GERD

Things to AVOID in Diet:

1. Soda / Beer, even Carbonated water- Carbonation can exacerbate symptoms

2. Caffeinated products – coffee, tea, energy drinks,

3.  Avoid chocolate / mint – coat distal esophagus and make food get stuck – worsens GERD

3. Spicy Foods

4. Tomato Sauce / Ketchup- try to go with alfredo sauce instead

5.  Acidic drinks – Orange juice, grapefruit juice, grape juice – acidic

Things to Remember:

1. Last meal should be 3 or more hours prior to sleeping. Only water the last 3 hours before bedtime to allow for digestion, otherwise the food sits there, stimulates acid that lays there all night long.

2. Elevate head of the bed 30 degrees.

3. Try hard with above measures because the medications often give proton pump inhibitors, like Omeprazole, the ability to steal calcium from your bones, so they are not advised long term, i.e, more than 6 months.