1) Does an aerated drink help acidity?

No, in fact it worsens it. Aerated drinks are made fizzy by adding carbonic acid to them. This lowers the pH of the drink to around 3, which makes it highly acidic. Downing a fizzy drink may help you belch but it will not reduce acidity.

2) What are some of the foods that bring immediate relief?

Cold milk, chlorophyll (a liquid supplement), carom seeds (ajwain), fennel seeds (saunf) and probiotic supplements. Antacids can give you quick relief but prolonged use actually reduces the efficiency of digestion.

3) What is the ideal eating gap to reduce acidity?

Eat little and as often as every two hours because large meals may overload the digestive system and trigger more acid release from the stomach to aid digestion.

4) How does one prevent acidity?

Do not skip breakfast.

Eat smaller, more frequent meals if you experience frequent indigestion.

Avoid foods that irritate your stomach, especially anything spicy, acidic, fried or fatty.

Drink alcohol in moderation, if at all. Excessive intake of alcohol can irritate the mucous lining of your stomach. Limit yourself to one drink per day if you’re a woman or two drinks per day if you’re a man.

Cut down on pain relievers. If you use pain relievers regularly, ask your doctor which medication is less likely to aggravate your stomach problem.

Reduce weight. Obesity can slow down digestion and lead to acidity.

Exercise. Anxiety and depression can worsen acidity. Exercising releases endorphins (feel-good neurotransmitters) which can alleviate your mood.

Manage stress. Stress may make your gastritis symptoms worse. Stress may be unavoidable but you can learn to cope with it. If you have trouble relaxing, try calming activities like meditation and yoga.

5) Is it true that the food we eat can cause our blood to become more alkaline or acidic?

Not really. The pH of our blood is regulated by a complex system of buffers to maintain a range of 7.35 to 7.45, which is slightly more alkaline than pure water.

There are two main forces at work on a daily basis that can disrupt the pH of your body fluids — the acid or alkaline-forming effects of foods and liquids that you consume, and the acids that you generate through regular metabolic activities.

Fortunately, our body has three major mechanisms at work at all times, which maintains the pH within the safe range.

These mechanisms are buffer systems, exhalation of carbon dioxide and elimination of hydrogen ions via kidneys.

However, the reason to encourage you to eat more alkaline foods is because the vast majority of us eat highly processed foods like white flour products and white sugar. This has an acid-forming effect on our system and can overwork some of the buffering systems mentioned above to a point where you could create undesirable changes in your health.

6) How can we maintain the alkaline level in the body?

Eat highly alkaline foods like beetroot, carrots, potatoes, spinach, dried figs, raisins and avocado. Medium alkaline foods include almonds, milk, cabbage, celery, mushrooms, onions, apricots, apples, bananas, oranges, peaches and grapes.

Your health is best served by a good mix of nutrient-dense, alkaline and acid-forming foods. Ideally, you want to eat more alkaline-forming foods than acid-forming foods to have the net acid and alkaline-forming effects of your diet match the slightly alkaline pH of your blood.

Many people consider acidic foods to be unhealthy. This is incorrect, as humans need a balance of both acidic and alkaline foods to remain healthy. However, alkaline foods need to be eaten in larger amounts, with a ratio of approximately 80-20 when Acidosis is present, and 60-40 to maintain optimal pH levels of between 7.35 and 7.45.

Symptoms of Alkalosis, which is the opposite of Acidosis, when the pH level of the body becomes too alkaline, include a lack of drive, a spaced-out or disoriented feeling, laziness and a feeling of being excessively cold. Acidosis is more common than Alkalosis due to the large amounts of acid-forming foods frequently eaten as part of a standard diet in urbane fast-paced modern living.

7) Is acidity a serious concern?

Consistent imbalance of pH can lead to medical problems including symptoms of nausea, headache or digestive disturbance.

It can also have serious repercussions like peptic ulcers and even stomach cancer. In some people, it can even trigger severe Angina (chest pain). It can also lead to bone health disorders like osteoporosis, tooth decay and kidney stones.

If your body fluids are regularly exposed to large quantities of acid-forming foods and liquids, your body will draw upon its calcium phosphate reserves to supply your phosphate buffer system to neutralise the acid. Over time, this may lead to structural weakness in your bones and teeth and can also lead to osteoporosis.

Drawing on your calcium phosphate reserves at a high rate can also increase the amount of calcium that is eliminated via your genito-urinary system, which is why a predominantly acid-forming diet can increase your risk of developing calcium-rich kidney stones.

8) Is acidity genetic?

No, it is not. However, poor dietary habits and lack of intake of fruits and vegetables can be a familial trait.

Health check

1. Feeling discomfort or pain in the upper abdomen after a meal

2. Painful sensation in the chest area

3. Nausea

4. Vomiting

5. Decrease in appetite

6. Feeling restless after a meal

7. Sour belching with an aftertaste of already eaten food

8. Nausea after drinking water

9. Indigestion

10. Constipation

If you suffer from more than three of the symptoms listed above, you are suffering from Hyperacidity. A simple urine test can be done to confirm Hyperacidity. Testing at 6.5 or below on urine or saliva strips indicates Acidosis. Vomiting and dehydration can alter your body pH too. So consult a health practitioner to interpret your results.

Mail your diet queries to t2@abp.in