Simple habits to prevent indigestion
Mr and Mrs Rahman invited their friends for a lunch to celebrate their 10th marriage anniversary. They all had awesome lunch with fried and spicy foods like sea fish, chicken fry and mutton curry with pepper and lots of onions. They enjoyed a great day with friends and delicious foods. But later that afternoon, Mr Rahman felt burning sensation in upper abdomen. He had a sense of full stomach and experienced belching several times. The circumstance that Mr Rahman suffered is very familiar to us and most of us experience it in our lifetime. The typical condition is called indigestion. Indigestion also called dyspepsia is a general term that describes discomfort in the upper abdomen. In most cases, it is related to eating disorder and there is no underlying medical reason for indigestion. It is usually caused by a process known as acid reflux, where acid from the stomach escapes and is forced back up into the oesophagus (tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach). However, indigestion can also be caused in other ways and it can sometimes be a symptom of underlying medical condition(s), particularly if you experience recurrent bouts. Various other factors and conditions that can cause indigestion are Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), medications including antibiotics, aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like Paracetamols, stomach inflammation (gastritis), eating too quickly, fatty or greasy and spicy foods, too much of caffeine, alcohol, chocolate, carbonated beverages, smoking, nervousness, emotional trauma, pancreas inflammation (pancreatitis), peptic ulcer etc. In most cases, indigestion is related to eating and may be accompanied by other symptoms, such as fullness in the stomach or belching. Sometimes, indigestion can be caused by other factors, such as an infection or taking certain medications. The main symptom of indigestion is pain, or feeling of discomfort in the chest or stomach. This usually comes on soon after eating or drinking, but there can sometimes be a delay between eating a meal and having indigestion. The pain of indigestion may feel like ache or feeling of heaviness or burning sensation. If you have indigestion, you may also have symptoms such as nausea, belching. Indigestion symptoms are often described as heartburn, which you may experience as a burning pain in front of your chest, over your heart. * For most cases of indigestion are mild and treatment is not needed. With making certain changes to our diet and lifestyle we can control the symptoms. In case of treatment, it usually depends upon the underlying conditions causing indigestion. Even if you are taking treatment for indigestion, making these changes may help to ease your symptoms and keep them from recurring. Here are some helpful tips to alleviate indigestion: * Try not to chew with your mouth open, talk while chewing, or eat too fast. This causes you to swallow too much air, which can aggravate indigestion. * Drink fluids after rather than during meals.
* Try to relax after meals.
* Avoid spicy foods.
* Stop smoking.
* Avoid alcoholic beverages.
* Eat small meals so the stomach does not have to work as hard or as long. * Eat slowly.
* Avoid foods that contain high amounts of acids, such as citrus fruits and tomatoes. * Reduce or avoid foods and beverages that contain caffeine. * If stress is a trigger for indigestion, re-evaluating the lifestyle may help to reduce stress. Learn new methods for managing stress, such as relaxation and biofeedback techniques. * Do not exercise with a full stomach. Rather, exercise before a meal or at least one hour after eating a meal. * Do not lie down right after eating. Wait at least three hours after your last meal of the day before going to bed. * Raise the head of your bed so that your head and chest are higher than your feet. You can do this by placing 6-inch blocks under the bedposts at the head of the bed. Do not use piles of pillows to achieve the same goal. You will only put your head at an angle that can increase pressure on your stomach and make heartburn worse. * The best way to prevent indigestion is to avoid the foods and situations that seem to cause indigestion. Keeping a food diary is helpful in identifying foods that cause indigestion. Often, episodes of indigestion go away within hours without medical attention. However, if your indigestion symptoms become worse or you are having recurrent episodes of indigestion, you should consult a doctor preferably a gastroenterologist.
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