Ah – the all too familiar scorched feeling in the chest after the huge buffet spread! Or the burping and burning after food…acidity is an all too common ailment in the modern days. It is believed that close to 20 million people world over suffer from acidity.
So what is acidity all about?
The stomach produces an acid that helps in the breakdown and digestion of food. The stomach has a valve at the lower end of the food pipe (esophagus) which prevents this acid from travelling up the food pipe and throat. If the valve becomes weak or does not close properly, or if there is too much acid production in the stomach, excess acid flows back into the esophagus which causes the familiar burning sensation (heartburn) or the acid taste in the mouth.

Common reasons for Acidity

• Eating large meals rich in fats
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Eating heavy meals at bedtime
• Excess use of highly acidic foods like chocolate, soft drinks, alcohol, sweets and candies
• Too much coffee or tea
• Smoking
• Pregnancy
• Certain medications including antibiotics, blood pressure medications and so on.
• Stress
• Skipping of meals
• Consuming spicy and fried foods

What are the dangers of acidity?

Uncontrolled or untreated acidity can cause more serious health problems.
Dangers of acidity include
Esophagitis or inflammation of the lining of the food pipe
Ulcers: Peptic ulcers or sores in the stomach and esophagus can cause severe chest pain, nausea and internal bleeding

Stricture: Acidity narrows the lining of the esophagus causing eating and swallowing difficulties over time.

Tooth decay: Excess acid that flows back into the mouth can erode the teeth as well, causing bacterial build up and decay.

Dangers of acidity also include increased risk for certain type of cancers, including esophageal and stomach cancers.

What can you do to prevent and manage acidity?

Acidity precautions include the following:
1. Exercise regularly and lose weight
2. Have small regular meals.
3. Cut out junk foods, including fried, high fat foods like pizza, burger, fries, and sweets.
4. Avoid alcohol and smoking
5. Cut down on soft drinks, excessive coffee or tea. One or two cups of coffee or tea with added milk may be fine in a day.
6. Chocolates, peppermint, candies are highly acidic.
7. Avoid tetrapak juices – even when they claim to be fresh fruit juice without added sugar etc since acidity regulators are always added to preserve the juices.
8. Non vegetarian food, cheese, ice creams and fried foods are high in fats which may cause discomfort and increased acid production.

Traditionally there are some homemade acidity remedies that can be tried. Papaya and banana are nature’s best antacids. Papaya contains natural enzymes that help promote digestion. Ginger, pudina, jeera are also said to be cooling antacids. Boil these in water for 15 minutes, strain and use this water throughout the day. Sipping on a little cold milk occasionally might also soothe the heartburn, although excessive milk intake may actually be counterproductive.
Finally stress and smoking add to the problem and make the acidity worse. With the right balance of diet, exercise and stress management you can beat acidity!
Stressed for time? Calorie Care brings you delicious professionally crafted meals that are ideally balanced with the right mix of nutrients and handpicked ingredients. Keep acidity at bay with healthy, low calorie meals designed by nutritionists. Visit www.caloriecare.com for more!