Few gastric issues can be more unpleasant than persistent gastric reflux. Whether it is the constant belching, the, heartburn or the burning sensation in the back of the throat, it is a very nasty thing to have to deal with.

Gastric reflux is commonly caused by consuming the wrong sorts of food and drink in large quantities. Excess caffeine, alcohol, chocolate, tomatoes and some spicy foods are all culprits. Being overweight and smoking are also often to blame.

While cutting down on these and getting fitter and healthier is a good idea, the condition can become a chronic one, with a condition called gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, or GORD. This arises from the muscle that acts like a valve at the top of your stomach getting loose, allowing acid to escape upwards. In extreme cases, surgery or very strong medication is needed.

However, a water ionizer can be incredibly useful in battling gastric reflux. This is because it can increase the alkalinity of water and this reduce acid. While tap water is slightly alkaline, the stuff you get out of the tap is far less so than that produced by an ionizer.

The best time to drink such water is in the morning before having anything to eat, when your stomach is empty, while the least effective is with a meal.

Of course, drinking alkaline water alone is not the whole solution. Antacids will help, as will eating alkaline foods, such as spinach, kale, cucumber, green beans, avocadoes and leaner meat. A diet featuring more of these will also, of course, help improve general health.

For some people, that may spell a radical change in diet. But while this may make the whole business of digesting food a great deal less unpleasant, the addition of ionised alkaline water will provide a huge helping hand and ensure greater, lasting relief.