You do not necessarily need to avoid tomatoes, coffee, citrus, chocolate, or spicy foods forever.
A more practical approach is to keep a simple food-and-symptom diary.
Write down:
* What you ate
* When you ate it
* When symptoms appeared
* How severe they were
After a couple of weeks, patterns may become easier to recognize.
## 4. Elevate Your Upper Body at Night
For people who frequently experience reflux while sleeping, raising the upper body can help.
NIDDK recommends elevating the head and upper back by about **6 to 8 inches**, while Mayo Clinic notes that a wedge or raising the head of the bed is more effective than simply stacking extra pillows.
Sleeping on the left side may also reduce reflux for some people.
## 5. Work Toward a Healthy Weight if Needed
