The pain of gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD is a result of digestive fluids being regurgitated up from the stomach and intestines through a valve called the lower esophageal sphincter. Laxity in a faulty valve allows acids and bile to splash into the esophagus, corroding its lining and causing the pain commonly known as heartburn. Certain foods and eating practices are known to exacerbate the symptoms of GERD. By applying a few general principles, you can arrange your diet to minimize your GERD symptoms.
Small Meals
When you eat heavy meals, the increased pressure that results in your stomach can push digestive fluids back up through the lower esophageal sphincter. For this reason the American Dietetic Association recommends changing your eating habits to allow for smaller meals. Instead of eating 2 or 3 large meals per day, opt for 5 to 6 lighter mini-meals.
Low Fat
Fatty foods cause a decrease in the pressure of the lower esophageal sphincter, according to the University of Illinois McKinley Health Center, hindering its ability to constrict and prevent acid reflux -- the regurgitation of digestive juices through the sphincter. Foods that are high in fat, such as fried foods or fatty meats, take longer to digest. The delay in stomach emptying further adds to the risk that acid reflux can occur.
Weight Loss
Being overweight increases your risk of GERD. Fortunately, choosing a low fat diet won't just decrease your risk of GERD symptoms by decreasing lower esophageal pressure, it will help you lose weight too. When you're carrying extra body weight, it puts extra pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter, just as indulging in a heavy or high fat meal does.
Avoid Irritants
A number of foods are known to trigger the effects of GERD in some people. You will have to do a little experimentation to determine which foods you can tolerate and which cause your GERD symptoms to worsen. Coffee is a noted trigger of GERD, due both to its acidic nature and its caffeine content. Citrus fruit, tomatoes, garlic and onions are the most common fruits and vegetables linked to increased GERD symptoms. MayoClinic.com lists several popular condiments as acid reflux triggers, including ketchup, mustard, black pepper and vinegar. Carbonation in beverages causes heartburn in some GERD sufferers. Both alcohol and chocolate have been identified as GERD triggers.
