GERD Diet

If you suffer from heartburn, chest discomfort after eating, or frequent regurgitation a Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) diet may be exactly what you need. The following information will steer you in the right direction for a more comfortable after-meal experience.

What is GERD?

GERD, often referred to as simply heartburn or acid reflux, is a weakening of the muscle at the lower end of the esophagus where it meets the stomach. Under healthy circumstances, this muscle stays tightly clenched around the esophageal tube to inhibit food and fluid contents in the stomach from entering back into the tube. Hence, the loss of strength in the muscle causes such stomach contents to splash back into the lower esophagus. In addition to heartburn, regurgitation, burning in the back of the throat, and chest discomfort after eating, a sufferer may also experience a cough, hoarseness, and shortness of breath when the fluid trickles into the breathing tubes.

Causes of GERD

Besides certain foods outlined below, there are several other irritants of GERD that should not go unmentioned. These include nicotine, alcohol, obesity, stress, emotional eating, and increased air swallowing. Such seemingly harmless activities as chewing gum, eating hard candy, crying, talking while chewing, lying down too soon after a meal, wearing tight clothing, and bending at waist can cause you to swallow excess air.

GERD Diet Recommendations

What Not To Eat

Without a doubt, there are several foods that exacerbate this condition. In general, avoiding the following types of food is highly advisable and effective at keeping the symptoms of GERD to a minimum:

• fatty
• fried
• oily
• creamy
• acidic
• spicy
• highly processed

More specifically, the following list includes foods to best avoid on a daily basis:

• whole milk products such as milk, yogurt, cheese, ice cream, sour cream
• chocolate in baked goods, hot cocoa, candy
• citrus fruits and juices such as oranges, grapefruits, lemons, limes
• acidic fruits and juices such as pineapple
• acidic vegetables such as tomatoes (including juice and sauce), peppers, raw onions
• peppermint and spearmint
• hot spices such as chili powder, cayenne, hot pepper flakes
• creamy soups
• creamy salad dressings
• ketchup
• mayonnaise
• vegetable and animal oils
• doughnuts and other fatty baked goods
• poultry skin (buffalo wings for example)
• cold cuts
• sausage
• bacon
• fatty cuts of beef
• coffee (both regular and decaffeinated)
• caffeinated soft drinks
• tea
• pickled foods
• carbonated beverages

What To Eat

You may be wondering what is left for a person with GERD to eat. Essentially, a diet based on healthy choices with plenty of non-acidic, non-citrus fruits and vegetables, lean sources of protein, complex carbohydrates, and generally low in fat is a beneficial and feasible approach to eliminating the discomforts of GERD. The following meal plan represents a general outline for what to choose for an appropriate GERD diet:

Breakfast:

1 serving of cold or hot cooked cereal

1 cup of skim, 1% or 2% milk

1 cup of strawberries

herbal tea or non-citrus fruit juice

Or

2 to 3 scrambled egg whites

1 to 2 slices whole grain bread

1 teaspoon of margarine or butter

herbal tea or non-citrus fruit juice

Mid-morning Snack

1 apple or 1 cup of grapes

Lunch:

Large tossed salad (no tomatoes)

2 -3 ounces grilled chicken breast

Low fat non-creamy dressing

non-citrus juice, water, flavored water, herbal tea

or

2 slices whole grain bread

2 -3 ounces white turkey meat

1 slice low fat cheese (naturally made cheeses such as Swiss, cheddar)

lettuce leaves

sliced cucumbers

shredded carrots

mild mustard or low fat mayonnaise

same beverage choices

Afternoon Snack:

Whole grain pretzels or crackers with hummus, low fat cheese

Dinner

4 ounces fish

1 cup green beans

1 cup brown rice

same beverage choices

Or

4 ounces lean beef (tip or top cuts leanest)

1 cup steamed broccoli

1 baked potato with low fat sour cream

same beverage choices

Helpful Hints

Besides the following the GERD diet guidelines related to food choices, the following tips may help extinguish any lingering causes of discomfort:

• eat smaller meals
• eat more frequently
• eat slower
• chew with mouth closed to eliminate excess air swallowing
• lose weight
• eliminate alcohol as much as possible
• quit smoking
• elevate your head when sleeping with an extra pillow
• try to relax on a daily basis with deep breathing, stretching, a good book, soft music, etc.
• ditch the belts or any tight clothing around the waist
• allow at least two hours to digest before lying down

Health Risks

It is important to seek medical intervention if symptoms of GERD occur more than twice a week. This is a sign that you are experiencing chronic GERD. While changes in your diet and lifestyle in an effort to treat GERD will still be necessary, medications may be necessary as well. The benefits of drug therapy outweigh the increased risk of developing esophageal cancer, which has been found to be significant outcome of untreated GERD.