Acid Reflux Disease Diet
Rather than an acid reflux disease diet, this is a list of things to do, or avoid to treat reflux.
Avoid fatty and spicy foods, peppermint, chocolate, and caffeine. These foods all loosen the lower esophageal sphincter which increases acid reflux.
Avoid alcohol. Alcohol loosens the lower esophageal sphincter which is the valve between the stomach and the esophagus. This will make reflux worse.
Avoid carbonated beverages. These increase burping and promote reflux.
Eat small, frequent meals and take your time.
Food in a stretched stomach are more likely to back-flow into the esophagus. Hurried eating or drinking also can cause increased gas.
When heartburn is active, limit foods that are acidic including tomatoes, citrus fruits or spicy foods which can further irritate your esophagus.
Eat your evening meal long before you go to bed.
Lying down soon after eating can promote more severe reflux.
Angle up the head of your bed. A rigid foam wedge beneath the mattress or wooden blocks beneath the legs at the head of the bed should raise your head six inches above your foot level.
There is a foam wedge available specifically for this.
Keep up adequate saliva production.
Chewing gum will help.
You should also drink plenty of fluids.
Lose weight if you are obese. A large abdomen increases the pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter, limiting its chances of staying closed.
Ask your doctor if other medications might be worsening your reflux.
One option if you have reflux is to start and stop your medicine on an intermittent basis, based on symptoms. Each time symptoms return, treat yourself for two to four weeks with a medicine that works for you.
This strategy has worked well in tests.
