Considerations

• Maintain a healthy body weight to help prevent the back flow of acid. You can shed extra weight by reducing your calories and engaging in regular exercise, which generally consist of 30 minute workouts three to five days a week.
  
  

Prevention/Solution

• Acknowledging foods and beverages that cause reflux are essential to managing this common condition. According to the Mayo Clinic, reflux triggers tend to include fried foods, acidic foods, caffeine, alcohol and carbonation.
  
  

Expert Insight: Eating Pattern

• Control reflux disease without medication by eating slowing and fighting the urge to overeat or stuff yourself. The tendency to overeat is higher when consuming three large meals a day. Switch to four to six small meals a day to help stop reflux.
  
  

Lifestyle

• If functioning properly, the muscles in your lower esophagus (LES) are designed to keep stomach acid and foods in the abdomen. But due to weaknesses, acid can escape the stomach and back flow. Smoking contributes to this weakness, but you can strengthen your LES muscles by kicking the cigarette habit.
  
  

Warning/Complication

• Unresolved acid reflux disease destroys the lining of the throat and increases the likelihood of serious complications such as esophageal and throat cancer.