Your mother always tried to tell you how to eat right, drink enough water and get a good night's sleep and reminded you to have an apple every day so you wouldn't have to go to the doctor. As an adult you've discovered that not following her advice was not so wise and perhaps you have heartburn too often to be ignored. You can correct this situation and relieve the pain, bloating and belching by making some changes in your diet. Find out what foods you can and can't eat to heal and avoid further problems from acid reflux disease.
Eating to Heal Acid Reflux
Step 1
Start a food journal and document what you eat, when and how you feel afterward.
Step 2
Eat five or six small meals and snacks throughout the day and avoid overeating in general to reduce pressure on your stomach and esophagus, suggests the Mayo Clinic.
Step 3
Develop a taste for complex carbohydrates, whole grains and starchy vegetables. Sweet potatoes and plantains are gentle and satisfying for most people, binding to acids and offering relief from heartburn. In his book "Alkalinize or Die," Dr. Theodore A. Baroody suggests eating grains that are more alkaline, such as millet and amaranth, available from health food stores.
Step 4
Consume fresh fruits and vegetables, organic if possible, which are more alkaline, explain Robert O. and Shelley Redford Young in their book "The pH Miracle." These help maintain an alkaline state in the body. Fruits and vegetables assist in neutralizing acids, preventing reflux and damage to the esophagus.
Step 5
Eat sweet red apples, recommends EarthClinic.com. Your mother was right: An apple a day does keep the doctor away. Apples are an excellent food to add to your diet and also a good treatment for reducing reflux attacks right when they are occurring. Sweet red apples are better for this job than green apples. Have a slice or two during an attack or right before bed to help avoid reflux during the night.
Step 6
Train your taste buds to enjoy new flavors. Replace spices that are irritants such as pepper, chili and hot sauces with green spices such as basil, thyme, sage and oregano, or brown spices such as cinnamon, cumin and cardamom.
Step 7
Avoid heavily processed foods, fast foods and foods high in animal fats, all of which aggravate the gallbladder and stimulate extra acid production in the stomach, says the Mayo Clinic.
Step 8
Eliminate commonly recognized trigger foods that increase acid production and irritate the lining of stomach and esophagus, such as carbonated beverages, alcohol, coffee, tea and orange and grapefruit juices.
Step 9
Steer clear of milk. According to registered dietitian Gloria Tsang of Health Castle.com, milk may relieve burning pains initially, but it also creates a rebound reaction, eventually encouraging additional acid production, worsening acid reflux.
Tips and Warnings
- Try many things on your quest to find what works best for you. If you fall off the wagon and eat something that creates a reflux attack, just remember to start right back up again at your next meal.
- The information offered here is for educational purposes and is not meant to replace medical advice.
Things You'll Need
- Food log or journal
- Whole grains
- Fresh organic fruits and vegetables
- Sweet potatoes, plantains
- Sweet red apples
- Leafy green spices
- Brown spices
References
- "Alkalinize or Die;" Dr. Theodore A. Baroody; 1991
- HealthCastle.com
- "The pH Miracle;" Robert O. Young, Ph.D., and Shelley Redford Young; 2003
