Diet For Acid Reflux

People who are suffering from the symptoms of GERD or gastroesophageal more than likely know all too well what food and drinks they should avoid. However many do not know all the foods that they can eat that will not aggravate their symptoms. The only way to avoid real problems is to establish a diet for acid reflux and strictly follow it. The bottom line is to reduce the amount of excess stomach acid in your stomach which will help reduce reflux pressure on the lower esophagus sphincter muscle. All of which should reduce or prevent GERD symptoms.



Probably the easiest and fastest way reduce your symptoms is to change the way you eat. Instead of eating the standard 3 meals each day you should eat amounts of food 5 or 6 times each day. Smaller amounts of food will cause the stomach to produce less acid. In addition the fact that food is present in the stomach most of the day any access acid will be used in the normal digestion processes. Making a diet for acid reflux means including pasta, cereal grains and breads are more complex carbohydrates. These foods require longer digestion time and thereby act as a buffer any excess acid production.



While many fruits such as citrus are to be avoided others such as papaya and pineapples are recommended as they have a natural chemical that aids in digestion and reduces stomach acid damage. Neutral fruits such as bananas and apples can also be eaten without problem. As far as vegetables are concerned carrots, green and yellow beans and broccoli can almost always be eaten without causing acid reflux problems.



When it comes to ingesting liquids alcoholic beverages, carbonated drinks, some teas, citrus juice and coffees should be avoided. It is said that if you are suffering from acid reflux or heartburn that you cannot drink too much water. In some cases drinking two gallons of water a day has stopped all acid reflux symptoms. It may take a week but drinking lots of water can only help you. Many people recommend mineral water for those that have problems with common tap water.



If you are going to eat meats they should be very lean and not cooked in fats. Removing the skin off of poultry will reduce the changes of heartburn. Broiling meats to remove fats is another way to reduce acid reflux symptoms.



Most people with acid reflux symptoms will have to remove them from their diet. However some people can drink skim milk in moderation. If you are a sweets lover then stick to natural chocolates and peppermints for desserts. When developing your diet for acid reflux you may have to try many different recipes and foods to find the right ones that work for you. Each of us is an individual and as such will react to different foods in our diet differently.



There are also some desserts that are not advisable to be eaten during an acid reflux diet. Two of which are peppermint and chocolate. Ice creams can be consumed as long as they are low in fat. Also, people with GERD should avoid eating spicy foods. In dairy products, consume only those items that are low in fat or fat free.