Acid Reflux Diet

Acid reflux, heartburn, or (GERD) is a simple, yet sometimes quite painful disease. Some people have chronic acid reflux, and these people need long-term medication or need to control the acid reflux by using an acid reflux diet. An Acid reflux diet is one that prevents further damage to the esophagus and promotes healing. In an acid reflux diet foods that cause the symptoms are removed and healing foods are added. 

What is an Acid Reflux Diet?

Acid reflux is treated in several different ways, however, an acid reduced diet or an acid reflux diet is an easy way to reduce or eliminate the chronic pain due to acid reflux if antacids are not working or in combination with other medication.  An acid reflux diet is one that is used to prevent heartburn, consists of meals that are eaten several hours before bedtime to decrease heartburn.  Another part of an Acid reflux diet consists of eating less at each meal because there is less in the stomach to cause the opening of the esophagus while the food is digested.

Foods Avoided on an Acid Reflux diet

Also in an acid reflux diet, certain kinds of foods that are known to aggravate the stomach are also removed from the diet. Some of these foods are fatty foods and chocolate, which lower the pressure of the stomach and lead to acid reflux. Depending on the tolerance level of the person, coffee may or may not be eliminated in the acid reflux diet. Also all peppermint and spearmint products, carbonated and alcohol are all eliminated in an acid reflux diet. Generally, hot and spicy foods are also eliminated along with citrus, caffeinated, and tomato juices and products during an acid reflux diet. These along with any other food that causes the individual heartburn are removed in an acid reflux diet

Acid reflux diet diary

When beginning an acid reflux diet a food diary is kept for a period to discover these possible foods. This is done by writing down the foods eaten at each meal and any symptoms occurring after that. Then the doctor and patient are able to find other foods that may need to be eliminated from the diet. This is how an acid reflux diet plan evolves as an individualized acid reflux diet.

Foods that Prevent Acid Reflux

Chewing gum has been found to aid in preventing heartburn. Apparently, while chewing gum the saliva, which has a very low acid level, is produced and swallowed continuously. This saliva reduces the acid levels in the stomach and prevents heartburn. Therefore, the acid reflux sufferer should chew gum.

Treatments Other than an Acid Reflux Diet

There are things in addition to an acid reflux diet that a patient with acid reflux can do to prevent incidents. It is advised that the patient stop smoking, wear loose fitting clothes around the abdomen (i.e. no tight pants or skirts). Raising the head of the bed has also been found to help. This can be done by putting bricks under the head of the bed, and thus lifting the bed frame. Another possible method is to put a wedge under the top mattress and thus lifting only the mattress by four or five inches.

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