Acid reflux risk can be increased as a result of conditions and complications beyond a person’s immediate control, such as hormonal imbalances and pregnancy. Yet there are many instances in which you can take an active role in preventing acid reflux.

Tips for Preventing Acid Reflux:

1. Exercise or weight loss program: obesity poses an increased risk of acid reflux due to the excessive amounts of pressure in the abdomen pushing stomach contents into the esophagus. Also, if your body mass index to too high, it can lead to esophageal cancer.
2. Don’t Eat meals and lye down afterwards
3. No Snacks before bedtime
4. Do not Eat within three hours of going to sleep
5. Keep your head elevated when sleeping: gravity will reduce pressures of the stomach’s contents on the lower esophageal sphincter.
6. try eating smaller, more frequent meals

Since heartburn is closely related to acid reflux, taking precautions to prevent heartburn can also help stop reflux. The  best way to stop heartburn is to keep a record of all your heartburn episodes, what caused it, and how severe it was. The next step is to take this information to your doctor so the both of you can determine what lifestyle changes you will need to make and what treatments will give you maximum relief.

Tips for Preventing Heartburn

• Eat smaller, more frequent meals: A full stomach can put extra pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), and will increase the chance that some of this food will reflux into the esophagus.
• Limit your intake of acid-stimulating foods and beverages: Eat foods that rarely cause heartburn and avoid those foods that will often cause heartburn.
• Lose weight if you are obese: According to some statistics, approximately 35 of overweight persons experience heartburn. The good news is that a 10 percent decrease in weight will improve their heartburn symptoms.
• Don't wear belts or clothes that are tight fitting around the waist: Clothing that fits tightly around the abdomen will squeeze the stomach, forcing food up against the LES, and cause food to reflux into the esophagus.
• Don't smoke: Nicotine relaxes the esophageal sphincter. Smoking also stimulates the production of stomach acid
• Eliminate alcoholic beverages from your diet