Acid Reflux Diets 

Acid reflux, heartburn, or otherwise known as Gastro-esophageal Reflux disease (GERD) is a simple, yet sometimes quite painful disease.  Due to any number of reasons the opening of the lower end of the esophagus has opened and is releasing the stomach contents into the esophagus. Stomach Acid, being one of the main ingredients of the stomach, when released from the protective coating of the stomach, causes much pain and injury to the lower esophagus thus causing a person to seek acid reflux diets. Usually this pain goes away after taking an antacid. However, in some people have chronic acid reflux, and these people need long-term medication and / or need to control the acid reflux by using an acid reducing diet.   

What is an Acid Reflux Diet

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

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 are known to lower the pressure of the stomach and encourage opening of the esophagus and thus cause heartburn. Depending on the tolerance level of the person coffee may or may not be eliminated. All peppermint and spearmint products, carbonated and alcohol are all eliminated. Hot and spicy foods are also eliminated along with Citrus, caffeinated, and tomato juices and products.

Usually a food diary is kept for a period of time 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 quickly find other foods that may need to be eliminated from the diet.

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 continually. This saliva reduces the acid levels in the stomach and prevents heartburn. So, it has been recommended that the patient should chew gum.

There are other things 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.

These are some of the lifestyle, and diet changes required by a patient with heartburn or acid reflux disease.

© 2007 www.acidcurereflux.com: acid reflux diets