
I was at a friend’s house the other day and the topic of acid reflux (heartburn) came up. During the conversation I decided that I should do a little research on the topic because I hear so many people complain about it. I was pretty sure that a change in diet could help alleviate some of the pain. So this is what I was able to find.
There is a valve at the entrance of the stomach which is a ring of muscular tissue known as the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). The LES’s job is to close as soon as food passes through it. This happens so that the acid from the stomach does not pass through to the esophagus. If the LES is not doing its job, and does not close all the way or as often as it should, it can cause heartburn also known as acid reflux, or GERD.
I know that a change in diet can be stressful, but sometimes it has to be done to keep your body healthy. So take a deep breath and read the list of foods that should be avoided to prevent a heartburn flare up.
Meats: Ground beef, marbled sirloin, chicken nugget-style, and chicken/buffalo wings.
Fats, Oils & Sweets: Chocolate, regular corn and potato chips, high-fat butter cookies, brownies, doughnuts, creamy and oily salad dressings, fried or fatty food in general.

Fruits, Vegetables & Juice: Orange juice, lemon, lemonade, grapefruit juice, cranberry juice, tomato, mashed potatoes, French fries, raw onion, potato salad, mint.
Other Beverages: Liquor, wine, coffee, and tea, carbonated drinks.
Grains: Macaroni and cheese, spaghetti with marinara sauce.

Dairy: Sour cream, milk shake, ice cream, regular cottage cheese.
Other Foods: spicy foods, ketchup, mustard.
Be sure to steer clear of high fat content foods and also be mindful of portion size. Keep portion sizes small. This allows your stomach to not have to work overtime; it increases the pressure in the stomach, causing acidic stomach contents to splash back into the esophagus.
Take your time eating. No need to be in a rush. Chew more so the food can be broken down and easier to digest. It also helps to give your body the time it needs to digest the food you have eaten before you call it quits for the day. Try not to eat for at least 2-3 hours before going to bed.
Because there are so many heartburn triggers, and people have so many different experiences, it is important to keep a log of the occurrences of a flare up. Including what you were doing before you experienced the discomfort, and also what you may have eaten, and what time they happened. This can help you to better curtail a regimen to avoid future occurrences.
Let’s focus on taking care of our bodies. After all, we only have one per lifetime.
Tags: Acid Reflux, GERD, Healthy Diet, Heartburn, WebMD