Fix Acidity Naturally 3 Major Mistakes You Must Avoid for a Healthier Gut

Namaskar! Sometimes you finish your meals and within few minutes you feel burning sensation in your chest, heaviness in stomach, sour belching or restlessness. These are signs of acidity and many people accept this as normal. Today I'm going to speak about why acidity has become so common and how it can be relieved instantly and naturally with three simple remedies. Actually medical surveys show that nearly 20 to 25 percent of adults in Indian cities experience acid reflux symptoms regularly. For this the reason is not food alone, it is how you eat, when you eat and how you live. Your digestive system becomes weak with irregular meals, hurried eating, excess tea or coffee, late dinners and constant mental pressure. When digestion weakens acid is produced in excess or moves upwards instead of downwards and when acidity becomes frequent it affects more than your stomach. Sleep gets disturbed, appetite reduces, your throat burns and your body feels constantly irritated. This irritation also affects your mind and you may feel impatient and dull. Now I will share three simple practical remedies. These are easy to follow, safe and very effective when practiced correctly. First we begin with posture. Slouching or lying down after meals increases pressure on your stomach allowing acid to flow back into food pipe. So sit upright for at least 15 minutes after meals. Practice Yogendra Vajrasana. Even our elders used to advise this. This posture is good because it reduces blood flow to your lower body and directs it to your digestive system. Walk slowly for 5 to 10 minutes if possible. Keep your spine erect and shoulders relaxed. This supports Saban Vayu which is about digestion. Avoid lying flat, bending or sleeping immediately after meals. The second remedy is to drink normal water at room temperature. It is wrong notion that cold water helps in acidity. Cold water slows digestion by constricting blood vessels and hardening fat which increases acid reflux. Sip room temperature water not hot water. Take small sips throughout the day. Taking lukewarm water in the morning with a few drops of lemon juice also helps to balance acid production. Avoid cold drinks, ice water, chilled drinks or aerated liquids. And the third remedy is to take cooling digestive foods because food can either inflame or heal. Some helpful options are plain homemade buttermilk with roasted cumin seeds, ripe banana and rice kanji, light khichdi or curd rice during the days when you have acidity. Taking soaked sabja seeds with water also helps. These foods take away excessive acids and protect your stomach lining. They calm pitta dosha, the main cause of acidity. Now I will tell you how to manage acidity instantly. If you have sudden acidity then lie on your left side. Change your body position in this way for immediate comfort. Your stomach favors the left side position reducing acid backflow. This is also supported by gastroenterology research. So when you lie on your left side keep your head slightly elevated and stay in this position for 5 to 10 minutes. Left side resting cools excess heat. Sometimes you may find that stress causes acidity. Chronic stress increases stomach acid secretion by stimulating your nervous system. For this you have to do gentle breathing to calm acid secretion. Whenever you feel stressed just sit comfortably, inhale through your nose for 4 counts and exhale slowly for 6 counts. Do this for 5 to 10 minutes. This activates the parasympathetic nervous system and reduces acid production. While following these remedies remember that digestion is also influenced by our daily habits. Avoid eating in a hurried or in a distracted state because meals taken while working, watching screens or under emotional strain weaken your digestion. Skipping meals and then overeating later, frequent intake of tea coffee or a very spicy food, tobacco or alcohol and regular dependency on antacids all this disturbs your stomach's natural balance. Also be mindful of when and how you rest after eating. Lying down immediately after dinner or sleeping late with a heavy stomach allows acids to move upwards. Don't ignore night time acidity or frequent acidity. It could be your body's early request for correction. Acidity is a message from your body. Just listen. When you listen, slow down and adjust your habits with nature and your body heals. Remember health is not built by fighting your body but by cooperating. Namaskar