For the millions of people that suffer from Gastroesophegeal Reflux Disease, or GERD, eating can be a very painful experience. Heartburn, indigestion and acid reflux are often unfortunate consequences that occur after these people have had a meal. Anything that produces excess stomach acid will bring on a painful attack. While there are medicines that can help neutralize stomach acid, this may be a short term solution. Therefore, it is highly recommended that people with GERD make changes in their diet which can often prevent problems before they begin.

GERD sufferers should avoid certain foods that have been known to trigger acid flair-ups. For example, citrus fruits such as grapefruit, lemons and oranges are all highly acidic, and therefore, will increase the amount of acid in the stomach. The same goes for orange juice, grapefruit juice and even lemonade. Other fruits that can cause problems are strawberries, pineapples, cranberries and peaches. Tomatoes, including tomato sauce, salsa and ketchup need to be avoided as well. Also, spicy food, especially anything that contains a lot of pepper, such as certain Mexican and Asian dishes, can irritate the stomach lining.

When choosing a beverage, anything with caffeine, such as coffee, tea and soft drinks should be consumed in small amounts, if at all, since caffeine tends to irritate the stomachs of heartburn sufferers.

There are certain foods that need to be avoided because they can relax the lower esophagal sphincter, which is the muscle between the stomach and esophagus, thus triggering acid reflux.

These foods include: peppermint (which ironically was once prescribed to soothe upset stomachs) spearmint, chocolate and any type of alcoholic beverage. Red wine is especially bad to drink because it not only relaxes the sphincter, but is also highly acidic. Carbonated drinks, such as soda pop also fall into this category, as does beer, which is fermented.

Foods with a high fat content, such as steak, cheese, butter, ice cream, and even peanuts, are not necessarily irritating to the stomach, but can actually slow down the digestive process. This causes food to stay in the stomach longer and triggers bloating which can then push stomach acid back up into the esophagus. Also, foods that are high in sugar, as well as some sugar substitutes, are suspect. Any kind of greasy, fried foods, especially those which fall into the “fast food” category will tend to have the same effect. Consuming garlic and onions tends to cause a build up of gas and bloating in some people and therefore will trigger reflux as well. Other well-known gas producers include: beans, cabbage, peas, cauliflower and broccoli.

In addition to avoiding certain types of foods, GERD sufferers need to pay attention to the quantity of the food they take in as well. It helps to have smaller portions more frequently and avoid over-eating at all costs. Also, food should be eaten at least three to four hours before bedtime to allow the stomach to empty completely and stomach acids to become neutralized as well. To find out more about GERD foods to avoid be sure to visit Reflux Remedy at refluxremedy.com today!

If you suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), you might notice that certain foods and beverages aggravate your symptoms. Some heartburn-inducing foods are well-known, while others aren’t as obvious.

Citrus fruits and juices can certainly cause heartburn. In particular, avoid orange, grapefruit and cranberry juices, as well as lemons and lemonade. Tomatoes, tomato-based sauces, garlic and onions will spark symptoms in many GERD sufferers.

Spicy and fatty or fried foods are also common heartburn culprits. Full-fat dairy products (particularly milk shakes, sour cream, ice cream and cottage cheese) and chocolate are lesser-known foods to avoid, along with peppermint and spearmint, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.

Avoid fatty meats, such as ground beef (chuck), marbled sirloin, chicken nuggets and buffalo wings. Creamy or oil-and-vinegar salad dressings may bring on acid reflux, along with fatty desserts and sweets like brownies, doughnuts, potato or corn chips and butter cookies.

As for beverages, avoid alcohol, caffeinated drinks and carbonated beverages. This includes liquor, wine and beer. Coffee and tea can instigate acid reflux, even if they’re decaffeinated.

Additionally, everyone has their own particular heartburn triggers, so pay attention to what you eat or drink and how it affects your GERD symptoms. Keep a food diary if necessary to document what you’ve consumed, and at the same time add notes to your diary about the severity of your heartburn and other GERD symptoms.

In many cases, however, it’s not what you eat but how much you eat that can trigger heartburn. If you have GERD, eat smaller meals to ease your symptoms. Overeating is a common cause of heartburn, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Also, what you do after you eat can affect your post-meal heartburn. For instance, you should wait at least three hours after a meal before lying down. Because some GERD sufferers experience their most intense symptoms at night when they go to bed, try elevating the head of your bed about 6 inches to help your digestive tract using gravity. Simply raising your head using pillows, however, isn’t very effective, the Mayo Clinic states.

Avoid exercising or bending over right after eating meals as well. These movements will only disrupt your digestion and aggravate your GERD symptoms.

Eager for that after-meal cigarette? Skip it. Smoking reduces the lower esophageal sphincter’s proper functioning, which is the main cause of GERD to begin with. Losing weight if you’re obese or overweight and reducing your stress can also help prevent heartburn.

While you’re studying the potentially GERD-aggravating foods in your diet, also consider the medications you take. Certain drugs can worsen or trigger heartburn. These include tricyclic antidepressants, dopamine, anticholinergics for treating sea sickness, sedatives, some bronchodilators for treating asthma and progestin used as birth control or for treating abnormal menstrual bleeding.

Calcium channel blockers and beta blockers for treating hypertension or heart disease also commonly worsen heartburn. If you have GERD and take any of these types of medications, talk with your doctor about whether you can switch to a different but equally-effective medication that won’t trigger heartburn.

For more information on what to the foods to avoid in order to not suffer from GERD visit Reflux Remedy at refluxremedy.com today!

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, otherwise known as GERD, can be broken down quite logically. Gastro refers to the stomach, and esophageal refers to the esophagus. Reflux typically means to flow backwards opposite from the direction intended. Thusly, GERD is caused by the contents of the stomach making their way back up the esophageal tube, much like the explosions of an active volcano.

For the vast majority of the 1900s, what is now known as GERD was simply referred to as heartburn. Many symptoms were treated with one basic type of antacid sold under a handful of different names. Although many people suffered from a variety of discomfort caused by stomach acids returning into the esophagus, it wasn’t until the 1990s that doctors attained a thorough understanding of the causes and treatments of GERD.

The disease typically begins with a person experiencing burning sensations in the hours following the ingestion of certain trigger foods, which can vary for each person based on several factors, including genetics and geography. In some cases, the burning sensations and pains caused by GERD can extend into the back, ribs, and shoulder blades. Pain in the back caused by GERD can be constant with sudden bursts of intensity, making it difficult for a person to conduct themselves in social and professional situations. In these types of cases, doctors typically ratchet-up the quantity and intensity of the prescriptions and may eventually recommend surgery. Thankfully, natural alternatives to treating GERD are available and affordable.

The quickest and most effective way to get rid of back pain caused by GERD is a drastic change in diet. Foods such as cheese, salsa, mustard, and chocolate are just a small handful of the hundreds of possible foods that can trigger intense symptoms. Identifying the foods that give you problems and avoiding them can provide steady relief of back pains caused by GERD. Drinking at least 60 ounces of water every day will decrease the acid ratios in your body, lessening their ability to cause discomfort. In short, a little awareness and dedication can go much farther than a bottle of pills.

For more information on GERD as it relates to back pain visit refluxremedy.com today!

GERD stands for Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease and causes acid reflux and heartburn. Often, the disease can be controlled at home by making proper dietary and exercise changes. One of the most common factor in persons with GERD is they are obese. Being overweight can place extra pressure on the abdomen so that it can cause the stomach to push up and release acid into the esophagus. Loosing weight can lessen the symptoms of GERD almost immediately.

Diet plays an important role in GERD symptoms and foods that trigger heartburn should be avoided. These foods include: caffeine, alcohol, tomatoes and tomato based products, carbonated beverages, spicy foods, peppermint, citrus fruits, and chocolate. Any other foods that trigger GERD symptoms should also be avoided.

Certain foods can help alleviate GERD symptoms. Apples help neutralize stomach acid and can relieve heart burn. Sucking hard candy can help with acid reflux. Drinking more skim milk and water can also help in relief of GERD by creating a seal between the stomach and the lower esophageal sphincter. There are also foods that contain enzymes that aid in digestion and neutralization of stomach acids. These foods include pineapple, figs, yogurt, and decaffeinated tea.

Eating small, more frequent meals also helps in eliminating GERD. When eating smaller amounts, the food is able to be digested more quickly, thus eliminating pressure on the abdomen. Meals should not be eaten within three hours of going to bed. Chewing gum between meals stimulates saliva production and will neutralize stomach acid.

Another way to lessen the symptoms of GERD is to sleep in a more upright position. Lying flat down allows stomach acid to flow into the esophagus. Persons with GERD should also avoid positions that put pressure on the abdomen such as bending over for long periods of time.
By making these simple lifestyle changes, GERD symptoms should be lessened and in many cases eliminated.

For more information on GERD home remedies visit refluxremedy.com today!