Diets for Heartburn Avoidance

Heartburn, a predominant symptom experienced by patients that have Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is a condition where stomach acids flow upward into the esophagus. Besides taking medications prescribed by your Dallas/Fort Worth physician, the characteristic burning sensation felt in the upper abdomen or lower chest can be reduced by eating foods that don’t aggravate the condition.

Diets for Heartburn Avoidance

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) patients should eat a diet low in fat to minimize their symptoms. They can have meat, fish and poultry as long they are low in fat. Likewise with beverages make sure to drink skim or low-fat milk rather than the full-fat variety. A bland diet is more likely to stave off heartburn than one filled with spicy foods is. Chocolate and red wine are common heartburn triggers, as well. In fact, any drink that has caffeine or alcohol is more likely to cause you to feel the burn. Foods, like spaghetti sauce, chili, and heartburn that are tomato-based are frequent culprits as are some citrus fruits. Some individuals are also bothered by peppermint, spearmint, onions, and garlic. Diets that are high in fiber are recommended for people who have GERD.

Eating Habits to Avoid Heartburn

Eating smaller portions more often will prevent you from overfilling your stomach, and will lower your risk of developing acid reflux. Don’t lie down right after eating, it’s best to wait at least two hours after eating before going to bed. If you are obese, try to lose weight. Excess fat pushes on the abdomen, causing increased pressure on the stomach. This increased pressure can lead to acid reflux. Even if you don’t have GERD now but you are obese it is wise for you to lose weight because obesity is a risk factor for developing Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD).