If you are suffering from GERD, you know exactly how debilitating it can be. The good news is that, in addition to doing all the treatments that your doctor recommends, you can try other treatments that you can do at home. Home remedies give you the advantage of having a completely safe treatment that will make your treatment and recovery progress faster. Here is a look at the easiest and best ones to try.
Watch What You Are Eating
You should try as much as possible to maintain a healthy weight. Maintaining a healthy weight can be achieved by creating a diet and exercise plan with your doctor. Remember too that you need to eat slowly. Eat small portions and chew your food thoroughly before swallowing. You also want to make sure that you pay careful attention to when your body is telling you that it is full. In this way, you won't overwhelm your digestive system.
Watch What You Wear
When clothing has a tight waistline, it can put pressure on your stomach and cause GERD symptoms. You should also avoid drawing your belt too tight because this can also have the same effect. Try wearing low rise pants or those with elastic in the waist. Buying your pants a size larger will also work to give you more space in the waist. If you are a woman and you have been wearing mostly skirts and pants, you may want to try wearing loose-fitting dresses.
Sleep Better
Never go to sleep right after you have eaten. It is best to eat at least two hours before you get into bed for the night. You also want to try elevating your head. You can achieve this by using bed risers, mattress wedges, and wedge pillows whenever possible. While these may work to help your stomach relax while you sleep, you do not want to raise your head too high since this can cause back and hip pain if you are not careful. Make adjustments where necessary because you will know what is right for you.
Experiencing GERD is never easy; it can severely impact your daily life. The best thing you can do is to try to make your treatment even more effective by incorporating the remedies that have been discussed here. Once you do that, you will find that treatments from your doctor work even better to help you get well faster.
To learn more about GERD treatments, contact a doctor.
