Foods That May Cause Heartburn
Foods frequently known to be heartburn triggers cause the esophageal sphincter to relax and delay the digestive process, letting food sit in the stomach longer,The worst culprits? Foods that are high in fat, salt or spice such as:
- -Fried food
- -Fast food
- -Pizza
- -Potato chips and other processed snacks
- -Chili powder and pepper (white, black, cayenne)
- -Fatty meats such as bacon and sausage
- -Cheese
Other foods that can cause the same problem include:
- -Tomato-based sauces
- -Citrus fruits
- -Chocolate
- -Peppermint
- -Carbonated beverages
Balance is key since many people may not be able to or want to completely eliminate these foods, but try to avoid eating problem foods late in the evening closer to bedtime, so they're not sitting in your stomach and then coming up your esophagus when you lay down at night. It's also a good idea to eat small frequent meals instead of bigger, heavier meals and avoid late-night dinners and bedtime snacks.
Here's a list of 7 alkaline foods which will help you remove acid from your body. Take a look.
1. Cucumbers
Cucumbers have diuretic properties. They can naturally break uric acid and flush it out of your body. It keeps your body hydrated, eliminates toxins, cleanses and balances the acidic levels as well. Cucumbers also prevent acid crystallization in your body.
2. Lemons
Lemons are acidic in taste but are actually alkaline in nature. They are also a citrus fruit which is beneficial for your digestive system. It improves the pH levels in your body and cleanses your body inside out. Add fresh lemon juice to a glass of warm water and drink it every day to flush out excess acid from your body. It is widely used for quick and healthy weight loss.
3. Yoghurt
Consuming yoghurt every day, keeps our abdominal movements regular and improves our body’s flora. It kills the harmful bacteria in the gut and makes our digestive system healthier. Yoghurt is also found to be effective in lactose intolerance, constipation, inflammatory bowel disease and infections caused by Helicobacter pylori bacteria.
4. Oatmeal
High-fiber foods make you feel full, that’s a good thing, because you’re less likely to overeat, which can contribute to heartburn. What’s more, oatmeal in particular absorbs stomach acid. Other high-fiber options: whole-grain bread, brown rice and quinoa; root veggies (carrots, sweet potatoes and beets); and green vegetables (asparagus, broccoli and brussels sprouts). But remember, Fiber can’t work unless there is also enough fluid in your diet.
5. Milk
Does milk help with heartburn? Milk is often thought to relieve heartburn, But you have to keep in mind that milk comes in different varieties — whole milk with the full amount of fat, 2% fat, and skim or nonfat milk. The fat in milk can aggravate acid reflux. But nonfat milk can act as a temporary buffer between the stomach lining and acidic stomach contents and provide immediate relief of heartburn symptoms Low-fat yogurt has the same soothing qualities along with a healthy dose of probiotics (good bacteria that enhance digestion).
Here are some tips to reduce Acidity:
- Choose an alkaline diet If you recall from your chemistry class in school, the pH Scale provides a measure of 0 most acidic and +14 most alkaline. Our body’s optimum is pH 7. 36 which is tilted towards being alkaline, an alkaline diet is one which helps you maintain a perfect Ph balance and does not create unnecessary acids. It is a fact that we usually like a lot of acidic food but this only harms our optimum body function.
- Eat Greens: Eating a lot of green vegetables, fruits, roots, nuts. These are alkaline and keep you away from acidic gases. Make vegetables the focus of your meals, not meats.
- Reduce the intake of Acidic food: Lower your intake of acidic food like eggs, refined sugar, meat, white flour, and dairy.
- Limit Alcohol Consumption: Alcohol has high sugar content and is extremely acidic. In large quantities, it can be fatal. It is perfectly ‘ok’ if you like a glass of beer or wine every now and then. Just be conscious of how much you drink.
- Drink Alkaline Water: Drink a lot of alkaline water at least 8 to 10 glasses a day. Average tap water has an alkaline content of about 6.5 to 7 Ph but alkaline water has about 9 Ph. This will keep your body most hydrated and make sure you do not generate unnecessary gas or acid.
- Exercise: Break into a sweat regularly. This will also help losing weight while keeping acidity in check.
FAQs about Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
Q1. What are the symptoms of GERD?
The typical symptoms of Gastroesophageal reflux disease are burning in the chest (heartburn) and regurgitation of sour or bitter liquid, sometimes mixed with food, to the throat or mouth. Although not everyone has these symptoms, they are so indicative of reflux that testing is not usually necessary. Other relatively common symptoms include chest pain, which may simulate cardiac disease, and the feeling of food sticking in the esophagus. Less often GERD may cause throat burning, coughing, asthma, or recurrent pulmonary infections (recurrent bronchitis or aspiration pneumonia).
Q2. How is GERD treated?
Treatment of Gastroesophageal reflux disease is long-term. The goals are to control or reduce symptoms, heal an injured esophagus, and manage or prevent complications.
Treatment options include lifestyle changes, medicines, surgery, or a combination of approaches.
Lifestyle changes
This means changing things you have control over. Try to identify and avoid things that may bring on symptoms or make them worse. Ask your doctor about diet. Let your doctor know about any medicines you take as some can worsen symptoms.
Medicines
Over-the-counter medicines provide only temporary relief of heartburn. Tell your doctor if you need to take one for more than two weeks.
The most commonly prescribed medicines to treat GERD are H2 blockers and the more powerful PPIs (proton pump inhibitors). These reduce or limit acid secretion in your stomach.
Surgery
For some people, surgery to strengthen the barrier between the stomach and esophagus may be an option. Medicine may still need to be taken after surgery to control symptoms. Before having surgery, review all aspects of the procedure with your primary care doctor or gastroenterologist and the surgeon.
Ask your doctor questions about your treatment plan and options. Ask why the treatment is important for you. If you need to take a medicine long-term, at later visits ask your doctor if your effective dosage can be reduced. Ask about risks as well as benefits. Ask about side effects; these can occur with any treatment. Learn what to do if they occur, and how to minimize or avoid them.
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