What Is Acid Reflux?
Acid Reflux (Sometimes called Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease [or GERD]) is a medical condition that is created when your esophagus becomes inflamed or irritated because of acid infiltrating it from the stomach. The lower esophageal sphincter is supposed to prevent food and acid from escaping the stomach back into the esophagus, but if you suffer from Acid Reflux, the sphincter relaxes between swallowing, and allows the acid to move up into your esophagus and sometimes further.
According to studies, nearly one-third of adults in the United States suffer from Acid Reflux on a regular basis. According to the same studies, approximately 10% of the adults in the United States exhibit symptoms of Acid Reflux on a weekly (or sometimes more frequently) basis.
Acid Reflux Symptoms
Symptoms of Acid Reflux can vary greatly from individual to individual, but generally center around the three main symptoms:
Heartburn:
Heartburn is a burning sensation that normally begins in the stomach and moves its way through the chest and then up into the throat. Heartburn is most often noticed after eating a large meal, or while lying down. Because of this, if you suffer from Acid Reflux, it is often advised to permit a good amount of time between eating and sleeping. Sufferers of heartburn are frequently woken by the burning sensation in their chest.
Dyspepsia:
Dyspepsia is often characterized by upper abdominal pain and bloating. You may also notice swelling and tenderness to your chest. Nausea is another very prevalent symptom of Dyspepsia.
Regurgitation:
Regurgitation occurs when fluid from the stomach passes through the esophagus and back into the affected person’s mouth. With Acid Reflux, most fluid stays in the lower esophagus (LES), but may sometimes travel further. After eating, a person suffering from Regurgitation may notice chunks of food in the fluids. In severe cases of Regurgitation, this introduction of fluids into the mouth may cause vomiting.
Minor Symptoms:
People who suffer from Acid Reflux may occasionally notice other symptoms including:
- Irritation of the throat (including soreness, trouble swallowing (dysphasia), and laryngitis.
- Trouble Breathing
- Chronic Coughing
Acid Reflux Diet
Although there are many classic myths regarding diets that are the miracle cures for Acid Reflux, they just are not true. There is no “magic bullet” cure for Acid Reflux, but through diet and behavior modifications, one can notice a great improvement in the frequency and duration of Acid Reflux Symptoms.
It cannot be stressed enough that the absolute best way to avoid Acid Reflux Symptoms is not restrain from overeating. Overeating is the number one case of Acid Reflux. This is especially important immediately prior to an individual lying down. Many experts recommend eating a small dinner in the evening, and then having an even small snack (such as crackers or the like) before bed. This prevents a large amount of matter to be concentrated in your stomach while you are sleeping (which is when symptoms of Acid Reflux Disease are most likely to occur).
Another tip that is often suggested is to stay away from extraordinarily fatty foods, such as fast food. The reason behind this is the fact that fat is more difficult for your body to break down than protein or carbohydrates, and thus causes your stomach to produce more acid to break them down.
It is very important to limit your consumption of alcohol if you suffer from Acid Reflux. Alcohol can cause your stomach to produce much more acid in order for it to be digested.
Acid Reflux Foods To Avoid
If you suffer from Acid Reflux, there are many foods which are proven to increase the frequency or severity of heartburn and other symptoms related to your Acid Reflux. Although this list is nowhere near complete, it will not hold true for everyone (as everyone’s body is different). Please only use this list as a basic guideline. The best thing for you to do as an individual, is to keep a logbook of what foods you have eaten prior to experiencing heartburn from your Acid Reflux. Over time, you will be able to use this information to understand better which foods your body reacts negatively towards.
As a general rule of thumb, any food that is either high in fat or very acidic should be avoided. Again, that disclaimer does not hold true to every sufferer of Acid Reflux.
Foods To Avoid:
Fruit
Orange juice
Lemon
Lemonade
Grapefruit juice
Cranberry juice
Vegetables
Mashed potatoes
French fries
Onion, raw
Meat
Ground beef
Marbled sirloin
Chicken nuggets
Chicken wings with spicy sauce
Dairy
Any cream based product that is high in fat (whipping, sour, etc)
High-fat milk or any products made from it (such as ice cream)
Grains
Any pasta with cheese (which would be high in fat)
Spaghetti with sauce
Beverages
Liquor
Wine
Coffee
Tea
Fats / Oils
Salad dressing, creamy
Salad dressing, oil & vinegar
Sweets / Desserts
Butter cookie, high-fat
Brownie
Chocolate
Doughnut
Corn chips
Potato chips, regular
Acid Reflux Foods To Eat
Although there is no surefire way to avoid the Symptoms of Acid Reflux, one can take many dietary steps to lessen the frequency or intensity of Acid Reflux Symptoms. Focusing on non-acid foods will help your body naturally fight the acid that your stomach produces. Some foods that will help if eaten regularly include:
Non-acidic fruits such as apples and bananas
Baked Potatoes
Carrots
Broccoli
Green Beans and Peas
Skinless, low fat chicken breast
Extra-lean ground beef and steak
Egg whites and egg substitutes
Fat-free dairy products (such as fat-free cream cheese and sour cream)
White or Multi-Grain bread
Bran or Oatmeal cereal
Cornbread
Brown or White Rice
Pretzels
Low-fat and fat-free salad dressings
Fat-free cookies
Baked or fat-free potato chips
This list is not all inclusive, and since everyone’s body is different, it may not apply to everyone who suffers from Acid Reflux. It is advised to keep a daily journal of what foods you have eaten prior to suffering from symptoms of Acid Reflux so that you can learn, over time, what your own body can and cannot tolerate.
Treating Acid Reflux Naturally
There are many over-the-counter and prescription medications for the treatment of Acid Reflux and the accompanying symptoms. Individuals, who do not wish to go the medication route, do have a couple of options as far as the natural treatment s for Acid Reflux. Natural treatments for Acid Reflux can be broken down into two main categories: behavioral changes and diet changes.
Behavioral Changes:
One important behavior you can modify is your eating behaviors. Instead of focusing on what items you should and should not eat, this focuses more on when and how much you should eat. It is much more beneficial for individuals suffering from Acid Reflux to eat multiple small meals throughout the day instead of three large meals. The main cause for Acid Reflux Symptoms is overeating. By breaking up your eating schedule into small meals, you are less likely to overeat at a single sitting.
Other important behaviors for you to pay attention to are your lying and sleeping habits. Most experts agree that you should refrain from lying down or sleeping for three hours after your last meal. This gives your body proper time to digest any contents in your stomach and prevents the over-production and release of stomach acid while you are lying down. When you do lie down, it is important to attempt to keep your head elevated 6-9 inches higher than your feet. This allows gravity to naturally keep your stomach acids inside of your stomach, and out of the esophagus where they will cause you discomfort.
Diet Changes:
You can focus on supplementing your diet with alkaline foods. These foods will help counter the acidic nature of your stomach and prevent that acid from making its way to your esophagus. Such supplements include ginger root, herbal teas, non-citrus fruits, and almost all vegetables. The two most important types of foods to avoid if you suffer from acid reflux are foods that are high in fat (such as fast or fried food) and foods that are very acidic (such as citrus). Foods that are high in fat take more effort for your body to digest, and thus prompt your stomach to produce more acid. Acidic foods may add to the natural acidity of your stomach and also irritate your esophagus.



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