Bile is a fluid that is produced by the liver to aid in the digestion of fats in the duodenum (the initial tract of the small intestine). As food travels up the digestive system, it passes through two sphincters that act as valves: one at the entrance and one at the exit of the stomach. Sometimes bile flows backwards through these valves, causing symptoms such as abdominal pain, stomach acid, nausea, and even vomiting. These disorders can be reduced by making changes to your diet, lifestyle and asking your doctor for help.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Change Your Diet
Step 1. Consume soluble dietary fiber with every meal
Foods that contain soluble fiber absorb fluids, such as bile, as they move up the digestive system. Each meal should include such foods, such as oat bran, barley, nuts, peas, beans, bananas, peaches, or apples. Your diet should also include vegetables high in soluble fiber which tend to be easier to digest. The options include:
- Pumpkin;
- Carrots;
- Potatoes, sweet potatoes, and American potatoes;
- Turnips;
- Parsnips;
- Rutabaga;
- Plane tree;
- Beets
- Manioc;
- Taro.
Step 2. Limit Fat
Foods rich in fat accelerate digestion, thus limiting the absorption of excess fluids and bile by dietary fibers, which instead normally move slowly along the digestive system. Eliminate or limit fatty and industrial foods, such as burgers, hotdogs, French fries, milkshakes, sauces, and ice cream.
Go for lean meats and sources of healthy fats, such as avocados, nuts, and Greek yogurt
Step 3. Eat 5 or 6 small meals a day
If the meal is light, the pyloric valve (the sphincter that connects the lower stomach to the small intestine) is under less pressure. Modify your daily routine to allow time for 5 or 6 small meals a day, instead of the usual 3 large meals.
- Try dividing your regular portions in half and saving half of them for the next meal after a couple of hours.
- It is equally important to chew every bite well, avoid fizzy drinks while eating and go for a walk or at least stand upright for the 2 hours following a meal. Absolutely avoid lying down immediately after eating.
Step 4. Go for soft drinks
Alcohol can help cause bile reflux by relaxing the cardial sphincter, which allows bile and stomach contents to flow backward to the esophagus. Limit alcoholic beverages as much as possible and replace them with water or fruit juices with reduced acidity, thus avoiding citrus fruits and prefer those based on carrot, cucumber, beet, spinach, pear or melon.
Step 5. Limit coffee and other drinks that contain caffeine or theine
Coffee and some types of tea relax the cardial sphincter muscles, thus allowing bile to enter the esophagus. If you can't give up on tea or coffee, at least limit the amount to just one cup per day.
- If you want, you can drink decaffeinated coffee or decaffeinated tea which does not affect the lower esophageal sphincter.
- Replace tea with herbal tea. Chamomile, licorice, red elm and marshmallow do not alter the functionality of the cardial sphincter, and also relieve the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease.
- Avoid mint as it can have a relaxing effect on the cardial sphincter.
Method 2 of 3: Changing Your Lifestyle
Step 1. Stop smoking
Smoking increases stomach acid, aggravating symptoms caused by excess bile. Experiment with the tried and tested methods of quitting smoking, ask your doctor for help or attend group meetings dedicated to smokers. You can try nicotine replacement therapies, such as patches, chewing gum, or lozenges.
Step 2. Eliminate excess weight
The pressure on the stomach from the extra pounds aggravates bile reflux. Calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI) online or ask your doctor for help to find out what your ideal weight is. Start a low-calorie diet and exercise program to shed excess pounds.
Step 3. Stay upright after eating
Don't underestimate the power of gravity. If you stay upright, the bile will have a hard time moving up to the stomach or esophagus. At the end of each meal, you should wait at least two to three hours before lying down or sitting with your back tilted back.
Step 4. In bed, make sure you keep your torso slightly elevated
Sleeping with your body tilted can help you reduce the symptoms of bile reflux. The torso should be about 10-15cm higher than the legs. You can help by placing different pillows or try to buy a wedge pillow that is useful in case of reflux.
Step 5. Eliminate stress with meditation and other relaxation techniques
Stress can increase the amount of bile acids in your stomach, so you need to find ways to relax at the end of each day. Try meditating alone or with other people by taking part in a class.
Activities that can help you relax include reading a good book in a quiet place for an hour, taking a walk outdoors, and doing light exercise, such as dancing or jogging for 20-30 minutes
Step 6. Keep a food diary
Recording everything you eat and drink can help you identify what triggers bile reflux in your specific case. Take note of when and what you eat (or drink) and any symptoms you experience after the meal. At the end of each week, review your notes to identify any recurring patterns.
For example, if you notice that bile reflux starts a couple of hours after you drink freshly squeezed orange juice, it could be one of the causes of your condition. Try to avoid drinking the juice for a week and then see if there is any improvement
Method 3 of 3: Ask the Doctor for Help
Step 1. Contact your doctor if symptoms persist
If you have tried to treat bile reflux with several home remedies, but none of them have worked, make an appointment with your doctor. In addition to causing bothersome symptoms, bile acids can damage the walls of the esophagus in the long run. That's why it's important to ask your doctor for help if you don't notice any improvement.
Step 2. Prepare a list of questions before you go to the doctor
This way you will be sure not to forget anything. Ask him if you need to make any other changes to your diet or lifestyle, what treatments are recommended, and ask about the possible side effects of the medications he will recommend.
Step 3. Make a list of the medicines you are taking
Make a written list of the medications and supplements you are currently taking so your doctor knows. Specify the dosages and how long you have been using them. Also include medications, supplements, and any treatments you have experienced in an attempt to cure bile reflux.
Step 4. Undergo the tests suggested by your doctor
He may order tests to see if the esophagus is inflamed, for example a gastroscopy: this involves inserting an endoscope or a tube into the nose or throat to find the cause of the disorder.
Your doctor may prescribe an esophageal pH test. The exam is done by inserting a probe into the nose or mouth to get it to reach the esophagus and stomach. The probe measures the acidity of the contents of the esophagus. The monitoring will last for 24 hours and the symptoms and amount of bile acids will be recorded. Eventually, the probe will be removed and your doctor will compare the results with the data you collected during the previous weeks
Step 5. Take the medications prescribed by your doctor
He may prescribe medicines that promote bile flow or that belong to the class of proton pump inhibitors, which relieve the symptoms of bile reflux without blocking the production of bile. In extreme cases where medications are ineffective, surgery may be required. Discuss the pros and cons of all possible treatments with your doctor.
- Although they may have modest benefits, consider asking your doctor about prokinetic medications. They can help increase stomach motility, facilitate gastric emptying, and reduce bile reflux.
- You can also consider seeing a doctor who deals with functional medicine, a practice that focuses on treating the causes of the disease.
- Generally, the amount of acid produced by the stomach decreases with age, while the frequency of related ailments, such as acidity and reflux, increases. The reduction in acid production can also cause gastritis and impair intestinal motility.
