Acid reflux, also known as heartburn, can cause not only discomfort and pain but can also result in severe health problems. If not treated, acid reflux can cause scarring of the esophageal tissue, making it hard to swallow. Acid reflux can also result in an increased risk of developing cancer of the esophagus. Although there are medications you can take to help treat acid reflux, an alkaline diet offers a natural way to treat this potentially dangerous condition.
Acid Reflux Pathology
In order to understand how an alkaline diet can treat acid reflux, it is necessary to understand the pathology of heartburn. The stomach uses acid to activate proteins needed for digestion and to break down food. Some foods can cause the stomach to secrete too much acid, which can result in acid reflux. Other foods cause indigestion, which makes the stomach churn; this can also cause acid to travel up into the esophagus.
Alkaline Diet Function
The goal of the alkaline diet is to neutralize excess acid in the stomach. Alkali substances are essentially the opposite of acidic compounds. When alkaline and acidic chemicals mix together, they neutralize each other. Following an alkaline diet can thus decrease the amount of acid in the stomach, reducing the risk of acid reflux.
Alkaline Foods
Many green vegetables, such as spinach and asparagus, are very alkaline, which makes them good choices for an alkaline diet, EveryDiet notes. Other good food choices are cauliflower, broccoli, brussels sprouts, watermelon and radishes. Sprouts, lentils, almonds, pumpkin seeds, buckwheat and flax are other foods that are an important part of an alkaline diet.
Limitations
Some of the foods that are part of an alkaline diet are not recommended for people who suffer from acid reflux. Foods and beverages that contain caffeine, such as green tea, can cause the relaxation of a muscle known as the lower esophageal sphincter. This muscle prevents the contents of the stomach from traveling into the esophagus, so foods that cause this muscle to relax can aggravate acid reflux. The Wolfe Clinic also notes that many spices, such as curry, chili pepper and mustard are part of the alkaline diet, but spicy foods can also trigger acid reflux. Consequently, patients who adopt an alkaline diet to treat acid reflux need to be aware that not all alkaline foods are appropriate for people with acid reflux.
Considerations
Anyone who adopts a diet that restricts what kinds of foods can be eaten runs the risk of developing vitamin deficiencies. Although alkaline diets allow for the consumption of most of the major food groups, patients may develop a vitamin C deficiency due to the exclusion of citrus fruits, Jackson Siegelbaum Gastroenterology states. As a result, patients following an alkaline diet should take a vitamin C supplement and should also consider a multivitamin to ensure that the proper amounts of vitamins and minerals are consumed.
Member Comments