Experts reveal the unexpected foods, drinks, exercises and even clothing that can give you acid reflux… and exactly how to cure it
It’s a feeling that’s all too familiar.
A burning sensation in the chest that creeps up your throat, accompanied by a lingering, sour taste.
Experienced by about one in five Americans, acid reflux occurs when stomach acid, produced by the stomach lining to help digest food, backs up into the esophagus.
It’s often caused by large meals that are spicy (capsaicin forces food to remain in the stomach for longer, increasing pressure and allowing acid to form) or high in fat (which relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter, a valve that helps keep stomach acid contained). Other factors like obesity, pregnancy and smoking are famously linked to the condition, too.
Still, doctors and dietitians have told the Daily Mail that the causes aren’t always so simple, pointing toward seemingly harmless foods, healthy habits and over-the-counter medications as potential triggers.
They cautioned that acid reflux is not one size fits all.
‘Acid reflux triggers are highly individual,’ Dr Stacie Stephenson, a functional and integrative medicine doctor at VibrantDoc, told the Daily Mail. ‘What causes it in one person may not cause it in another, even when both are prone to this condition.’
Below, doctors have revealed the unlikely culprits behind acid reflux.
One in five Americans experiences acid reflux, experts estimate. While fatty and spicy foods are common culprits, doctors have revealed other risk factors (stock image)
Peppermint, fermented veggies and protein powder
‘It is a well-known fact that spicy or acidic food can cause reflux, but other more insidious sources are peppermint, raw onions and even carbonated soft drinks,’ Dr Chad Larson, naturopathic doctor and founder and CEO of The Adapt Lab, told the Daily Mail.
‘These not only irritate the stomach, but actually relax the lower esophageal sphincter to permit the escape of acid out of the stomach.’
Stephenson also pointed toward acidic foods such as fermented vegetables, vinaigrette salad dressings and kombucha, as these can also relax the lower esophageal sphincter.
‘Interestingly, other people can drink apple cider vinegar and get relief from acid reflux,’ she said. ‘This is another example of how reflux is highly individual.’
Protein helps slow digestion, but experts told the Daily Mail you should not overdoing it. Digestion that is too stalled will cause stomach acid to accumulate, they said (stock image)
On the flip side, Emma Zheng, a certified nutritionist and co-founder of Summer Breeze Tea, told the Daily Mail she recommends oatmeal to help ‘hold extra acid,’ due to its high fiber content. The fiber also promotes fullness and prevents acid-causing overeating.
She added that bananas, melons and lean proteins like tofu and fish also digest easily, alleviating pressure on the sphincter and absorbing excess stomach acid.
Protein also slows digestion, but Stephenson warned against overdoing it, particularly with easy sources like powders.
‘This slowing of digestion can also contribute to pressure in the digestive tract, which can push acid into the esophagus,’ she told the Daily Mail.
Exercise is crucial for preventing obesity, a leading cause of acid reflux, but intense workouts soon after eating may worsen effects (stock image)
Intense exercise, especially right after eating
Though exercise is key for preventing obesity, intense workouts can actually push up stomach acid, too.
‘Exercises that increase abdominal pressure or involve repeated bending can worsen reflux,’ Dr Raj Dasgupta, internal medicine physician and chief medical officer at Sleepopolis, told the Daily Mail.
For example, he said, ‘heavy lifting, especially with breath holding, increases pressure against the stomach.’
Running, crunches and planks can also move stomach contents upward, he noted, adding that these works may reduce blood flow to the gut, which further slows digestion and causes stomach acid to accumulate.
To lower your chances of suffering exercise-induced reflux, Zheng warned against working out immediately after eating.
‘More effective ways of reducing obesity are walking, cycling, swimming and weight training with lighter weights,’ she said. ‘Waiting a couple of hours after eating can make a big difference.’
NSAIDs have been shown to reduce the production of mucus, which protects the stomach lining from acid (stock image)
Over-the-counter meds and supplements
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) – such as ibuprofen, naproxen and aspirin – block enzymes that produce inflammation-causing chemicals called prostaglandins, working to reduce pain, fever and inflammation.
But Stephenson said they are also ‘one of the worst culprits that contribute to acid reflux.’
Inhibiting those enzymes reduces the production of mucus, which protects the stomach lining. This weakens the lining against acid.
‘If you take too many pills at once, or if they stick in your throat or don’t dissolve quickly, that can irritate the esophageal lining,’ Stephenson said. ‘This is often the case with NSAIDs and supplements.’
To avoid this downfall, Stephenson recommends you ‘always take pills with a full glass of water’ and some food.
‘You might think that because NSAIDs are anti-inflammatory, they would calm the esophagus and stomach,’ she said. ‘But they can actually irritate the lining of the esophagus while also relaxing the lower esophageal sphincter.’
The doctor added that food can act as a ‘buffer’ and work to ‘slow absorption, so the effects are less intense.’
Doctors told the Daily Mail that clothes that are tight around the abdomen can push stomach acid up to the esophagus (stock image)
Tight clothing, lying down and chewing gum
Acid reflux isn’t just about what you put into your body – it can be about what you put on it, as well.
Larson pointed to tight clothing as an unsuspecting culprit for the condition.
‘The tightness of clothes, particularly around the waist, adds pressure on the abdomen, which causes the acid to be pushed up,’ he said.
Slouching after a meal also exacerbates this effect, he added, saying that sitting up straight can help keep stomach acid from accumulating or making its way up the esophagus.
Dasgupta also suggested avoiding the urge to lie down right after a meal in order to keep stomach acid from moving upward.
‘Elevating the head of the bed can also reduce nighttime symptoms,’ he told the Daily Mail.
Even chewing gum – which Dasgupta said ‘increases swallowing of air’ – within two to three hours after eating could exacerbate symptoms.
