Comfort Foods Offer Symptom Relief

摘要： Comfort Foods Offer Symptom Relief ByJeanie LercheDavis WebMD Medical News Reviewed ByCharlotteMathis,MD A Cap on Acid RefluxFrequent, persistent heartburn -- acid reflux disease -- is a big problem for many people。Foods......

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A Cap on Acid Reflux

Frequent, persistent heartburn -- acid reflux disease -- is a big problem for many people. What's happening: Stomach acid is splashing up from the stomach into the esophagus. Part of the problem is the lower esophageal sphincter, which separates the stomach from the esophagus. Another factor: too much stomach acid.

Medication can help control the condition, as can lifestyle changes. Surgery to strengthen the sphincter muscle helps some. But despite all this, acid reflux disease will likely never leave you entirely, says Magee.

"It's not going away," she says. "Expect relapses. This is why diet changes make sense. What you're doing is decreasing stomach acid secretion and physically preventing acid from refluxing."

Avoiding certain foods is key here. "Everyone's different. Some people find certain foods and drinks give them problems, others say the amount of food and time of day matters most."

Some foods weaken the lower esophageal sphincter muscle. They include fried, fatty, creamy, and rich foods. Also, chocolate, peppermint or spearmint, garlic and onions, coffee, caffeinated cola drinks, and alcoholic beverages.

Foods that increase acid content in the stomach: caffeinated and decaffeinated drinks. Foods can irritate a damaged esophageal lining, so should be limited: citrus fruits & juice, tomato products, chili peppers, and black pepper.

Carbonated beverages can cause bloating, putting pressure on the stomach and forcing acid to back into the esophagus.

Magee advises chewing gum after a meal to stimulate saliva, an alkaline solution that helps soothe and protect the lower esophagus. Even sucking on a lozenge stimulates saliva, thereby reducing the time your stomach acid is in contact with your esophagus.

It's all good advice -- except for gum chewing, says Wald. "You swallow a lot of air, so it can produce acid reflux. Besides, with modern medicines, there's no need to promote saliva."

Best advice, if you don't want to take medications: Eat smaller, low-fat meals, and avoid the after-dinner drink, he says. "But with the medications today, it's possible to eat most foods."

Surgery to strengthen the barrier between the esophagus and the stomach "helps a lot of people," he says. "But it works best with lifestyle changes. A lot of people think they can just have surgery. They're not happy when they find out they still have to watch what they eat."

发布日期：2006-8-16

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