Diet plays a pivotal role in the prevention and treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). We can go months without medicine, but we can't go without meals every day.
Dietary and lifestyle modifications can alleviate the symptoms of mild and intermittent gastroesophageal reflux disease, and are also important adjuncts to drug therapy for moderate, severe, and complex gastroesophageal reflux disease and anti-reflux disease to prevent recurrence after surgery.
How should patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease eat well? There are thousands of delicious foods and thousands of foods that can be eaten. It is better to make a list of foods that may promote reflux by avoiding eating, and try to avoid "stepping on thunder" and "falling into the pit" as much as possible.
1
High-fat, high-sugar foods
Studies have shown that when two groups of participants were given the same amount of food, the food contained the same amount of protein and carbohydrates, but the group with high fat content had excessive stomach acid secretion and more reflux.
High-fat foods can significantly stimulate the secretion of cholecystokininin, cause lower esophageal sphincter (LES) pressure, and delay gastric emptying, thereby increasing the risk of gastroesophageal reflux.
But when it comes to high-fat foods, don't take it for granted that it's meat. Only fatty meat is a high-fat food (if anyone really wants to eat it), lean meat of pigs, cattle and sheep, chicken, duck and fish are all high-quality proteins, but they do not match fat at all. Although protein also stimulates gastric acid secretion, it can also stimulate gastrin secretion, which can increase the pressure of the lower esophageal sphincter and inhibit gastroesophageal reflux. Of course, if you have to fry, fry, and grill the meat, you're not doing it right!
High-sugar foods, especially sticky foods (Lantern Festival, sticky bean buns, glutinous rice cakes, fried cakes, etc.) can also significantly promote the secretion of gastric acid, delay gastric emptying, and increase the risk of reflux, which should also be avoided.
2
Spicy food
Spicy foods such as chili, curry, pepper, garlic, etc., have been linked to increased gastroesophageal reflux and heartburn. The exact mechanism is unclear and may be due to irritation of the esophageal mucosa and increased gastric acid secretion.
3
Savory foods
In addition to salt, savoury foods include pickles, salted fish, salted meat, and other pickled foods. People who eat pickles at least three times a week have a 50% higher risk of acid reflux than those who never eat pickles. What's more, people who regularly consume preserved foods have a 2.79 times higher risk of esophageal cancer than those who consume them regularly. So, if you want to be a little healthier, it's best not to be too "heavy"!
4
Beer, wine
Alcohol can reduce the function of the lower esophageal sphincter, especially when consumed in large quantities. Heavy alcohol consumption increases the pressure in the stomach, and if combined with drunken vomiting, it can cause the stomach contents to reflux into the esophagus and damage the esophageal mucosa, and alcohol itself can directly damage the esophageal mucosa.
5
Coffee, strong tea
Coffee and strong tea stimulate stomach acid secretion. In addition, caffeine and theophylline have also been shown to cause relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter, which in turn can lead to gastroesophageal reflux.
6
Carbonated drinks
Carbonated drinks increase stomach acid and produce a lot of gas in the stomach, which can lead to bloating, burping, and reflux symptoms.
7
chocolate
Chocolate has the effect of replenishing energy, relieving fatigue, and stabilizing mood, but when you're in an attack of gastroesophageal reflux disease, avoiding chocolate may make you feel better. Not only does chocolate increase acidity in the stomach, but it also contains a component of methylxanthines, which has been shown to cause the lower esophageal sphincter to relax, leading to gastroesophageal reflux.
8
onions
Onions are rich in vitamins, cycloallin, and a variety of amino acids that can improve digestion and appetite, while helping to lower blood pressure and blood lipid levels, and contain selenium and quercetin that can also inhibit the growth of cancer cells. But for people with gastroesophageal reflux disease, eating onions can lead to an increase in gastric acid secretion, irritating the gastric mucosa and aggravating symptoms.
9
tomato
Also known as tomatoes, they are a more acidic food because they contain citric acid, and canned tomatoes and tomato sauce can reach a pH of 3.5. Foods that are too acidic can stimulate the stomach to produce too much stomach acid, aggravate reflux symptoms, and are especially not suitable for eating on an empty stomach.
10
Citrus fruits
Such fruits include oranges, oranges, lemons, grapefruits, etc., as well as the juices squeezed from them, and the acidity of tomatoes is nothing compared to them due to the high amount of citric acid. Similarly, these fruits produce more stomach acid, which in turn increases food regurgitation and heartburn.
In short, foods that stimulate gastric acid secretion and reduce pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter should be avoided as much as possible. Of course, avoiding it doesn't mean you can't eat it, and we can stop tasting it when our condition is stable. But if it will aggravate reflux as soon as we eat, then we still choose to give up, life is long, not bad for this bite, after all, the purpose of our eating is to increase our nutrition and maintain health.