There is an old saying that the simplest answer is usually the best one, and it is remarkable how many times we as a society encounter a problem and seem incapable of using the simplest solution, instead wasting our time and efforts on a pursuit for some other solution. We, as greedy people, consider it a fundamental right to eat what we want and when we want, and it is this that means many acid reflux sufferers end up soldiering on with their symptoms rather than dealing with them.

Eating is not only part of our life, it is our life, and without this fundamental process our bodies cannot function, so eating is required to survive and thrive. However, somewhat regrettably, most of us lack the discipline to analyze each item of food, assess its respective nutritional value and then consume it based on that, or throw it in the bin.

Taking control of what we eat

Whilst our bodies may need proteins to generate new tissue and cells, water to hydrate itself, and iron to help produce red blood cells, it is our brain and our emotions that make the choice as to what we eat. What we want to eat takes preference over what we should eat, and eating is so much more than a strictly mechanical process designed to fuel the body. Our eating patterns are a reflection of our lives, who and what we are, and so for the overwhelming majority of us, food becomes that crucial ally in difficult time, be it a bad day at work, or stresses of the world causing a drop in our mood.

Broken down to an extremely simplistic level, the food we eat through the magic of digestion ends up in our stomach, which then breaks the food down. Our stomach contains hydrochloric acid, a particularly potent form of acid which is so dangerous, it's contained within a layer of armored protective tissue to separate it from the rest of the body.

Getting off the couch

Light exercise, especially walking just after a meal is an excellent and not especially demanding way of helping to ease the digestion process, as it prevents the stomach from becoming too swollen, which is the main cause of acid reflux.

A change in eating habits, not only in terms of what you eat but also how you eat can also have a major benefit. Because the stomach breaks down the food using the acid to do so, if there is too much food, more acid has to be produced to compensate. Therefore, eating more frequently but less food at any given time will give the stomach a much better chance to process the food effectively. Eating more slowly operates in the same manner.

Whilst reviled due to its rather unpleasant taste, an excellent means of having instant relief from acid reflux is to mix some baking soda into water, stir briskly and then drink (nose pinching optional!). For those of you who do not have such an iron constitution, you may want to drink some lightly warmed milk to help soothe your tummy.