparations such as Maalox, Mylanta, Rolacids and others help to neutralize the stomach acid and reduce the production of stomach gas. A number of prescription medications have come on to the market to control the acid production like Tagamet, Zantac, Pepcid) and to coat and heal the raw lining but correct nutrition plays an important role in stopping the symptoms of acidity and heart burn.

What make it worse?

• Those who went to bed within 2 hours of finishing dinner were many times more likely to have acid indigestion than those who turned in four or more hours later. If you go to bed at 10 pm, aim to finish dinner no later than 6-7 pm.
• Raising the head of your bed about 30 cm could cut reflex episode dramatically and make the ones you do have shorter.
• People who slept on their left side had only half as much reflux as right-side sleepers. Due to the location of your stomach and oesophagus, lying on your right side puts more pressure on the LOS (Lower Oesophageal Sphincter).
• Long time smokers had a 70 per cent higher risk of acidity & heartburn than non-smokers. Smoking raises risk four ways it may make you cough more, which puts pressure on the LOS it can weaken the LOS, it reduces production of saliva which normally neutralises stomach acids that finds their way into your oesophagus and it boosts production of corrosive digestive acids.
• Stress may prompt you to smoke more, drink more alcohol, and eat the foods that trigger acid backwash or simply to feel discomfort more intensely. Pay attention to your own stress levels, and when they get too high, look for ways to relax such as deep breathing.
• Fibre may help by soaking up excess nitric oxide, a compound that relaxes muscles in the digestive system.
• Many carbonated drinks have a high acid level, which may explain the connection.

Weakening or relaxation of the lower oesophageal sphincter, the muscles valve at the bottom of your oesophagus. Normally the LOS keeps digestive juices and food in your stomach. But smoking, alcohol, lying down too soon after a meal, some foods and medications can weaken or partially open the LOS, letting stomach acids backwash into the oesophagus.

• A diet in high sugar makes heartburn worse. Sugar itself irritates the lining of the oesophagus and stomach and increase stomach acid, fermentation of the sugar (sugar, corn syrup, high fructose, corn syrup, molasses) produces more stomach gas and a high sugar content encourages the growth of certain stomach bacteria that recent medical studies say may cause chronic stomach ulcers.
• Alcohol is one of the few substances directly absorbed by the stomach the small intestine does the work of absorbing the nutrients of most foods. Alcohol like sugar has a directly hostile effect on the stomach lining and also stimulates increased stomach acids, but it has the added deleterious effect of weakening the muscles sphincter at the end of the oesophagus, making reflux of stomach acid into the end of the oesophagus, making reflux of stomach acid in to the oesophagus more likely.
• The volatile oils in peppermint and spearmint also weaken the closure power of the muscular oesophageal sphincter. Avoid foods mints, chewing gum flavoured with these oils.
• Chocolates likewise produce an almost immediate weakening of the closure power of the muscular sphincter between the oesophagus and the stomach. The caffeine like substance in chocolate to be the culprit. The caffeine content coffee and tea may both relax the muscular sphincter and increase the output of stomach acid.
• Fatty meal almost immediately relaxes the muscular closure power of the oesophageal sphincter, allowing easy access for stomach acids into the oesophagus.
• Milk although you might intuitively think of it as a food to soothe the angry stomach, actually has only a transient neutralizing effect on stomach acid, followed later by a rise in stomach acid to an even higher level than it had been.
• Spicy foods especially those made with hot pepper or pepper powders contain corrosive acids that directly irritate the stomach lining and contribute to heartburn.

To avoid gaseousness, try the following:

• Eat small & frequent meals.
• Don’t gulp food or eat very fast without chewing.
• Avoid lying down immediately after meals.
• Avoid very tight clothing; loosen your belt before eating food and till some time.
• Sip the water throughout the day instead of gulping water after long gap.
• Drink room temperature water instead of drinking chilled water.
• Avoid tea, coffee and cigarettes after food.
• Consume 1 – 2 tsp of roasted Sauf and jeera after lunch and dinner.
• Restrict the intake of foods.
• Probiotics (curds, Chaas, lassie, raita, shrikhand etc.) often reduce gas and flatulence.
• To reduce intestinal gas, consume certain spices like Cumin (Jeera), ajwain, turmeric (haldi), asafetida (hinge).
• Try to consume mixer of roasted Sauf and ajwain after meal.
• Avoid eating fried, fatty, junk foods and excessive chocolates.
• Alcohol and spicy foods as they worsen the acid reflux or acidity condition.
• If suffering from lactose intolerance so just avoid milk and milk products.
• Maintain adequate body weight it helps in acidity control.

Lifestyle changes keep you happy

• Eat dinner 2 - 3 hrs before going to bed.
• Sleeping in right posture and right elevation help in acidity control, like keeping head on a high pillow up to seven inches.
• Inappropriate sleep and stress can lead to depression; anxiety can worsen the acidity so try to lead a stress-free life for healthy and happy living.
• Morning and evening walk are good for your health. Yogic exercises and meditation keep your overall internal system (like digestive system, nervous system) and external system in good condition.

BEHAVIORS TO PROLONG EATING AND REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF FOOD EATEN

• Eat slowly and Savor each mouthful.
• Put down the fork between bites.
• Delay eating for 2 to 3 min and converse with others.
• Postpone a desired snack for 10 min.
• Serve food on a smaller plate.
• Leave 1 or 2 bites of food on the plate.
• Divide portions in half so that another portion can be permitted.