Acid reflux is the condition when the acid from the stomach travels
back into the esophagus. This condition can be very harmful to the
throat and esophagus if left untreated. It can be very troublesome too
because acid reflux causes symptoms like heartburn. One reason why acid
reflux occurs is the malfunction of LES or lower esophageal sphincter.
Normally, it closes to prevent food or acid from traveling back into the
esophagus but when it acts abnormally, it leads to acid reflux and
heartburn.
It is well known that diet or the food that we eat plays an important
role in our health and overall well-being. People who suffer from acid
reflux can relieve their symptoms by changing their diet. It may not be
easy for some people to avoid certain foods but if you don’t want your
acid reflux to get worse, avoiding certain foods can be very helpful.
Following a specific diet to prevent acid reflux can be very helpful
to manage your symptoms. Avoid or decease the intake of these foods:
Fatty foods. Fatty foods can worsen one’s acid reflux because it
relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter resulting to more acid to travel
back into the esophagus. Reducing your daily intake of fatty foods can
help prevent acid reflux. Foods with high content of fats include fried
foods, oily or greasy foods, french fries, bacon, ice cream, potato
chips, butter, whole milk and chocolates.
Tomatoes and tomato products. Lycopene is the healthy nutrients we
can get from tomatoes but while tomatoes are generally good for our
health, it is highly acidic and can worsen or trigger acid reflux
attacks. Avoid tomatoes from your diet to prevent acid reflux. There are
other red fruits and vegetables as your alternative source of lycopene.
Citrus fruits. As mentioned above, highly acidic foods can worsen
one’s acid reflux. If you are suffering from frequent acid reflux
attacks it is best to avoid highly acidic foods like grapes, oranges,
limes, lemons and pineapple.
Spicy foods. Not everyone with acid reflux experience attacks when
eating spicy foods but some people with acid reflux do not do well with
spicy foods including garlic and onions. It is best to observe yourself
and keep a list of foods triggering your acid reflux attacks.
While the food mentioned above are common triggers, your acid reflux
may have different triggers. It is important to take note of them or
keep a food log to help you track the foods triggering your acid reflux.
Aside from keeping or following a specific diet to prevent acid reflux,
you can manage your symptoms by changing your lifestyle. Changes like
avoid overeating, eat frequent meals instead of three big meals, avoid
eating 3-4 hours before bedtime and stop smoking and drinking alcohol
can be very helpful. It is also best to consult your doctor.
To know more about acid reflux and heartburn visit Heartburn No More
Source: HealthandBeautyLink
