Creating Your Own Heartburn Diet to Relieve Symptoms

Heartburn is a painful sensation in the chest that occurs when acid from the stomach flows up into the esophagus. Because this problem is often related to what you eat, when you eat, and how much you eat, making food-related changes can often provide relief. In this article you will learn more about how to create a customized heartburn diet that may help alleviate your uncomfortable symptoms. The information in this article should not be used as a replacement for medical advice, and you should always see your doctor if chronic heartburn is a problem for you.

The basics of creating a dietary plan to control your acid reflux and its associated symptoms include understanding which foods to stay away from and which ones are safe to eat, as described below. Also, you will want to eat smaller, evenly spaced meals instead of three large ones. Avoid eating two to four hours before going to bed, as heartburn is often worse at night. Read on to find out the foods you should remove from your diet and which ones are safe.

Foods and Beverages to Avoid

Fried foods, foods with high fat content, tomatoes and tomato products, citrus fruits and juices, black and red pepper, chocolate, coffee, tea, dairy products, soft drinks and alcohol. Also, smoking cigarettes can make heartburn worse, so if you smoke, do your best to quit. Not only can quitting smoking reduce acid reflux problems, it can be good for your health in a variety of other ways, too!

Foods and Beverages to Enjoy

Luckily, there are lots of foods and drinks you can enjoy. Some of them, like ginger, licorice and fennel teas, can even help relieve heartburn. Safe foods for acid reflux sufferers include: Apple, banana, potatoes, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, green beans, lean beef, skinless chicken, egg whites, sour cream, feta cheese, rice, whole-grain bread, water, jelly beans, baked chips, low-fat desserts.

Tips for Success

Because some foods affect people in different ways, a good bit of trial and error may be required before you come up with the perfect heartburn diet for your needs. Keep a journal where you write down what you eat, in what quantity, at what time. Then, if or when you experience acid reflux, heartburn or indigestion, write that down, too. If you find that dietary modifications aren't helping, see your doctor. You may have an underlying condition that needs to be treated with prescription medications or in rare cases, surgical procedures.

Copyright 2006 Jim Sterling - All Rights Reserved



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