What causes acidity, and what are the ways to prevent it

T Subhashi

Do you suffer from burning sensation in chest or stomach or face belching and bloating after you eat? Well, you are not alone. A lot may people these days complain of these issues, called acidity in common parlance.
Like all problems, this too needs to be tackled in the first stage, lest it grows into a major issue needing medication or even surgery. “Normal acidity can turn chronic when it is called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which then needs to be treated,” says Physician Dr Ajay Gupta. “But the good news, with a few changes in diet and lifestyle, acidity can be nipped in bud,” he adds.

DO’S

Eat small and frequent meals instead of big and heavy ones. Also avoid late night dinners or bedtime snacks.

Avoid excessive protein. Consume milk and milk products too in moderation.

Reduce non-veg items as much as you can. In any case do not eat more than 2-3 non-vegetarian meals in a week.

Do not sleep immediately after dinner. Always walk 100 steps after every meal.

Do simple yoga poses like Vajrasana.

DON’TS

Avoid friend foods, processed foods, citrus fruits and carbonated beverages. Chili, pepper, bacon, sausages all cause acidity.

Start your day with a banana. Eat melon during the day and after each meal consume half a teaspoon of fennel seeds. These are all alkaline foods that counter acidity.

Tulsi or ginger tea is good against acidity. You just have to boil a few leaves of Tulsi or a small amount of ginger in water and drink to relieve yourself of acidity.

Include coconut water and lemon water into your diet. Though lemon is citrus, but a small amount of lemon juice mixed with warm water and honey is a good anti-acidity drink.

Consume high-fiber foods: Whole grains like oat meal, brown rice etc; Root vegetables like sweet potatoes, carrots and beets; Green vegetables like asparagus, broccoli and green beans. All these will make you feel full so you are less likely to overeat. Overeating a big cause of heart burn.