If you suffer from acid reflux, you’ve probably spent hours searching for ways to stop heartburn. One of the most common causes of this disease is a stomach disorder known as a hiatal hernia, which is when the upper section of the stomach and the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) shift themselves above the diaphragm, which is the barrier between the chest and stomach, and keeps stomach acids where it belongs. Acid leaks up into the esophagus, causing reflux symptoms.

Triggers of acid reflux include overeating, being pregnant, obesity, acidic, carbonated, or spicy foods. Symptoms besides heartburn include bitter regurgitation, bloating, and nausea. Thankfully, there are natural remedies to help improve your condition in case you feel the onset of symptoms:

1. Sleep on an incline

The position you’re in during and after a large meal can have a huge impact on the state of reflux. If you’re bent at an angle while eating, or if you lie down soon afterwards, you run an increased risk of acid reflux. If you lie at an incline when it’s time to sleep, you’ll be using gravity to weigh down your stomach/LES so they don’t breach the diaphragm. The acid in your stomach will also be encouraged not to shift unfavorably.

2. Quit smoking

Put the cigarette down if you haven’t already. The nicotine inside the tobacco loosens the LES, leading to the rise of stomach acid. This results in heartburn more often than not. If you’re a pack-a-day kind of person, you’re presenting yourself with a higher likelihood of feeling symptoms around the clock.

3. Don’t drink carbonated beverages

If you’re worried about reflux, you might be better off avoiding soda, ginger ale, or any carbonated drinks for a while. Fizzy drinks have been linked to gastric distension, a general term for the sort of intestinal movement that leads to acid reflux. Instead of soda, you can drink herbal tea, low-fat milk, or even a smoothie.

4. Eat smaller meals slowly

Give your body more time to digest everything. Stomach acid is at a relatively high concentration after a good-sized meal. You want to be careful to avoid just that scenario as often as possible.

5. Avoid acidic and spicy foods

This one is pretty simple. More acid coming into your system is bound to increase the odds that there is an overflow of the sort of stomach juices you’re trying to keep contained. Spicy food doesn’t seem to directly cause acid reflux, which makes sense because spicy foods are not usually measured as acidic after being consumed. That being said, it does seem like spicy foods can worsen already present symptoms.