Acidity is the layman term for 'Acid Reflux'.Each one of us has experienced it on some occasion or another.It has become so rampant that even kids haven't been spared from its clutches.

What Is Acidity-

As we all know,our stomach produces HCl(HydroChloric Acid) which is necessary for the breakdown of food during  digestion and is helpful in destroying the harmful disease causing bacteria present in food.The inner lining of the stomach is well-equipped to tolerate this acidic environment.

But under certain circumstances,when the acid flows upwards from the stomach towards your food-pipe,the inner lining of the oesophagus gets irritated producing symptoms like heart-burn,nausea,throat irritation and in severe cases, vomitting.Having these symptoms once in a while is common,but when they show up on a regular basis,say twice or thrice a week,it is termed as Acidity or GERD(Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease).

Causes Of Acidity-

1)Stress : The most common cause of acid  reflux,stress is linked to more acid formation in stomach and also decrease in prostaglandin(lipids needed to repair tissue damage) production making your stomach lining vulnerable and hypersensitive to acid secretion in stomach.Ayurved also lists stress(bhaya & shoka) as a reason for Amlapitta(Ayurvedic term for Acid Reflux).

2) Acidic Food Choices: Foods high on caffeine,salt,spices,processed ingredients lead to irritation of the stomach lining.Alcohol,heavy meals,smoking are also major causes of acidity.

3)Lifestyle Factors : Being over-weight/obese,leading a sedentary lifestyle,having late dinners,going on crash diets or fasting for long periods,working night shifts,staying up late,lying down immediately after meals can all contribute to either more acid production or weakening of oesophageal sphincter(the valve between the food-pipe & stomach which controls the flow of food) leading to acid flowing upwards into your food-pipe.

4)Other causes : Pregnancy,constipation,Hiatus hernia and certain medications may also be causative factors of acidity.

SYMPTOMS OF ACIDITY–

Heartburn or pain in the upper part of your stomach area is the most common symptom of acidity.This pain may worsen after food intake.

Other symptoms include-

*Nausea.

*Throat irritation,soreness or hoarseness of voice.

*Bloating.

*Dry irritative cough.

*Bad breath and erosion of teeth .

*Sour liquid coming up the throat.

*Vomitting,in case of chronic Acid-reflux or GERD.

TREATMENT OPTIONS-

Some simple changes that we can make to overcome the symptoms of acidity are as below:

A]  Taking care of your stress levels and anxiety by mindful methods of yoga and pranayam have proven to be helpful.

B]  Avoid deep fried foods,spicy foods,foods containing raw garlic and chillies & salty foods.Avoid caffeinated beverages like tea,coffee and sodas,alcohol and smoking. Avoid foods containing processed ingredients like maida and chocolate.

C]  Improve your lifestyle by staying physically active,keeping your weight under control,practicing sleep hygiene,avoiding too long gaps between meals,avoiding crash diets and fasting.Keeping an interval of atleast 2 hours between meal and sleeptime is also helpful.

D]  In pregnant women,taking small meals at frequent intervals can help relieve the symptoms to a certain extent. 

E]  Taking a fibre rich diet,drinking plenty of water helps relieve constipation and related acidity symptoms.

5 HOME REMEDIES FOR ACID REFLUX/ACIDITY

1>Cold Milk : It helps balance the acidic pH of the stomach.Taking a cup of cold milk ½ hour before sleeping helps control your acid reflux and also induces good sleep.

2>Amla : When in season taking fresh amla and at other times taking amla sherbat,amla candy or amla murabba(sweet,syrupy amla pickle) helps control acidity.For Diabetics,taking amla powder is a good option as it is also helpful in sugar control besides treating constipation.

3>Black raisins and sabja seeds(basil seeds):When soaked overnight in water/milk and crushed and taken in morning it helps relieve bloating,constipation,acid reflux and also improves digestion.

4>Buttermilk : Also called the “Amrit Of Mrutyulok”  chaas/buttermilk,made of 1 part freshly set curd and 3 parts water with a pinch of salt and jeera powder added to it, helps balance the acidic pH of the stomach,especially after a heavy or spicy meal.Apart from being a great digestive,it works wonders for your gut health.

5>Gulkand : This candied rose-petal mixture used in the betel leaf ‘paan’ acts as a coolant.The sugar and rose petal combination is a perfect home remedy to combat acidity.It may be taken plain or alongwith milk for better results.

Inspite of trying out the home remedies,if the symptoms persist,do seek expert medical help for this debilitating gut problem.

Remember,treating the underlying cause of acid reflux is the key to gain freedom from this disorder.Lifestyle changes,Yoga and Alternative medicines like Ayurved and Homeopathy have shown amazing results in many patients.

Hope this article acts as a pathway for you to lead an “Acidity-free” life!