Diets offer to cure acid reflux as long as you follow regular eating patterns to avoid symptoms. However, diet alone may not cure acid reflux for everybody and treatment depends on the severity of the condition. Acid reflux requires over-the-counter or prescription medication for many people. See your doctor for dietary and medical advice if you have frequent acid reflux. Diet holds the promise of reducing symptoms or even eliminating acid reflux over time.
Preventive Method
For mild or moderate acid reflux, simply avoiding trigger foods may alleviate or get rid of your problem. Acid reflux occurs when a relaxed esophageal muscle does not close tightly after eating and allows stomach acid to back up into the esophagus, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. This causes the burning or pain in the chest and throat known as heartburn. Certain foods relax the esophageal muscle and trigger acid reflux. Common triggers include fried or fatty foods, citrus fruits, garlic, onions, tomato-based products, caffeine, alcohol or chocolate. You may have your own triggers because people respond differently to foods. Make a mental note or jot down the foods you have eaten when you experience acid reflux. Eliminating these foods from your diet can cure acid reflux in some cases.
Acid Reflux Diet
Avoid high-fat meals, which cause the stomach to use more acid for digestion to increase the risk of acid reflux, HealthCastle.com advises. Eat small, frequent meals instead of three large meals during the day. The stomach requires less acid secretion during the digestive process. Focus on complex carbohydrates, such as breads, rice and pasta, for each meal. These foods help soak up excess stomach acid and digest smoothly. Maintaining an upright position while eating and at least 45 minutes after eating helps prevent acid reflux. Some people try a home remedy of drinking milk before bedtime when they suffer heartburn at night. However, HealthCastle.com points out that, although milk initially has a soothing effect, it encourages stomach acid secretion later on to bring on acid reflux.
GERD Diet
A gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, diet concentrates on low-fat foods to avoid acid reflux. Skim or low-fat milk and low-fat or fat-free yogurt replace whole milk products in the diet, according to Jackson Siegelbaum Gastroenterology. Substitute lean meats, poultry without fatty skin and fish for fatty meats, cold cuts, sausage and bacon. Sweets and desserts in the diet have no fat or no more than 3 g fat per serving, avoiding chocolate or desserts made with oils or fats. Eating plenty of fiber-rich fruits and vegetables aid in digestion and prevent acid reflux. Avoid citrus fruits, which have an acidic nature, and fried or creamy style vegetables.
