Will a diet bring permanent relief for your heartburn? Classical medicine has been a disappointment for millions of heartburn sufferers on this score, because of its ineffectiveness over the long-term and the undesirable side effects that it produces. Will the right mix of a special heartburn diet and healthier lifestyle changes make for a safer option? Studies done recently show that new diet habits can really relieve heartburn and at the same time make big improvements in your overall quality of life.
Before we get into the nature of the new diet habits, it is important to understand that chronic heartburn cannot be treated for a permanent solution without a full holistic solution that clearly targets the fundamental problem. This is because heartburn is only a symptom of a complex medical problem known as GERD (gastro esophageal reflux disease) or acid reflux.
A circular muscle called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) is a key part of the syndrome of heartburn. When acid escaping via the LES corrodes the cells lining the esophagus, this causes the unpleasant burning sensation known as acid indigestion or heartburn. GERD is the result of this valve-like muscle between the stomach and the esophagus weakening and no longer keeping the stomach contents away from the esophagus.
New diet habits must bring down this excess of stomach acidity, but must also take account of a malfunctioning sphincter. Therefore new diet habits must simultaneously work with both aspects of acid reflux. We describe seven simple axes for diets below as initial actions to get to a holistic, all-natural treatment for GERD:
1. Reduce the quantity of each meal. The bigger the meal, the more the stress on the digestive system, the more the level of stomach acidity and the greater the risk of compounding an existing acid reflux condition. 5-6 smaller meals per day is better than 2-3 big meals.
2. Allow your stomach to get its work done 2-3 hours for a light meal, rather than the 5-6 hours for a big one. This is especially important at the end of the day, so as to finish digestion and avoid lying down when acid can still reflux towards your esophagus. Therefore, eat a light meal for the last one of the day, before helping digestion by going for a short walk.
3. Don’t gobble your food. Chew it properly to prevent air being sucked in, which makes the stomach balloon and pushes open the esophageal sphincter, this opening the way for stomach acid to reflux.
4. Make way for herbal tea instead of coffee as well as reducing intake of high-fat or spicy meals, peppermint, citrus juices, soda and alcohol, coffee and caffeine, chocolate and any food with a large amount of tomato. Don’t eat food that irritates the inside of your digestive tract, which in turn can cause your esophageal sphincter to malfunction and relax at the wrong moment.
5. Studies done in Sweden support the theory that acid reflux danger can be reduced by 50% by adopting a high fiber diet and that high-fiber diets are effective for optimizing digestion and sweeping away toxic matter.
6. Cut down on dairy produce, especially milk. Milk makes for more acid, mucus and allergies, all factors that stimulate Candida overgrowth and further digestive problems contributing to GERD.
7. Reduce intake of calories. Obesity and excess weight also act on the lower esophageal sphincter to weaken it.
The right plan based on the diet principles above will reduce the chance of GERD and make you healthier and fitter at the same time.
An anti-heartburn food plan with the right equilibrium is the first part of a complete natural and holistic program to stop acid reflux. It is the only way to permanently halt this problem. Diet plans are just one part of the treatment, like heartburn is just one piece of the acid heartburn puzzle. All the pieces need to be included in the solution in order to really effectively solve the problem.