Digestive System Disorders. Acid Reflux Diet

If you suffer from acid reflux disease, you may have to make a few changes to control your symptoms. Among the most common treatments for acid reflux is changes in diet. Keeping a food diary is a good way to determine which foods aggravate your reflux symptoms. It is important to know not only take note of the foods you eat, but at what time you eat them and how much.

In General, What Are The Basic Guidelines For An Acid Reflux Diet?

Here are a few things to consider when controlling acid reflux:

A lot of acid reflux symptoms stem from eating too much at dinnertime which causes excess stomach acid production. With this in mind, it is advisable to adjust your diet so you eat a small meal at dinnertime and perhaps a small snack before bedtime.
Foods that are high in complex carbohydrates and are included in each meal seem to help those with acid reflux. These foods are often easy on the stomach and are able to tie up excess stomach acid. These foods include brown rice, whole grain bread and whole grain pasta.
When lying down, try to elevate head of bed six to eight inches. This will help the acid stay down where it belongs.
It is helpful to maintain an upright position for at least 45 minutes after eating a meal.
Do not overeat! Overeating will stimulate the stomach to secret more acids for digestion, as well as filling the stomach, and pushing acid into the esophagus.
Try to avoid high fat foods because they will remain in your stomach longer.

Foods that trigger acid reflux in some individuals might not trigger the same symptoms on others. For example, an individual who eats spicy foods might have severe reflux symptoms from it while another individual who suffers from acid reflux might not get any kind of reaction at all from it. Reflux triggers vary from person to person, however the most common acid reflux triggers include the following.

Alcohol
Foods that are high in fat or fried
Citrus fruits and juices
Spicy food
Caffeine beverages such as coffee or tea
Sodas
Chocolate
Peppermint
Onions and garlic
Tomatoes and tomato-based foods.

How Do Some Foods Trigger The Symptoms Of Acid Reflux?

Foods that trigger acid reflux do so by one of either two ways. Some food triggers increase acid production and therefore excess acid leaks into the esophagus. Other foods that trigger acid reflux do so by relaxing the lower esophagus sphincter (LES); a ring of muscle separating the esophagus from the stomach. In normal digestion, this muscle only opens when food passes from the esophagus into the stomach.

Is It True That Milk Helps Relieve Acid Reflux Symptoms?

Even though it is said that milk is used as a quick fix to reflux symptoms, it is also said to cause acid reflux during sleep in some individuals. Milk is a trigger beverage due to the rebound action it has that encourages secretion of more stomach acid eventually.

"Food For Thought"

It is known that diet is not one of the causes for acid reflux; however, some foods might make an individual's acid reflux worse or trigger reflux symptoms. Dietary guidelines for acid reflux does not cure the disease, but it can reduce the frequency and severity of the symptoms. The success of dietary changes depends on the individual's willingness to stick to them, the severity of the acid reflux, as well as any trigger foods. Other individuals might require additional treatments for complete relief if diet changes alone do not help.

Digestive System Disorders

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Acid Reflux Diet

In General, What Are The Basic Guidelines For An Acid Reflux Diet?