GERD Prevention Diet

The full form of GERD is gastro esophageal reflux disease. Let us first understand what this condition is all about. The lower esophageal sphincter is a muscle that is located towards the lower portion/end of the esophagus. These sphincters resemble circular bands which squeeze or contract together, in-order to shut off the body passages. Thus it mainly plays the role of a valve that is responsible for shutting of the esophagus, permitting the food to go down easily towards the stomach. However in addition to shutting off the esophagus, it also shuts off the stomach. This primarily means that it stops food that has been partially digested, from going back up or refluxing through our esophagus. Normally these muscles shut immediately after we have swallowed food, keeping the digestive enzymes and stomach acids out of our esophagus. But in individuals that suffer from GERD, these muscles may not shut or close in the normal manner, thus the partly digested food along with the stomach juices may reflux through the esophagus, burning it in the process.

The most common symptom of GERD condition is heart burn. This is the experience of a burning sensation in the chest (behind one’s breast bone) which at times may also move upwards, towards the throat. It is particularly worse after a meal. Often lying down or even bending can worsen the heartburn. Some of the other symptoms include pain or difficulty in swallowing, cough, hoarseness, sore throat and the regurgitation of a sour tasting acid like material in the mouth. What causes this condition is still unclear. But factors such as alcohol, obesity and smoking can contribute to this condition.

There are certain types of food that could aggravate the heartburn symptoms. It is best to limit or even maybe totally avoid these food types. Here are a few suggestions of what you could eat. Vegetables: peas, green beans, carrots, cabbage, broccoli and baked potato. Fruits: bananas, apples (juice, dried or fresh). Meat: fish, grounded meat, chicken breast, and London broil steak. Dairy products: low fat soy cheese, fat free sour cream, goat cheese and fat free cream cheese. Grains: brown or white rice, white or multi grain bread, corn bread, cereal, rice cakes and pretzels. The ideal thing to do is chart down what you eat along with symptoms that you may encounter. Do this consistently for 2-3 weeks. This would help in mapping out your diet and educate you on what changes to inculcate in your dietary habits.