Acid reflux can be very uncomfortable (stock image) (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Acid reflux can be extremely uncomfortable and result in a number of unpleasant symptoms, including heartburn and indigestion. While there are a number of over-the-counter remedies available, sometimes it simply won’t go away. But now one doctor has revealed a simple method to tackle the issue.
Dr Ahmed, who boasts nearly half a million followers on TikTok, where he refers to himself as “healthcare Gordon Ramsay”, uploaded a video on the social media platform detailing the straightforward solution, reports the Mirror. Initiating his video, he said: “I hear so many of you tell me that you’ve done everything that you can think of – you’ve chewed gum, you lay on your side, hell, you’re even on medication from your GP, but you still have really bad acid reflux.
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“And that’s because, here’s the thing, none of you give a s***. No seriously, it’s because you’re constipated.”
He continued: “You don’t even need to have a lot of constipation, just [a] moderate amount of constipation will lead to [an] increase in acid reflux and resistance to treatment. It’s literally simple physics – if you’ve got poop all the way in your abdomen and you keep putting things in, it’s not gonna end up well.
“It has only one way to go, and that is up top. Physics. Constipation also increases intra-abdominal pressure, which just worsens things when you try to lie down and make things come up and bad stuff.”
Referring to gut health specialist Dr Karan Rajan, he stated that the solution is quite straightforward. “Sort your fibre out,” he advised. “That’s it.
“Thirty grams of fibre a day keeps, well, Doctor Karen Rajan away, and also will help with your constipation and your acid reflux.
“So there you go. That’s the secret remedy for acid reflux.”
What is acid reflux?
According to the NHS, acid reflux occurs when stomach acid ascends towards the throat. The primary symptoms are heartburn – a burning sensation in the centre of your chest – and an unpleasant sour taste in your mouth.
It may also result in a persistent cough or hiccups, a raspy voice, bad breath, and bloating or nausea. Symptoms typically worsen after eating, when lying down, and when bending over.
Potential causes include:
- Some foods and drinks, including coffee, tomatoes, alcohol, chocolate, and fatty or spicy food
- Being overweight
- Smoking
- Pregnancy
- Stress and anxiety
- An increase in some types of hormones, such as progesterone and oestrogen
- Some medicines, including anti-inflammatory painkillers such as ibuprofen
- A hiatus hernia – when part of the stomach moves into the chest
- A stomach ulcer
- A bacterial infection in the stomach
It can be stopped or reduced by:
- Eating smaller, more frequent meals
- Losing weight if you’re overweight
- Finding ways to relax
- Avoiding food and drink which trigger the symptoms
- Not eating three or four hours of going to bed
- Avoiding clothes that are tight around the waste
- Not smoking
- Not drinking too much alcohol
- Raising the head of your bed by around 10 to 20cm using wood, bricks, or books.
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
