Overweight people tend to be the ones with digestive issues. "Increasing body mass index is associated with increased reflux, especially in the case with truncal obesity: big bellies," Dr. Alexander says. The best lifestyle adjustment you can make is to cut down on fatty foods and lose weight. Exercise is important, he says, but certain exercises, like riding a bike bent over, aggravate reflux. Work out in a way that feels comfortable to you.
Stock Your Medicine Cabinet
If you know you get heartburn, don't wait until the telltale signs arrive before popping a pill. Proton pump inhibitors, some of which are available over the counter like Prilosec OTC, are the more potent acid blockers, but they take a while to start working. "Those are medicines to use to prevent reflux," Dr. Alexander says. For quicker relief, over-the-counter antacids like Maalox and Tums buffer the acid in your esophagus, but they only last for a few minutes, Dr. Alexander says. Histamine 2 (H2) blockers like Zantac and Pepcid block acid after about 20 minutes and can suppress acid from 6-12 hours. "Pop a Tums as well as a Pepcid to control it right away," Dr. Alexander says.
Read more: Your Guide to a Happy, Healthy Tummy
Strategize On Sleep
What's the worst time to start counting sheep? Directly after a big, boozy meal. "People tend to get heartburn when they overeat and lay down," Dr. Alexander said. Wait at least a couple hours before sleep, he says, or take an H2 blocker before you go to bed on the nights you eat late.
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