1. Avoid all food and drink that contains caffeine.
Ingesting caffeine increases the production of gastric acids. Many food
products contain caffeine including chocolate so be sure to read package labels
carefully.
2. Alcoholic beverages can irritate the lower esophageal
sphincter as well as the lining of the esophagus. Alcohol also increases the
production of stomach acids, so it is best to avoid it completely.
3. Chocolate and peppermint contain substances that relax
the lower esophageal sphincter, which may cause it to stay open longer than
normal and allow gastric acids to reflux into the esophagus.
4. Carbonated beverages such as soft drinks may cause
excessive burping, which may bring up stomach acids into the throat and mouth.
4. Tannic acids, which are present in regular and
decaffeinated tea and coffee and red wine may exacerbate the symptoms of acid
reflux by increasing acid production in the stomach.
5. Many prescribe cutting back on fatty foods, although
there is limited medical evidence to support this. Fatty foods take longer to
digest and may cause the stomach to secrete more acids than for digestion of
non-fatty foods.
6. If you are overweight it is to your benefit to lose some
of those extra pounds through diet modifications and moderate exercise. Extra
abdominal fat puts pressure on the abdomen and contribute to acid reflux and
obesity is a risk factor that may contribute to Barrett’s esophagus.
7. Limit or avoid acidic fruits and vegetables such as
lemons, limes, pineapples, oranges, and grapefruits, as well as all tomato
products. Acidic foods increase the production of stomach acids.
8. Eat small but frequent meals instead of three larger ones
each day. Overeating can cause stomach acids to go work overtime.
9. Eat whole grains and complex carbohydrates because they
require lower levels of gastric acids to digest.