Ann Gabriel | Vigorbuddy
My dad and my mom recently experienced acid-reflux (heartburn). Just what is acid-reflux and how do we prevent it from happening?
At the entrance to our stomach is a valve, that looks like a ring of muscle. It is called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). When we eat, the LES closes as soon as food passes through it. If the LES doesn’t close all the way or if it opens too often, stomach acid can move up into your esophagus, and when this happens a burning chest pain is experienced by the person. This is called heartburn. If this happens more than twice a week, you have acid reflux disease, also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
When it comes to acid reflux, there are foods that are almost universally problematic.
The best strategy is to avoid them entirely. Unfortunately, they make up over half of our diets.
Here are some of the foods which we need to avoid, so we don’t experience heartburn.
Fried food
Fried food is the food most often associated with heartburn. Any fried food is on top of the list of food that cause acid reflux because of their high fat content.
Chocolate
Chocolate contains caffeine, theobromine, fat and cocoa, which cause reflux. Some may think that dark chocolate contains less fat than the regular milk chocolates, problem is all types of chocolate can cause reflux.
Softdrinks
Let’s face it. Most of us have the habit of grabbing a cola in the fridge or in the nearest convenience store. Carbonated drinks are likely to be a major cause of acid reflux. The bubbles of these softdrinks expand inside the stomach and pushes the acid beyond the LES. Abstain from drinking too much of carbonated drinks.
Fried food
Fried food is the food most often associated with heartburn. Any fried food is on top of the list of food that cause acid reflux because of their high fat content.
Alcohol
Alcoholic drinks are believed to contribute to reflux. Even though many alcoholic drinks are not very acidic. alcohol is believed to be the main culprit that relaxes the valve at the bottom of the esophagus.
High Fat Meat
High-fat cuts of meat—beef, pork, lamb—which stay longer in the stomach, increases the chance of acid reflux. Meat are not digested easily. The longer it stays in your stomach, the bigger are the chances of you being at risk to acid reflux.
It is advised that you reduce meat intake.
Coffee
We, Filipinos, regularly patronize coffee shops for business and personal meetings. Refrain from regularly taking on lots of caffeine.
Be healthy, be safe, everyone.
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