Acid Reflux Diet: What Is It and How It Works

Friday, 1 August 2008

Acid Reflux Diet is a type of diet used to help sufferers of Acid Reflux disease. More commonly known as acid reflux or GERD (gastro esophageal reflux disease), it is a condition in which acids from the stomach backs up into your esophagus because your lower esophageal sphincter does not function properly. The main cause for 80% off all who suffer from acid reflux is the improper relaxation of the esophageal sphincter located between the stomach and the esophagus. For the 20%, it is caused by a low pressure sphincter.

It might not have occurred to you that your stomach is strong and the acid inside it can be equated to the strength of battery acid. Your esophagus cannot tolerate such extreme acidity and therefore some symptoms include a burning sensation within your chest. Some people also experience shortness of breath, asthma, voice hoarseness, and pneumonia and chest pains. You can pop and take an antacid which gives you temporary relief of these symptoms. However for more advanced cases of this disease, you need long term medication and change your eating habits by using the acid reflux diet.

In order to reduce and eliminate the symptoms of acid reflux without the use of medication, you must go through an eating pattern evaluation. You can keep track of this by having a food diary. You can write down what type of foods give you acid reflux symptoms so that when you go see your medical practitioner he or she can have a good view of what kind of diet to give you in order to treat your condition. It will also give you an idea of what food group gives you more difficulty and which eases your pain.

Some of the trigger foods that you have to eliminate from your daily diet are fatty foods, chocolate and caffeinated beverages. Depending on how well you tolerate this type of food, it is better to lessen their intake or avoid them altogether. Food which contains peppermint and spearmint flavors should also be avoided, as well as carbonated drinks. Smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages is also a named culprit in acid reflux symptoms.

Patients have also found relief in chewing gum because it produces saliva which is low in acid and by continually swallowing the saliva it neutralizes the acidity in your stomach and lessens heartburn. If these acid reflux diet suggestions do not work for you, you should see you physician who would prescribe to you other options to treat your acid reflux condition.