Can Fasting or Irregular Eating cause Acidity?

Acidity or heartburn is a fairly common digestive discomfort that we experience every-so-often. Recognized by a burning sensation around the throat and lower chest area, the condition is typically a result of bad eating habits and a poor lifestyle routine. Overeating, having gassy and fried foods, eating just before bed, and a sedentary lifestyle are some of the most common causes of acidity and heartburn. However, in many cases, the problem can also arise due to some uncommon factors like irregular eating and fasting.

Fasting is a sacred and common practice in Indian households. Apart from having a major religious and spiritual significance, it is also considered beneficial for our health. For instance, fasting is often associated with decreased bad cholesterol levels and minimized risk of weight gain and diabetes. But sometimes, it can result in acidity.

How fasting can cause acidity?   

Fasting is defined as the practice of wilful refrainment from eating. It is typically carried out on special occasions of religious significance or for other reasons like weight management and detox. But unfortunately, skipping meals can sometimes increase the risk of acidity.

Here’s what happens when you’re fasting:

• Your stomach produces digestive juices and acids regularly in order to digest foods. This process doesn’t stop even when you’re skipping meals or fasting.
• Fasting tends to leave you with an empty stomach and with no food to be digested. This can lead to the accumulation of stomach acid, which otherwise would have been used for breaking down the food.
• This may eventually force the stomach acid to flow up into the oesophagus, causing pain and discomfort in the chest and throat areas. Moreover, this may also leave a bitter taste in your mouth.

In simple words, fasting does share a risk of acidity. But, this does not mean you should avoid practicing it altogether. Health experts suggest that acidity while fasting can be managed easily with simple tips. Some of the key tips include:

• Drink warm water at regular intervals. This helps in tricking your stomach that you’re eating, which in turn encourages it to use the acid safely.
• Sip water in small quantities rather than gulping a full bottle at once. If you drink a full bottle of water at once, your stomach may produce more acid to digest extra food (which is actually water), eventually resulting in heartburn.
• Lastly, make sure that you get a sound sleep of at least 7 to 8 hours during fasting days. This can help in minimizing the risk of acidity.             

In case you still experience heartburn, take tablets for gas and acidity. You can also consume natural antacids like Gas-O-Fast Jeera, which is a fast-acting natural remedy. It neutralizes the acid on contact and is known to provide instant relief from acidity.