The cardinal rule to prevent acid reflux symptoms is to focus on your eating habits. Heartburn is an acid reflux symptom that can be painful and is often misunderstood as a cardiovascular condition. However, it can be prevented as acid reflux is really a digestive disorder. Changing your diet with careful food selection can help reduce the severity and frequency of your acid reflux symptoms.
It appears that there is no cure for acid reflux and sufferers can expect that this will be a life long condition. Most people who are afflicted with serious heartburn symptoms will need to seek treatment for their esophagus. However, future acid reflux attacks may continue to damage the organ, thereby precipitating the need for further treatment. For this reason, treatment for acid reflux is usually conducted on an ongoing basis.
Acid reflux is also known as gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD). It is referred to as a digestive disorder in which the liquid contents of the stomach are regurgitated into the esophagus. This liquid, since it has come from the stomach, contains acids that are used in digestion, even bile. When this liquid is sent back up to the esophagus, these acids injure, inflame, and damage it and thus causing several acid reflux symptoms such as heartburn.
As mentioned earlier since acid reflux is a digestive disorder, eating habits play a vital role. Certain foods are prone to trigger an attack, while others will carry less risk. In your quest to prevent acid reflux symptoms, you must understand the effects that different foods have on your condition. For the sake of simplicity, foods can be categorized into three categories for your acid reflux diet in accordance to their effects on your condition. The following food categories are Safe Foods, Moderate Foods and the Unsafe Foods.
Safe Foods have a very little potential in terms of causing heartburn. The following food items include fruits like apples and bananas, vegetables like cabbage, carrots, and peas, meat like lean ground beef, chicken breast, egg whites, dairy products such as cheese (provided that they are fat-free), and grains such as oatmeal and bran. These foods are generally low in fat and are alkaline.
Moderate Foods, on the other hand may or may not cause acid reflux. However, it is better to consume these items in moderation. Hence, eat these foods occasionally; never often. Moderate foods include fruits like peaches, blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries. Vegetables in this category include onions (cooked), garlic, scallions, sauerkraut, and leeks. Fried eggs, fried fish, hot dogs, and ham have the potential to trigger acid reflux symptoms. Dairy products like milk, yogurt, and cheese varieties such as cheddar and mozzarella should also be enjoyed in moderation for your acid reflux diet.
Lastly, Unsafe Foods when eaten carries with them an increased risk of an acid reflux attack. As such, these food items should be avoided to prevent acid reflux symptoms from developing. These include fruits such as lemons, oranges, and grapefruits, which are fruits that are high in acidic content. Vegetables like onions (raw) are traditional culprits. Portions of meat that have high-fat content should also be avoided from your acid reflux diet. So should ice cream, chocolates, brownies, doughnuts, potato chips, and high-fat salad dressings. Beverages like wine, coffee, and tea should be taken sparingly, if at all.
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Published by Evelyn Lim on June 21, 2007 08:11 PM
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