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Submitted by Kohila on 26 July 2015

Nutritionist Kohila Govindaraju suggests easy recipes and lifestyle changes to manage heartburn or acid reflux.

For those suffering from acid reflux, the pleasure of eating often turns into pain. Acid reflux occurs when the stomach acid and digestive enzymes flow backwards into the oesophagus (food pipe), irritating its lining. This is usually caused by the dysfunction of the lower esophageal muscle, which works to keep the stomach acids in the stomach. The result is a burning sensation in the centre of the chest (heartburn) and, sometimes, a bitter taste in the mouth. Acid reflux that is chronic is called GERD (Gastroesophageal reflux disease), and, if it is not tackled timely, it may lead to many complications later in life. 

Note: If lifestyle changes are not enough to bring acid reflux into control, consult a doctor and work with your doctor to manage the condition and avoid complications. Do not self medicate. You can read about more about GERD, its treatments and complications here.

हिंदी में पढ़ें: अम्ल प्रतिवाह (एसिड रिफ्लक्स) को नियंत्रित करें​ 

The good news is that diet and lifestyle changes can bring relief. Here, tips to help ease acid reflux:

Lifestyle changes:

  • Eat smaller meals – big meals distend the stomach and put pressure on the lower esophageal muscle, which usually keeps the stomach acids in the stomach 
  • Avoid fatty foods – these are harder to digest, causing your stomach to produce more acid to get the job done
  • Eat more protein as they strengthen the muscles of the oesophagus
  • Lose weight – excess weight puts pressure on the stomach making the stomach contents flow up
  • Stop smoking – nicotine weakens the lower oesophageal muscle, allowing stomach acid to back up into the oesophagus
  • Go to bed at least a couple of hours after eating
  • Keep a food diary to see which foods are triggering acid reflux

Dietary changes:

What you eat affects the amount of acid produced by your stomach, so your diet plays a key role in managing acid reflux. Foods that cause acid reflux may differ from person to person, but there are certain foods that are best avoided. 

Foods to avoid: 

  • Tomato sauce 
  • Alcohol 
  • Fatty or fried foods 
  • Chocolates, garlic 
  • Peppermint (peppermint relaxes the oesophageal sphincter muscles, which promotes acid reflux) 
  • Onion  
  • Caffeine

What should you eat?

1. Fruits and vegetables

Fruits such as bananas and apples are very effective in controlling acid reflux. Bananas stimulate the production of mucus from the stomach lining, which creates a barrier between the stomach lining and the acidic gastric substances that cause heartburn. Apples have soluble fibre pectin and glycine, which is a natural antacid that combats heartburn. 

You can also eat low-acid fruits like honey dew melon or canteloupe after a meal to relieve heartburn.The soluble fibre, vitamins & minerals in these fruits help the body digest food and absorb the nutrients effectively. It’s best to avoid acidic fruits like oranges. 

Eat potassium-rich vegetables like squash, spinach and white beans. Polassium-rich foods are also good sources of bicarbonate, which neutralises acid. All kinds of dark green vegetables, roots and greens are good sources of vitamins & minerals and fibres that help control acid reflux. Broccoli, celery, green beans, asparagus are low-acid vegetables. 

Fruits, vegetables and nuts contain sodium, potassium, calcium, chloride and bicarbonate, which maintains acid-base balance.

Limit tomato, onion and lemon dressing.

It is best to steam or bake veggies, so there is no fat to irritate the intestines. 

No-heartburn recipes:

Make delicious banana and egg pancakes in minutes: Mash a banana with a fork.  Whisk an egg and add to the mashed banana. Mix well until the banana and egg is completely combined. The batter has no flour, so it will be very loose and liquid. Drop roughly 2-3 tablespoons of the batter on a hot non-stick pan and cook well on both sides until it is done. Top pancake with a honey. 

You can also make peach-almond smoothie: Whizz 2½ cup of peaches with 2 cups of soymilk, a handful of soaked almonds and a tablespoon of honey. 

2. Yoghurt

Bacterial overgrowth results in intra-abdominal pressure that drives reflux. Probiotics lactobacillus and bifido bacterium are effective in reducing the harmful bacteria in the gut and restoring a healthy balance of intestinal flora. So, yoghurt helps digest food and relieve acid reflux. 

No-heartburn recipe: Grilled chicken-melon-yoghurt salad. Mix grilled chicken, honeydew melon cubes in a bowl with low-fat yogurt and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix well and enjoy!  

3. Whole grains

Eat oatmeal. This low-fat, high-fibre food is filling and will not cause acid reflux. Eat whole grains that are cooked without fat as fat causes acid reflux. So, think chapattis not parathas. 

No-heartburn recipe: Egg sandwich on wholemeal bread; chappati with dhal or vegetable sabji; seashell pasta and bean (black bean, corn kernel) soup; noodle soup with vegetables, egg or fish. 

4. Proteins 

Eating proteins is good for you as they strengthen the muscles of the oesophagus. Eat fish or chicken baked or steamed instead of fried. It’s better to avoid smoked fish as it is high in salt. Avoid too many spices.

If you are a vegetarian, here are the vegetarian protein options:

Vegetarian Protein Is The Way To Go

No-heartburn recipe:

Bake the fish and serve with pan roasted vegetables like asparagus, mushrooms and bell peppers. 

Choose skinless breast of chicken. The breast has less fat than other parts. Black pepper, basil or rosemary with olive oil can add a lot of flavour to the meal.

5. Camomile tea, green tea

Caffeine-rich coffee, tea and sodas will aggravate acid reflux. Avoid having too much coffee or tea and replace with non-caffeine tea like camomile or green tea.

References:

http://www.mckinley.illinois.edu/handouts/gerd_diet.html

http://www.gastro.org/

http://gicare.com/diets/gerd/

El-Serag, H. (2008). The Association Between Obesity and GERD: A Review of the Epidemiological Evidence. Digestive Diseases and Sciences, 53(9), 2307–2312. 

doi:10.1007/s10620-008-0413-9

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