How to Prevent Heartburn During Exercise
Doctors and physicians have stressed on the importance of including exercise in one’s daily routine repeatedly, highlighting the benefits of getting enough physical activity for fitness and overall health.
Some people, however, find it a bit difficult to act on the doctors’ and physicians’ recommendations, not because of laziness, but mainly because of the painful heartburn and acid reflux that they experience while exercising.
Rather than giving up exercise completely, one should take the necessary precautions to curb the heartburn that results from physical activity. There are some very simple ways to accomplish this.
Instructions
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1
Do not start exercising right after having a meal. It is strongly recommended that you wait for at least an hour or two after eating, before performing intense physical activity. If you start exercising with a full stomach, there is a strong chance that your stomach will put pressure on your lower esophageal sphincter, which lies between the stomach and oesophagus to prevent acid reflux. By giving yourself some time before exercising, you will be giving your food time to go through the digestion process, and will thus protect yourself from heartburn.
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2
Try to eat food that is high in carbohydrates and low in protein and fat before starting your workout session. Such a diet has been recommended by the National Heartburn Alliance for people who suffer from heartburn during exercise. Some of the foods and drinks that you should avoid before working out are spicy foods, fatty foods, citrus juices, chocolates and caffeinated drinks.
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3
Keep yourself hydrated before, during, and after exercise. Experts have talked about the importance of drinking plenty of water repeatedly and understandably, so a high water intake becomes even more essential when you regularly exercise. It plays a huge role in the digestion process, thus significantly lowering the chances of heartburn. Additionally, it enables the body to release energy trapped inside the food, which is then used to perform a work-out.
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4
Instead of performing a high-intensity workout that has been regularly causing you heartburn, consider performing less-intense activities. Exercises that involve a lot of jiggling and bouncing are more likely to cause heartburn and acid reflux than low-intensity exercises such as walking.
