Topics:
1. Silent Signs of Acid Reflux You Might Be Ignoring
2. List of Low Acid Foods to Reduce Stomach Acid Reflux (GERD)
3. Foods That Triggers Heartburn
4. Getting Fit with GERD
6 Silent Signs of Acid Reflux You Might Be Ignoring
Acid reflux can masquerade as everything from a cold to poor dental hygiene. If you notice any of the following GERD signs, especially if you get typical heartburn symptoms, talk to your doctor.
Sore throat or hoarseness
If you’re a dedicated brusher and flosser but your dentist is still filling cavities, tells you your tooth enamel is eroding, or notices discoloration, acid reflux may be to blame. “Even a small amount of acid reflux making its way up from the esophagus to your throat or mouth while lying down can impact tooth enamel,” says Dr. Dellon. It’s good to avoid eating these foods if you have acid reflux.
Your ears ring
If your ears always ring, especially after a meal, it may be caused by reflux getting into the sinuses and even the interior of the ear, says Dr. Sam. “A lot of patients see their ENT to get consults about sinus pain and ear ringing, but it’s often acid reflux,” she says.
You have trouble swallowing
Nasal congestion that comes and goes may be caused by acid reflux. “If you’ve tried cutting down on reflux-producing foods or eating late at night and the symptom doesn’t go away, it’s probably just congestion,” says Dr. Sam. “But if it goes away and comes back, and then goes away again, it’s probably acid reflux.” Here are some natural remedies to ease congestion and a stuffy nose.
1. Snack on horseradish
3.Steam with antiseptic herbs
4.Try DIY accupressure.
5.Give your face a soothing massage
6.Steam with eucalyptus
7.Sip apple cider vinegar
8.Use a humidifier.
9.Stay hydrated
SOURCE:
http://www.rd.com/health/conditions/acid-reflux-symptoms/
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List of Low Acid Foods to Reduce Stomach Acid Reflux
Bananas are usually considered to be alkaline. They are a good way to obtain fiber, vitamin B6 and potassium (it’s good for your heart and bones). It is possible to eat them anytime, for a snack or with a meal. In many low acid baking recipes, it is possible to mash them up as an alternative to a fat component (e.g. butter). Apples are a great source of fiber, too. Fiber could help you stay full longer, which often could minimize overeating throughout the day.
More Low acid fruits:
- Melon
- Mango
Meats
Skinless chicken is a great low acid diet staple and an excellent source of protein (a 4 oz. portion provides 2/3 of your RDA). While poultry is perfectly fine, deep frying it could trigger heartburn. Salmon contains omega-3 essential fatty acids, which help the heart, joints, and eyes.
Just like chicken, the best Acid reflux recipes for seafood could reduce or exclude seasoning and spices (don’t forget to skip lemon too). For those who have Acid reflux, the UMMC (University of Mississippi Medical Center) recommends eating fish as well as other lean sources of protein and stay away from smoked, highly processed and pickled fish or meat products, for example sausages and pickled sardines, which could increase acidity.
More lean meats and proteins with low fat content such as:
- Egg whites or egg substitute
Cereals
Oatmeal is an excellent breakfast alternative for people adhering to a low-acid diet. It’s an excellent source of filling fiber and could help stabilize blood glucose levels. When topping off a hot bowl of oat meal with fresh fruit, be sure you stay away from the ones high in acid (e.g. blueberries and cranberries).Brown rice may be a healthy choice if you’re following a low-acid diet. It’s an excellent source of fiber, which could help regulate the intestine, plus it’s heart healthy and chock full of Vitamin b, which could help maintain your body active.
Nuts
Unlike other nuts like pecans or cashews, almonds are alkaline. The mono unsaturated fat and omega 3 almonds contain may protect your heart plus their high dietary fiber content could make you feel full between meals. Almonds also contain E vitamin, a healthy antioxidant, and also manganese and magnesium. When making low acid recipes use almonds in preference to the other nuts.
Low fat foods such as:
- Skim milk
- Goat cheese
- Soy cheese
Most vegetables are great for low acid diets as long as they are cooked without a lot of oil.
Whole grains, rice and oats make a great base for any diet and especially acid reducing diets.
Foods to Avoid When You Have Acid Reflux
Avoid tomatoes, onions, most fruit juices, sour cream, fried foods, or any wine or coffee. Staying away from liquor and high-fat pastries like doughnuts, could also improve your condition.
High fat meats like:
- Marbled beef
- Fried chicken
- Bacon
High acid fruits include:
- The citrus family
- Oranges
- Lemons
- Grapefruit
- Cranberries
Click Here to Get The Free Anti Acid Meal Plan!
Most Common Questions About Low Acid Foods:
- ⇓ Is yogurt good for acid reflux ?
- A. Yogurt could be great for strengthening the stomach walls and digestive enzymes. It could help with acid reflux because of the pain-relieving properties that so many acid reflux sufferers go through. Plain yogurt is the best. If plain yogurt doesn’t appeal to you, try adding a low-acid fruit to the mix, like bananas.
- ⇓ Is ginger good for acid reflux ? Ginger is one of the most effective natural treatments for heartburn. Whether powdered, pickled, or fresh, it relieves the pain and discomfort of heartburn fast.
- ⇓ Does drinking water help acid reflux ? Drinking water helps neutralize and rinse out stomach acid that has refluxed into the esophagus. If you have acid reflux, drink at least six to eight glasses of watereveryday before meals. Avoid drinking water during meal time as this can worsen acid reflux symptoms.
- ⇓ Is vinegar good for acid reflux ?
- ⇓ Is soy milk good for acid reflux ?
- A. Soy milk has less fat than 1% or 2% of milk, leaving researchers to believe that it does provide some relief for acid reflux. Try substituting all dairy intact with soy alternatives; Keeping a detailed food journal during the week to track your acid reflux occurrences. If the condition improves, stick with it! (livestrong.com)
- ⇓ Are almonds good for acid reflux ? The acetic acid found in apple cider vinegar can provide several health benefits. For some people, acid reflux may be a result of too little stomach acid. … Raw or unfiltered apple cider vinegar contains “the mother of the apple,” which is high in protein. (healthline.com)
- ⇓ Are eggs bad for acid reflux ?
- A. Eggs do have the potential to aggravate your reflux. They are not great for acid reflux but not horrible either. Preparing your eggs is probably the most important way to avoid aggravation – Do not fry in a lot of butter and oil. Any fried foods have the potential of causing heartburn and discomfort.
- ⇓ Are grapes bad for acid reflux ? Grapes are on the list of foods to watch because aparently the level of acidity is dependant on where the grapes are grown. For instance grapes grown in warmer climates tend to have lower acidity than grapes grown in cooler climates. Similarly the sugar content is the opposite. Warmer climates make for sweeter grapes. Now this information is only good if you are planning to make wine, but it is an interesting factoid. (healthcentral.com)
Other Most Common Questions About Acid Reflux
Below a list of the most common questions from our readers, if you have a question, feel free to contact us, we’ll be happy to help 
- ⇓ What is the difference between heartburn and acid reflux ?
- ⇓ Can stress cause acid reflux ?
- ⇓ Will throwing up help acid reflux ?
- A. Throwing up will not help acid reflux; In fact, it will most likely make it worse. Once the stomach acid enters the esophagus, the heartburn could damage the lining. Prolonged vomiting will bring more acid up and could cause further irritation and possible damage. If you are throwing up due to acid reflux issues, talk to your doctor.
- ⇓ Does acid reflux cause gas ?
- A. Gas could cause indigestion and acid reflux, or it could be the result of an acid reflux episode. When food is digested slowly, the food sits idly in the stomach creating a lot of gas in the stomach. When bloating occurs as the result, it could put a lot of pressure on the muscle between the stomach and esophagus, causing acid reflux to occur.
- ⇓ Can acid reflux cause nausea ?
- ⇓ Can acid reflux cause coughing ?
- ⇓ Does acid reflux cause bad breath ?
- A. Yes, some people have bad breath associated with the stomach acid content and food particles that could be brought up by the acid regurgitating into the esophagus and into the throat. The odor-causing bacteria could be kept at bay by brushing teeth or chewing gum. Chewing gum is also a great way to keep the stomach acid down that could be a result of reflux.
- ⇓ Can acid reflux cause dizziness ?
- ⇓ Can acid reflux cause stomach pain ?
- ⇓ Where does acid reflux hurt ?
Q. Where does acid reflux hurt ?
A. Acid reflux could hurt but doesn’t always cause symptoms of discomfort. If you do have acid reflux-induced pain it is generally in the chest cavity and the throat. The esophagus generally feels the burning sensation known as heartburn. Some people just have burping and slight regurgitation not resulting in any pain what so ever.
You are confused about pH. Low pH is high acid, high pH is low acid.
SOURCE:
http://www.mediterraneanbook.com/2010/08/15/list-good-acid-foods-eat-reduce-stomach-acid-reflux/
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Heartburn/GERD Health Center
You know it all too well. Heartburn. That fiery sensation that grabs hold of your lower chest after you eat something you know you shouldn’t have. What often follows is that sour or bitter taste of acid reflux in your throat and mouth that can last minutes (if you are lucky) or hours (if you are not).
Yes, millions of us are familiar with the discomfort of heartburn, a condition in which stomach acids back up into the esophagus. The good news is that heartburn is largely avoidable if you steer clear of the top 10 heartburn foods. It also helps to avoid certain classic heartburn-inviting situations.
From coffee and liquor to tomatoes and grapefruit, experts tell WebMD that certain foods are known heartburn triggers.
Here’s what you need to know about the top 10 heartburn foods.
Top 10 Heartburn Foods
Heartburn and Tangy Citrus Fruits
Oranges, grapefruits and orange juice are classic heartburn foods. “These are very acidic,” says Robynne Chutkan, MD. Chutkan is the founder of the Digestive Center for Women in Chevy Chase, Md. and a gastroenterologist at Georgetown Hospital in Washington, D.C. “As a result of being so acidic,” she says, “they are likely to cause heartburn, especially when consumed on an otherwise empty stomach.”
Heartburn and Tomatoes
While they might be chockfull of healthy nutrients like lycopene, Chutkan tells WebMD that tomatoes are also highly acidic and likely to cause heartburn in those who are prone to it.
The acid antidote may be a sour ball, according to Daniel Mausner, MD. Mausner is the section head of gastroenterology at Mercy Medical Center in Rockville Center, N.Y. “Things that promote saliva — like sour balls — are good for acid reflux,” he says, “because saliva neutralizes the acid that comes up from your stomach.”
Heartburn and Garlic and Onion
Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA, RD, says, “Some people with heartburn do not do well with either garlic or onion.” Taub-Dix, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, is a nutritionist in private practice in New York City and Woodmere, N.Y. “It’s all very individual,” she says. For avoiding heartburn, she offers the following suggestion: “Keep a food log to help you track the foods that are your heartburn offenders, and try to develop a list of safe foods.” Foods like broiled chicken, baked sweet potatoes, toast, or cottage cheese, she says, are on the safe side of the heartburn food list.
Pepper, Mexican food, chili, and any other food that is loaded with pepper or other spices can trigger heartburn, says Deepa A. Vasudevan, MD. Vasudevan is an assistant professor of family medicine at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston. He tells WebMD that avoiding heartburn isn’t necessarily a matter of all or nothing. “If spicy food triggers your heartburn, avoid it. Then slowly reintroduce milder versions of whatever you like.”
Heartburn and Peppermint
Chutkan says that while many people think peppermint is soothing for the tummy, it is actually a heartburn trigger food. Her advice? Skip the after-dinner mints — especially after a rich meal. “They may be good for your breath on a date,” she says, “but they are not so good if you are prone to heartburn.”
Peppermint may increase your chances of heartburn because it relaxes the sphincter muscle that lay between the stomach and esophagus. This allows stomach acids to flow back into the esophagus.
Heartburn and Cheese, Nuts, Avocadoes, and a Juicy Rib Eye
What do these foods have in common? They are all high in fat, according to Chutkan. “These foods may not get as much press as acidic foods when it comes to heartburn,” she says, “but they can be major triggers.” Here’s why: Fat slows down the emptying of the stomach, so there is more opportunity for a big distended stomach — which increases pressure on the esophageal sphincter — to make heartburn more likely.
Chutkan says that doesn’t mean you can never have those foods again. “Don’t have a cheese plate at the end of a meal,” she suggests. “Instead, eat it early in the day when you are not already full.” Remember, a serving of cheese is roughly the size of two dice.
Heartburn and Alcohol
Wine, beer, or your favorite cocktail can all trigger heartburn, says Chutkan, especially when they are imbibed with a large meal. “If you have a meal of steak, creamed spinach, and lobster bisque and then alcohol on top of that,” she says, “you may be in for it.”
Taub-Dix agrees. “A glass of red wine may not be a big deal on its own,” she points out. “But if you also have tomato sauce on your pasta and a glass of orange juice in the morning on an empty stomach, it could be a problem.” Like peppermint, alcohol opens the sphincter, allowing the acid free range.
Heartburn and Caffeine
Coffee, soda, tea, iced tea, and any other food or beverages that contain caffeine are big offenders. But java junkies don’t have to give up their Joe forever, Chutkan tells WebMD. “It’s not ‘no coffee ever’ if you have heartburn. It’s about cutting down and paying attention to portion sizes. A Starbucks tall,” she explains, “which is their version of a small, is like three cups of coffee. Some people tell me they drink two cups of coffee a day and that they get it at Starbucks. That’s like six cups a day.”
If you have heartburn, you can likely consume a 3- or 4-ounce cup of coffee each morning with no problem. But if you guzzle coffee all day long, then, yes, heartburn is a consequence.
Heartburn and Chocolate
Sure, it can be loaded with caffeine, but chocolate can also be a heartburn food in and of itself. “Pack up all of your chocolate and give it to your gastroenterologist for safekeeping if you have heartburn,” Chutkan says. Chocolate relaxes the sphincter, allowing stomach acids to flow back into the esophagus, she says.
Heartburn and Carbonated Beverages
“Carbonated beverages cause gastric distension,” Mausner says. And if your stomach is distended, this increases pressure on the esophageal sphincter, promoting reflux.” He tells WebMD that people with heartburn may be wise to steer clear of pop and other carbonated beverages.
Heartburn Foods: Find Your Triggers
Taub-Dix’s advice is to use the above list as a guide to help you figure out your heartburn foods and heartburn trigger situations. And remember, she cautions, even if your favorites are not on this list, you don’t necessarily have a free pass. “Too much of any food can trigger heartburn,” she says. It’s not just what you eat; it’s how much you eat and when you eat it. “Consuming a large meal right before you lie down,” she says, “will likely cause heartburn even if it doesn’t include any of these heartburn foods.”
SOURCE:
http://www.webmd.com/heartburn-gerd/features/top-10-heartburn-foods?page=2
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Getting Fit with GERD
Tips to Reduce Symptoms During Exercise
The relationship between exercise and gastro esophageal reflux disorder (GERD) is a tricky one. For some people, moderate exercise can help reduce GERD symptoms and benefit the body in countless other ways too. In a 2004 study in the gastroenterology journalGut, people who engaged in frequent physical exercise experienced fewer symptoms of GERD than those who did not. And regular exercise is one of the most effective strategies for keeping your weight at a healthy level, which may help to control GERD symptoms. Research reported in The American Journal of Gastroenterology showed that excess body weight increases a person’s risk of GERD symptoms. Obese people (defined as a body mass index greater than 30) were 2.5 times more likely to have reflux symptoms or esophageal erosions than people with “normal” BMI’s (between 18.5 and 24.9). They were also nearly three times more likely to develop esophageal cancer than those with a healthy body weight.
Exercise benefits your health in countless ways, and may even reduce the incidence of GERD symptoms. But for some people, especially those participating in intense workouts, exercise can actually worsen symptoms. But no expert would recommend that you trade in your sneakers for fleece slippers in the interest of warding off GERD. The benefits of exercise far outweigh the risks and discomforts of acid reflux. Rather than ditching your workouts, just follow a few simple guidelines to get fit with GERD.
- Allow time for digestion. The pressure of a full stomach alone can be too much for the esophageal sphincter to handle. But when you add the jostling of exercise into the mix, you’ve got trouble. Wait at least two hours after meals before you start exercising, and keep in mind that some people (or some meals) may need even longer.
- Choose your foods wisely. Certain foods require longer for digestion—especially foods high in fat. For your pre-workout meal, opt instead for foods high in carbohydrates and low in fat and protein. Also try to avoid foods that are knownheartburn triggers. You’ll still need to allow plenty of time for digestion (see above).
- Don’t forget your water bottle. Water can boost your energy levels by hydrating you, while also aiding in digestion.
- Lower the intensity level. Workouts like jogging and high-impact aerobics cause the stomach contents to jostle around more, increasing acid reflux symptoms and discomfort. For some people, “smoother” workouts like biking, rollerblading, and strength training, or lower intensity workouts like yoga and walking may be the solution. Some people report an increase in symptoms when lying down, so you may want to avoid exercises that require this position, such as bench presses, Pilates, certain yoga postures, and swimming.
- Take your meds. For some people, following all of the above recommendations still won’t alleviate symptoms. Talk to your doctor and find out if medication is an appropriate next step.
GERD symptoms like heartburn and chest pain are usually indistinguishable from the pain and symptoms of serious heart problems due to the fact that the same nerves are involved. Doctors encourage everyone to take all forms of chest pain seriously. If you experience chest pain, during exercise or not, get checked out by a doctor.
Remember that every body is unique—what works for one person may cause problems for the next. If you are suffering from GERD, it may take a little trial and error until you find the workout that works for you.
SOURCE:
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=82
