Understand and Avoid Various Causes of Acid Reflux

Finding out what causes acid reflux in your own case can help you make changes in your lifestyle and habits to reduce/stop its future occurrences. Though there are many causes of acid reflux, we can easily divide what causes acid reflux in to 2 categories. One category is biological reasons and the other is lifestyle reasons.

Most symptoms of acid reflux in both the categories are similar with few exceptions.

Chronic sufferer is more likely to have one of the following biological conditions:

What Causes Acid Reflux?

Biological Causes Acid Reflux

A - Sphincter

Acid reflux occurs when the sphincter muscles have a defect and are unable to block the acid to pass up into the esophagus. Actually it is the fall in the pressure in the sphincter muscle that causes acid reflux. Pregnancy can lower the pressure. The blood pressure and depression medications can also lower sphincter muscle pressure.

B - Hiatal hernia

A hiatal hernia in which the stomach (upper portion) moves upward into the chest can cause it.

C - Obesity

Obesity increases the pressure in the stomach area which can be responsible for it.

Lifestyle Reasons Causes Acid Reflux

An occasional sufferer of acid reflux is most likely suffering from the following lifestyle disorders that is inducing the condition.

1 - Fried and fatty foods

Fried food tend to slow down digestion, keeping the food in your stomach longer. This can result in increases pressure in the stomach, allowing reflux of stomach contents. Avoid fatty food diet for acid reflux prevention.

2 - Large meals

A full stomach puts pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter. Thus increases the chance of some of this food to reflux into the esophagus.

3 - Sleeping within 2-3 hours of eating

Sleeping or even just lying down with a full stomach can cause stomach contents to press harder against the lower esophageal sphincter and causes Acid reflux in most cases.

4 – Table Salt

A recent study suggests that Salt can relax the Sphincter (means reduced muscle pressure), allowing stomach contents to reflux into the esophagus.

5 - Tomatoes and tomato-based products

These foods relax the Sphincter (means reduced muscle pressure) causing acid reflux.

6 - Citrus fruits and juices

These foods relax the lower the Sphincter (means reduced muscle pressure) causing acid reflux.

7 – Chocolates, Tea and Coffee

Theobromine (a compound that occurs naturally in cocoa, tea and coffee plants), relaxes the Sphincter (means reduced muscle pressure), therefore excess consumption of tea, coffee and chocolates can cause acid reflux.

8 - Alcohol

Alcohol not only relaxes the sphincter but also increases the production of stomach acid. Therefore acts as duel edge sword.

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