Acid Reflux Diet: Best Foods, Foods to Avoid & Supplements that Help
If you experience acid reflux symptoms — such as chest pains, burning sensations that can pick up at night and disturb your sleep, and difficulty eating many foods — and want to find some relief, you must improve your acid reflux diet and make necessary lifestyle changes. These changes include rethinking how you sleep and even manage stress.
Also, I recommend considering remedies like adding acid reflux-fighting supplements to your diet, exercising, cutting out caffeine and too much alcohol, and potentially losing weight.
What Is Acid Reflux?
Acid reflux, also called heartburn, is caused by acidic digestive juices creeping up from the stomach and entering back into the esophagus. It is related to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), the more severe form of these problems.
Acid reflux causes a burning sensation, almost like your chest or throat “is one fire.”
Most people assume that eating foods high in acid and producing too much stomach acid cause heartburn/GERD symptoms. In fact, the opposite seems to be true.
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Low stomach acid and poor digestion are more likely the real culprits. These problems won’t be cured overnight with dietary changes or other modifications, but you can find significant relief fairly soon if you stick with a healthier way of living.
Because we’re all different, it’s essential to find the combination of acid reflux protocols described below that are best for you. In fact, ongoing research is focusing not just on pharmaceutical drugs for relief of acid reflux, but also on lifestyle modifications. For example, some modifications you may want to try include eating an acid reflux diet, acupuncture, yoga, exercise, weight loss and alternative therapies.
Symptoms, Causes and Risk Factors
For most people with acid reflux or heartburn, symptoms include:
- Chest pains and burning sensations
- Bitter taste in your mouth
- Trouble sleeping, including waking up feeling like you’re choking or coughing in the middle of the night
- Dry mouth
- Gum irritation, including tenderness and bleeding
- Bad breath
- Gas, burping and stomach bloating after meals
- Sometimes nausea and loss of appetite
- A slew of other symptoms depending on how severely the esophagus becomes inflamed or damaged
GERD symptoms are similar to acid reflux symptoms, although sometimes more severe. The underlying reason that acid reflux/heartburn develops is due to dysfunction of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). Usually the LES “keeps a lid on things” by preventing acid from flowing back up through the esophagus.
While the stomach has a built-in lining that protects it from feeling “burned” due to the presence of acid, the esophagus does not. Because it’s not shielded like the stomach is, the esophagus can start to erode and develop complications over time when acid reflux isn’t treated. As a result, tissue scarring and even formation of esophageal cancer in severe cases may occur.
While people develop these digestive disorders for different reasons, causes of acid reflux that contribute to painful symptoms for many people include:
- Eating foods too fast, without chewing properly or taking time to digest. In fact, in our fast-paced society, this is believed to be one of the most common causes of occasional acid reflux/heartburn.
- Overeating, which taxes the digestive system and adds pressure to the stomach
- Eating only one two big meals per day, rather than spacing meals out
- Obesity and being overweight
- Older age, which affects acid production
- History of hiatal hernias
- Pregnancy
- Consuming certain foods that tend to aggravate the digestive system, including processed foods, sugary snacks, refined oils, fried foods and processed meats
- Taking certain prescription medications, including repeat antibiotics or those used to treat high blood pressure, asthma, arthritis, heart problems and osteoporosis
- High amounts of chronic stress
- Deficiencies in certain nutrients
- Smoking, alcohol and high caffeine use
Problems with Conventional Treatments
Acid reflux, heartburn and GERD are usually treated with perscriptions or over-the-counter drugs to lower pain. Sometimes these are used when symptoms are already beginning to flare up, while in other cases they are taken daily to prevent symptoms.
The three main types of medicines to treat acid reflux symptoms or those caused by GERD are antacids, histamine type 2 receptor antagonists (H2RAs) and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). In the past, you may have taken some of these products and pills to resolve your symptoms.
In fact, acid reflux/GERD drugs have been found to contribute to symptoms like poor digestion, IBS, depression, anemia and fatigue. Long-term use of gastric acid suppression, like PPIs or antacid medications, are even associated with an increased risk of C. difficile infections.
As a result, serious problems that can develop include diarrhea, inflamed intestines and bleeding ulcers.
Patients who are at the greatest risk for side effects from PPIs include the elderly, those with certain chronic medical conditions and those taking broad spectrum antibiotics. In fact, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has warned patients taking these drugs that they should immediately contact their health care professionals and seek care if they develop diarrhea that does not improve.
Acid Reflux Diet
Virtually every research study done on GERD and acid reflux points to a poor, processed diet as a contributing factor. On top of that, it’s easy to overeat processed foods and in the process to neglect mindful eating practices.
While everyone’s gut is different and we all react to various foods in our own unique ways, there are common food sensitivities that seem to trigger acid reflux in many people. To improve digestive health and reduce pain, focus on removing "repeat offenders" from your diet first. Opt for organic, non-GMO foods, increase fiber intake, consume probiotic-rich foods, and reduce grains and low-quality protein. These changes can protect your digestive tract and reduce inflammation, obesity, and complications from chronic diseases.
Certain foods can help improve acid reflux and treat GERD, such as kefir, yogurt, bone broth, fermented vegetables, kombucha, apple cider vinegar, coconut water, coconut oil, green leafy vegetables, artichokes, asparagus, cucumbers, pumpkin, wild-caught tuna and salmon, healthy fats, almonds, and honey. These foods are also part of the GAPS diet, which is beneficial for digestive issues.
On the other hand, avoid foods that worsen acid reflux symptoms, including alcohol, caffeine, carbonated beverages, sugar, fried foods, processed foods, chocolate, dairy, vegetable oils, spicy foods, tomatoes, citrus fruits, creamy/oily dressings, mint, peppermint, and processed grains. These foods can trigger inflammation and exacerbate acid reflux symptoms.
In addition to dietary changes, consider incorporating natural supplements like digestive enzymes to help soothe acid reflux symptoms and improve digestive health. These enzymes aid in the complete digestion of foods and proper absorption of nutrients. To maintain a healthy lifestyle and manage acid reflux, it is important to follow a balanced diet that includes nutritious foods and avoids processed and acidic foods. In addition to adhering to an acid reflux diet, incorporating natural remedies such as maintaining a healthy weight, taking beneficial supplements, and consuming smaller, well-rounded meals can also be beneficial. These lifestyle changes can contribute to overall well-being and help alleviate symptoms of acid reflux.
