Many of us have experience acid reflux from the stomach (commonly known as heartburn) at once in a while without causing any symptoms. This condition is called gastroesophageal reflux (GER). However, there are those who have to deal with it more than twice a week, with some experiencing symptoms such as sore throat, coughing, difficulty swallowing, chest pain, hoarseness, and regurgitation of food from the stomach. For these people, the condition is more severe and chronic, called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). GERD can occur due to weak gastroesophageal sphincter, insufficient refluxed fluid clearance or changes of the refluxed fluid content. The risk factors of developing GERD include being overweight or obese, pregnant, smoker, some medications and having hiatal hernia.
我们中的许多人偶尔会经历胃酸反流（通常称为胃灼热），但不会引起任何症状。这种情况称为胃食管反流(GER)。然而，有些人每周不得不经历两次以上的这种症状，一些人会出现喉咙痛、咳嗽、吞咽困难、胸痛、声音嘶哑和胃部食物反流等症状。对于这些人，病情更为严重和慢性，称为胃食管反流病(GERD)。 GERD可因胃食管括约肌薄弱、回流液清除不足或回流液含量变化而发生。发生GERD的危险因素包括超重或肥胖、怀孕、吸烟、某些药物和食管裂孔疝。
Without treatment, GERD can cause oesophageal inflammation, scarring of tissues and changes of visceral sensitivity, leading to complications, namely oesophageal and extraesophageal symptoms (as mentioned above), inflammation and erosion of oesophagus, narrowing of the oesophagus, impaired action of digestive muscles and cancer. Therefore, medical treatment is necessary, along with lifestyle changes to reduce frequency and prevent exacerbation of disease. Here are some tips to prevent acid reflux:
如果不进行治疗，GERD会引起食道炎症、组织瘢痕形成和内脏敏感性改变，从而导致并发症，即食道和食道外症状（如上所述）、食道炎症和糜烂、食道变窄、消化肌肉功能受损和癌症。因此，有必要进行药物治疗，同时改变生活方式以减少频发率并防止疾病恶化。以下是防止胃酸反流的一些提示：
- Weight loss / 减肥
Being overweight or obese is one of the major risk factors for GERD as it can cause increased intra-abdominal pressure and increased capacity of gastric. Therefore, reducing weight can help in combating GERD for overweight and for those recently gaining weight.
超重或肥胖是GERD的主要因素之一，因为它会导致腹内压升高和胃容量增加。因此，减轻体重有助于对抗因超重和体重增加的人所引起的胃食管反流病。
- Avoid large meals / 避免大餐
Having infrequent but large meals can increase pressure to the lower oesophageal sphincter (LES), resulting in regurgitation and reflux. Thus, individuals with GERD should practice small and frequent meals (3 small meals with snacks in between instead of two to three large meals).
少食但大餐会增加食管下括约肌(LES)的压力，导致反流。因此，患有GERD的人应该少食多餐（三顿小餐，中间加点心，而不是两到三顿大餐）。
- Avoid recumbence after meals and meals prior to bedtime / 避免饭后和饭前卧床
Lying down right after taking meals can trigger backflow of stomach content to the oesophagus. So, people with GERD should have their meal at least 3 hours prior to lying down or sleeping.
饭后立即躺下会引发胃内容物回流到食道。因此，患有GERD的人应该在躺下或睡觉前至少3小时前进餐。
- Adjust sleeping position / 调整睡姿
GERD patients should elevate the head of bed to around 6 to 8 inches to. Lying on the left side can also help reducing reflux episodes as it decreases acid clearance time and exposure of oesophagus to stomach acid.
GERD患者应将床头抬高约6至8英寸。左侧卧还可以帮助减少反流发作，因为它可以减少胃酸清除时间和食道与胃酸的接触。
- Avoid trigger food / 避免食用会引发胃酸倒流的食物
Some patients notice that certain food can cause the symptoms of GERD. This is most probably as the food can cause LES relaxation, slow gastric motility and lower stomach content pH. The common food that may triggers GERD include:
一些患者注意到某些食物会引起GERD的症状。这很可能是因为食物会导致食管下括肌松弛（LES）、胃蠕动减慢和胃内容物pH值降低。可能引发GERD的常见食物包括：
- Fatty food / 高脂肪食物
- Added sugars (eg. sweetened beverages and snacks; and sugars naturally present in honey, syrups, and fruit juices) / 添加糖分（例如：甜味饮料和零食、天然存在于蜂蜜、糖浆和果汁中的糖分）
- Acidic/sour food (eg. Tomato, citrus fruits, pickle) / 酸性或酸味食物（例如：番茄、柑橘类水果、泡菜）
- Coffee and caffeinated drinks / 咖啡和含咖啡因的饮料
- Alcoholic drinks / 含酒精的饮料
- Carbonated drinks / 碳酸饮料
- Chocolate / 巧克力
- Spicy food / 辛辣食物
- Mint / 薄荷
Although some research does prove that the trigger food above mentioned can lead to GERD, it might not be the case to some people. Therefore, the changes made should be personalized based on symptoms, whereby reintroduction of foods and habits can be done if there is ineffective control of symptoms.
尽管一些研究确实证明上述食物会导致GERD，但对某些人来说可能并非如此。因此，所做的改变应该根据症状进行个性化，如果无法有效控制症状，可以重新改变饮食习惯和食物。
- Smoking cessation / 戒烟
Tobacco consumption can lower pressure of the LES. Therefore, smokers should consider avoiding smoking to reduce recurrence of GER.
烟草可以降低食管下括肌（LES）的压力。因此，吸烟者应考虑戒烟以减少GERD的复发。
- Regular (but not excessive) physical activity / 定期但不过量的体力活动
Excessive physical activity is a significant risk factor for the development of GERD. Meanwhile, regular and mild-moderate physical activity has been shown to reduce the symptoms of reflux.
过度过量的体力活动是GERD发展的重要危险因素。同时，已证明定期和轻度以至中度的身体活动可以减轻反流症状。
While management of GERD through lifestyle changes can help reducing symptoms, if you suspect yourself to have the symptoms of GERD, you should refer to your medical practitioner for further treatment.
虽然通过改变生活方式来管理GERD有助于减轻症状，但如果您怀疑自己有GERD的症状，则应咨询您的医生以进行进一步的治疗。
