Prevent acidity while in a sitting job

All work and no play makes Jack a dull and flatus-relieving boy. Oops! But that’s true. Sitting for long hours in the office can cause you acidity. Acid reflux or acidity is the backward flow of stomach acid into the oesophagus – the tube that connects the throat to the stomach. 

This backward flow becomes possible when the sphincter muscle at the lower end of your oesophagus is weak or relaxes at the wrong time.  If the valve or sphincter is open, this allows stomach acid to back up into your oesophagus. This reflux can, in turn, cause heartburn – the burning sensation in your chest – along with other symptoms.

Causes of acidity

These are other common risk factors for acid reflux disease:

·         Eating large meals or lying down right after a meal

·         Being overweight or obese

·         Eating a heavy meal and lying on your back or bending over at the waist

·         Being inactive

·         Sitting for too long in improper sitting posture

·         Snacking close to bedtime

·         Eating certain foods, such as citrus, tomato, chocolate, mint, garlic, onions, or spicy or fatty foods

·         Drinking certain beverages, such as alcohol, carbonated drinks, coffee, or tea

·         Smoking

·         Being pregnant

·         Taking aspirin, ibuprofen, certain muscle relaxers, or blood pressure medications

How to prevent acidity in office

·         Stand up and walk around the office every 30 minutes

·         Every time you need water, get it yourself rather than asking the office boy to get it for you.

·         Walk to the farthest bathroom in the worksite facility when going to the restroom (if multiple bathrooms are an option)

·         Always stand and/or walk around room when talking on the telephone

·         Consider getting a standing workstation where the client can stand and work on the computer (most of these work desks can be raised and lowered so if the user becomes fatigued from too much standing there is an option to lower and sit in a chair to continue work)

·         Consider doing a 5-minute walk break with every coffee break

·         Don’t email office colleagues; walk to their desks to communicate with them

Even your posture while sitting affects your digestion. Sitting properly takes pressure of stomach and encourages digestion. This holds true for sitting before and after meals to prevent symptoms of heartburn.

Proper posture for good digestion

·         Sit down at meals – When you eat, you should be sitting down at a table. You should not eat standing, walking, lying down or while driving.

·         Sit up – Don’t slouch or hunch over the table to eat your food. Sit close to the table and bring your utensil to your mouth, instead of your mouth to your utensil. To ensure proper posture while sitting follow these tips:

·         Sit in a chair that provides your back with support (IE. High back, firm cushions, etc.)

·         Keep your knees level with your hips and sit as far back in the chair as possible. To keep your knees level, your feet should be flat on the floor

Sitting for too long and an improper posture create intra-abdominal pressure from the weight of the chest, shoulders and head. It is important to take this pressure off to prevent acidity.