John Myers
Anyone who has reflux disease or who often suffers from heartburn becomes discouraged from eating. The reflux of acidic stomach contents into the esophagus can cause coughing, headaches, and sore throats. Find out below what helps.
Eating for heartburn: reflux diet
Reflux occurs when too much gastric juice rises up into the esophagus. The stomach acid attacks the mucous membrane and symptoms such as a burning sensation behind the breastbone, irritation of the respiratory tract, difficulty swallowing and bad breath occur. The characteristic heartburn is not always present: the so-called silent reflux is therefore difficult to diagnose. Whatever form you suffer from, reflux treatment always includes nutrition. In severe cases, surgery can eliminate the actual cause of reflux, which is the weakened sphincter muscle between the stomach and esophagus. If you change your diet if you have heartburn, this is usually enough to relieve the symptoms.
You should avoid these foods
A simple measure that helps with heartburn is to avoid certain foods. Avoid fatty, spicy, difficult to digest and acidic foods such as coffee, sweets and alcohol. Cold drinks and very hot food can also worsen the symptoms. Conversely, some foods such as herbal teas and yoghurt have a beneficial effect on the disease. It’s best to create your own reflux eating plan rather than following a rigid reflux diet. Because every person reacts differently to the respective food. A diet table for heartburn or recommendations for an alkaline diet are always just the first step in individual treatment and long-term reflux nutrition. The best way to find out what works for you and what doesn’t is to keep a food diary.
What helps in addition to the reflux diet
In addition to the selection of suitable recipes for the diet in reflux, other measures against the symptoms are promising. Drinking while eating is recommended, as long as it is not alcohol. Take your time with meals, chew your food thoroughly and leave a three to four-hour gap between dinner and bedtime – lying down makes the symptoms worse because stomach acid flows up more easily. A reflux diet with several small meals spread over the day is also good for many people. In any case, you should avoid very lavish food so as not to overload the stomach. Finally, a lot of exercise and a normal body weight are helpful.
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