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11 Meal Planning Tips to Prevent Heartburn
If you have frequent or occasional heartburn, you can help decrease the
tendency of the lower esophageal sphincter muscle (LES) to relax, and decrease
the likelihood that the stomach contents (and stomach acid) will splash up
toward the LES by keeping in mind a few tips:
Avoid lying down for two to three hours after eating. When
you lie down, it's physically easier for stomach contents to splash up
toward the LES. By sitting up or standing, gravity helps stomach
contents stay where they belong -- at the bottom of the stomach.
Avoid items that weaken the LES muscle (like chocolate,
caffeine, alcohol, fatty foods) and foods and beverages that may
irritate a damaged esophagus lining (citrus and citrus juice, tomatoes
and tomato juice, and chili peppers and black pepper).
Avoid eating large meals because the more volume in the
stomach, the more likely the stomach contents will splash toward the
LES. Try eating four to five small meals instead of two or three large
ones.
Avoid high-fat meals because they tend to stay in the
stomach longer; greasy or fried foods can also weaken the LES muscle.
Avoid smoking and avoid alcohol before,
during, or after meals that seem to result in heartburn (like dinner).
Both smoking and alcohol weaken the LES muscle.
Try waiting at least two hours after a meal before exercising
if you find your heartburn seems to get worse after exercise.
Chew gum after meals to stimulate saliva production (the
bicarbonate in saliva neutralizes acid) and increase peristalsis (which
helps move the stomach contents into the small intestine more quickly).
Plan your meals to encourage slow but sure weight
loss if you are overweight. Extra weight around the
midsection can press against the stomach and increase the pressure going
up toward the LES.
Drink a small glass of water at the end of meals to help
dilute and wash down any stomach acid that might be splashing up into
the esophagus, suggests Shekhar Challa, MD, president of Kansas Medical
Clinic and author of Spurn The Burn: Treat The Heat.
Plan on heartburn-friendly beverages like water, mineral
water, decaffeinated tea, noncitrus juices, or nonfat or low-fat milk.
Beverages to avoid include:
Sodas: These can bloat the abdomen, increasing the pressure
in the stomach and encouraging stomach acid to splash up into
the esophagus.
Juices: Tomato and citrus juices can irritate a damaged
esophagus.
Alcoholic beverages, coffee (even decaf) and caffeinated tea
and cola can increase the acid content in the stomach as well as
relax the LES.
Eat a high fiber diet! A recent study found that people who
followed a high-fiber meal plan were 20% less likely to have acid reflux
symptoms, regardless of their body weight. You'll find fiber in whole
grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts and seeds (basically unprocessed
plant foods).
Source: WebMD
Health Notes
Over time, small changes yield big results! Try one item from the list below.
Eat leaner red meat & poultry.
Eat half your dessert.
Walk instead of driving whenever you can.
Take family walk after dinner.
Avoid food portions larger than your fist.
* www.mypyramidtracker.gov
offers an intensive look at what you eat. If you complete the food-intake
questionnaire you can see if your diet measures up to today's nutrient
standards. This site also provides an overview of the New Food Pyramid that was
released by the government in 2005.
Interactive Menu Planner
(http://hp2010.nhlbihin.net/menuplanner/menu.cgi or
www.nhlbi.nih.gov/ then click on Interactive Tools and
Resources then choose Menu Planner) provided by the National Heart, Lung, and
Blood Institute. The interactive menu planner is designed to guide daily food
and meal choices based on one day's calorie allowance. It may be used in advance
to plan a meal, or at the end of a day to add up total calories, as well as fat,
and carbohydrates consumed.
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