What is a gerd diet?

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), also called sour reflux , affects millions of people a day. Symptoms may vary, but the most common are frequent heartburn or burning sensation in the chest, upper abdomen or neck. After a modified diet and eliminating some foods, these and other symptoms of sour reflux can help. The GERD diet can be considered not only as a list of recommended foods for avoiding symptoms, but also as a lifestyle plan to prevent GERD and its complications. One of the reasons why high fat foods cause GERD symptoms is that they often remain in the stomach longer. Doctors also usually force people to eat more foods with a high fiber content. A recent study claims that participants who followed high fiber diet were 20% less likely to suffer from sour reflux. Medical experts propose not only to traditional fiber sources such as whole grain breads and cereals, but also some newer producty such as fiber enriched pasta. However, some people do not tolerate citrus fruits because of their acidity. Most vegetables are safe, although garlic and onions are two foods that normally trigger GERD symptoms. Low -fat dairy products such as milk, cheese and yogurt are usually recommended options, along with lean meat, poultry and seafood.

The same GERD diet is unlikely to work for everyone. Health experts often recommend the management of food diary to determine and eliminate unpleasant meals. The GERD diet can then be adapted to the individual to the types of food that can tolerate. For example, some people have no problem drinking coffee or eating citrus fruits, while others have to remove them with diet to avoid unpleasant symptoms.

After this type of diet, there is often only one method of prevention of GERD. Doctors usually recommend other changeslifestyle. For example, most people are recommended not to smoke and wear free garments to prevent unnecessary pressure on the abdomen. It is suggested to eat smaller meals as it remains upright, instead of lying immediately after a meal. Many experts also suggest that people sleep with their heads increased six to eight inches (about 15 to 20 cm) using wooden blocks under the head of the bed. In addition, people with overweight or obese people are usually recommended to lose weight, because the pressure on the abdomen from extra weight is considered another possible contributing factor to GERD.