Your Stomach Reflux Wakeup Call

I thought I had it under control…without medication. Unfortunately, once you have the problem, even when under control, it just lies there like a sleeping giant waiting to be awakened to do its damage.

Acid reflux, or stomach reflux, is known by the medical term, Gastroesophgeal Reflux Disease (GERD). GERD occurs due to changes in the barrier between the esophagus and the stomach. Most common is an abnormal relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter. The function of the lower espophageal sphincter is to keep the top of the stomach closed which prevents the flow of stomach acid back into the esophagus (reflux).

So, why does acid reflux return after you have it under control? In my case, and I suspect in most cases, the problem has to do with diet. I had been faithful to food intake that did not provoke reflux. I say, “had been,” because for about a month I have been slowly slipping back into some of the bad habits that brought on GERD in the first place. Another contributing factor is that I have also put on a few pounds.

Foods and beverages that contribute to stomach reflux are no secret. At the top of the list is spicy food. What? No chili? No Mexican or Indian cuisine? No spicy chips? Yes, unfortunately, some of the things that we love the most are most unfriendly to keeping GERD under control.

Less known, but equally as troubling, are other favorite staples like coffee, sodas, and alcoholic beverages. Even chocolate is a no-no.

Any food or beverage that is acidic in nature is a GERD trigger. Tomato based food stuffs are particularly troublesome. That includes a lot of common foods like: spaghetti sauce, tomato soup, ketchup, etc. You get the picture.

Also problematic are some of your favorite fruits and juices. Orange, grapefruit, pineapple, and the like can all contribute to triggering acid reflux.

Greasy foods, fried foods, and foods high in fat content should also be avoided.

What you eat and excess weight are the primary causes of acid reflux. But there are also some lifestyle activities that provoke the problem. One of the most common is eating just before bedtime. In fact, it is best not to eat anything for at least 2 – 4 hours prior to bedtime.

Also important is to eat slowly. Today’s “fast, on the run, and gulp it down” lifestyle is a further contributor to GERD.

Indeed there are medications that help to control GERD but even they are no match for some of the abusive behaviors that we throw at our bodies. Consuming large quantities of the “Trigger” foods, obesity, and eating before bedtime are going to cause problems regardless of what meds you take.

You should desire to get off GERD medications completely because they are addictive and even have a reputation for causing other serious medical problems once taken over a long period of time. To accomplish that you have to be faithful to a sensible diet, committed to a moderate exercise program, and disciplined enough to know when, what, and how to eat.

Last night I got my wakeup call. Fortunately I know what to do. But unfortunately, I learned this lesson too late in life which means that GERD is always there just waiting for me to let my guard down.

The good news for you is that you can control GERD and you can even do it without medication but it’s going to take a radical change in lifestyle and diet. And just as a reminder, GERD left unchecked can lead to more severe problems like cancer. Let that be your wakeup call. Get to work on getting stomach reflux under control.

Richard Weirich co-hosts the internationally popular Health at Last Radio and has written numerous publications on heartburn, acid reflux, weight loss, health, and wellness. For more articles on stomach reflux click here and you can also visit the author's website here.

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