Diet is a leading cause of acid reflux, and changing your eating habits can reduce or perhaps even eliminate reflux, according to the information website The Heartburn Authority. While, your silent acid reflux may not cause you discomfort, you shouldn't ignore it because, over time, the stomach acid can damage your esophagus and may lead to serious complications, such as breathing difficulties, bleeding and pre-cancerous changes to the esophagus, according to experts at the MayoClinic.com.
Definition
Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, is a chronic condition in which the valve at the top of your stomach malfunctions. As a result, acid from your stomach flows backward into the esophagus and irritates its lining. The acid also can make its way into your lungs. Most people with GERD feel and taste this liquid or they suffer heartburn. People with silent acid reflux have the same condition, but they have no symptoms. Most people experience acid reflux on occasion, but if the phenomenon occurs more than twice per week, it is GERD.
Causes
A variety of factors can cause or contribute to the frequency of acid reflux. These include diet, lack of exercise, smoking or a deformation in the upper stomach valve, called a hiatal hernia, according to the MayoClinic.com. In addition, some people have physical abnormalities that cause their stomachs to delay emptying into the intestine, which can provoke acid reflux. Changes to your body during pregnancy also may cause temporary acid reflux. Diseases such as diabetes, asthma and the digestive system disorder Zollinger-Ellison syndrome may trigger acid reflux as well.
Food Triggers
Fatty foods require more acid for digestion, so they tend to provoke acid reflux. Avoid high-fat foods, such as fried dishes, most fast foods, oils, whole milk, cream sauces or soups and non-lean meats. Chocolate and mint, which many people consume after large meals to settle their stomachs, actually provoke acid reflux. Spicy and acidic foods act as acid reflux triggers to some people, so avoid these as well. Also avoid beer, which can double the amount of acid your your stomach produces in an hour, according to according to HealthCastle.com. Wine and soda also increase acid production.
Helpful Foods
Acid reflux patients tend to benefit from smaller and more frequent meals, according to HealthCastle.com. This reduces the stress on your digestive system and requires less stomach acid. Focus on a well-balanced diet and include complex carbohydrates, such as whole grain breads, brown rice and whole wheat pasta. These foods absorb stomach acid and tend to soothe the stomach. Non-acidic vegetables and fruits, such as pears, bananas, spinach, beans and berries are safe and healthy to include in your diet, according to Jackson/Siegelbaum Gastroenterology. Choose low fat dairy products and and lean cuts of meat to round out your diet. You can even indulge in desserts, as long as you avoid chocolate and high-fat content.
Other Solutions
The amount of food you eat is as important as what you eat. Excess weight increases pressure on your abdomen, which pushes on your stomach and makes it more likely that acid will escape into your esophagus, according to MayoClinic.com staff. Avoid lying down for at least two to three hours after you eat and consider elevating the head of your bed either with a wedge pillow or blocks under the legs of your headboard. This leverages the force of gravity to help keep your stomach contents from rising into the esophagus. Avoid smoking because it causes the esophageal valve to malfunction.
