Ramadan month is a holy month for the Muslims to fast. In this month, cases of stomach upset problems such as bloating, belching, indigestion and acid reflux often occur. These problems may not just happen to those with existing gastric problems, but it can also happen to those who never had gastric problems. This is mainly due to the eating habits during non-fasting hours.
Avoid overeating. When you have too much food in the stomach, the pressure in your stomach would be too high. This causes the gastric acid to back up and lead to heartburn. Due to the limited digestive enzymes in the stomach, the excess food will take longer time to digest and this slows down the digestion process. The fullness of the stomach would cause pain and discomfort.
Eat slowly and mindfully. Taking your time to eat is not only good for digestion but it also helps you to eat less. Remember that it takes 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain that you are full — put small portions on your plate first. Savor every piece of food you eat and be thankful for it.
Limit oily, deep fried and very spicy food. Fat is an immediate problem, since it slows down the digestion and can trigger reflux. Spicy foods may also trigger stomachache. Most of the foods at the bazaar are either fried or spicy food. So, it is important to plan ahead your meal to make sure not all of the foods you buy are oily or spicy.
Go for a walk after meal. You are more likely to get heartburn and acid reflux if you don’t. Therefore, go out for a short walk after meal. In general, try to keep up your regular exercise plan.
Continue medication. Those who are on regular medication for indigestion, such as antacids, antihistamines or proton pump inhibitors are advised to continue taking them, at the pre-dawn meal for instance.