Eat frequent small meals throughout the day, roughly every 3 hours. However, be sure to stop eating at least 1 hour before bed and eat upon waking.
Sleep slightly propped up to reduce acid reflux at night, particularly if you have eaten close to bedtime.
Never eat to a full stomach.
Chew your food thoroughly.
Drink water half an hour before a meal or one hour after a meal, NOT during.
Hot drinks should always be allowed to cool a little. Extremes in temperature, both in food and drink, should be avoided. Drinks should not be taken hurriedly but sipped slowly.
Keep a food diary of foods that cause aggravation.
Avoid over-processed foods, white bread, sugar, white flour and products made from white flour and sugar such as cakes, biscuits, and rice puddings, over-cooked vegetables, condiments, pickles, peppermint, spearmint, fatty foods, tomato-based foods, onions, carbonated beverages, strong tea and coffee, alcohol, flesh foods, fried foods, spices, refined cereals, and tinned and canned foods. You're probably thinking...what's left to eat? Do your best, and as I mentioned above, keeping a food diary can help you rule out non-aggravating foods that can then be added back into your diet!
Gastro-esophageal reflux disorder (GERD) sufferers should avoid all sweets containing chocolate. Chocolate contains a substance called methylxanthine, which lowers Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES) pressure, allowing stomach acid to reflux into the esophagus.
Consume three different juices diluted with water, half an hour before each meal (or as often as possible). Carrot juice is especially beneficial as it has a very restorative effect. It is an alkaline food, which soothes the stomach.
Fruits and vegetables like bananas, avocados, papaya, pineapple, apples, melons, pears, broccoli, green beans, cauliflower, zucchini, carrots and leafy greens are also alkaline (soothing) to the stomach. Eat your vegetables without any added fats or sauces to improve digestion and eliminate risk of GERD symptoms.
Sleep slightly propped up to reduce acid reflux at night, particularly if you have eaten close to bedtime.
Never eat to a full stomach.
Chew your food thoroughly.
Drink water half an hour before a meal or one hour after a meal, NOT during.
Hot drinks should always be allowed to cool a little. Extremes in temperature, both in food and drink, should be avoided. Drinks should not be taken hurriedly but sipped slowly.
Keep a food diary of foods that cause aggravation.
Avoid over-processed foods, white bread, sugar, white flour and products made from white flour and sugar such as cakes, biscuits, and rice puddings, over-cooked vegetables, condiments, pickles, peppermint, spearmint, fatty foods, tomato-based foods, onions, carbonated beverages, strong tea and coffee, alcohol, flesh foods, fried foods, spices, refined cereals, and tinned and canned foods. You're probably thinking...what's left to eat? Do your best, and as I mentioned above, keeping a food diary can help you rule out non-aggravating foods that can then be added back into your diet!
Gastro-esophageal reflux disorder (GERD) sufferers should avoid all sweets containing chocolate. Chocolate contains a substance called methylxanthine, which lowers Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES) pressure, allowing stomach acid to reflux into the esophagus.
Consume three different juices diluted with water, half an hour before each meal (or as often as possible). Carrot juice is especially beneficial as it has a very restorative effect. It is an alkaline food, which soothes the stomach.
Fruits and vegetables like bananas, avocados, papaya, pineapple, apples, melons, pears, broccoli, green beans, cauliflower, zucchini, carrots and leafy greens are also alkaline (soothing) to the stomach. Eat your vegetables without any added fats or sauces to improve digestion and eliminate risk of GERD symptoms.
Fat in food lowers the LES pressure, allowing the acid to reflux into the esophagus. In addition, high-fat foods take the stomach longer to digest and increase the risk of reflux.
In particular, avoid high-fat dairy, high-fat animal products, and any greasy foods.
A lean protein diet (chicken, fish, lamb, pork) and limited red meat is low on the inflammation spectrum, and can help increase the strength of the esophageal muscles.
Avoid green grapes, oranges, other citrus fruits, and green apples as they promote an acidic environment in the stomach.
Lemons have a low, highly acidic pH. However, during the body's metabolic process, water with lemon slices becomes alkaline and can actually help raise your stomach pH. Use caution in cases of very severe GERD and recent hernias.
Generally reduce intake of wheat, gluten, and dairy due to high incidence of sensitivity, but again using your food diary to help you determine if you are able to tolerate these foods.
Relaxation is key. An important measure in this direction is diaphragmatic breathing. The procedure is as follows:- Lie down with both knees bent and feet close to buttocks. Get relaxed. Put both hands lightly on the abdomen and centre your attention to this area. Now breath in, gently pushing the abdomen up under the hands at the same time, until no more air can be inhaled. Then relax, breathing out through the mouth with an audible sighing sound and allow the abdominal wall to sink back. The shoulders and chest should remain at rest throughout.
Avoid green grapes, oranges, other citrus fruits, and green apples as they promote an acidic environment in the stomach.
Lemons have a low, highly acidic pH. However, during the body's metabolic process, water with lemon slices becomes alkaline and can actually help raise your stomach pH. Use caution in cases of very severe GERD and recent hernias.
Generally reduce intake of wheat, gluten, and dairy due to high incidence of sensitivity, but again using your food diary to help you determine if you are able to tolerate these foods.
Relaxation is key. An important measure in this direction is diaphragmatic breathing. The procedure is as follows:- Lie down with both knees bent and feet close to buttocks. Get relaxed. Put both hands lightly on the abdomen and centre your attention to this area. Now breath in, gently pushing the abdomen up under the hands at the same time, until no more air can be inhaled. Then relax, breathing out through the mouth with an audible sighing sound and allow the abdominal wall to sink back. The shoulders and chest should remain at rest throughout.
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