When the stomach is very full, there can be more reflux into the esophagus. If it fits into your schedule, you may want to try what is sometimes called "grazing"—eating small meals more frequently rather than three large meals daily. People with acid reflux were once instructed to eliminate all but the blandest foods from their diets. But that's no longer the case. Wolf says. But there are still some foods that are more likely than others to trigger reflux, including mint, fatty foods, spicy foods, tomatoes, onions, garlic, coffee, tea, chocolate, and alcohol.

If you eat any of these foods regularly, you might try eliminating them to see if doing so controls your reflux, and then try adding them back one by one. The Foodicine Health website at www. They make you burp, which sends acid into the esophagus. Drink flat water instead of sparkling water. When you're standing, or even sitting, gravity alone helps keeps acid in the stomach, where it belongs.

Finish eating three hours before you go to bed. This means no naps after lunch, and no late suppers or midnight snacks. Avoid vigorous exercise for a couple of hours after eating. An after-dinner stroll is fine, but a more strenuous workout, especially if it involves bending over, can send acid into your esophagus.

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Brown A. Digestive Health. What is the treatment process? GERD isn't something that can be totally eliminated for most people. However, using an H2 blocker medication and making lifestyle changes works well to almost entirely control symptoms for about 50 percent of people.

Is GERD curable or not? GERD is considered a chronic condition, meaning that it can be controlled and treated, but not cured.

Why does GERD get worse at night? When you lay down flat, gravity stops moving food and acid down the esophagus and through the digestive system, allowing the acid to pool in place and increase heartburn.

Similarly, swallowing is an important force that pushes stomach acid downward, but this action is significantly reduced during sleep. What foods should be avoided with GERD? Unfortunately, the list of foods you should avoid if you have GERD is pretty long. Foods to skip include spicy, fried, and high-fat foods. You should also avoid tomatoes, citrus fruits, pineapple, garlic, onions, alcohol, coffee, and carbonated drinks.

You should also reduce your intake of processed foods, as they can cause your lower esophageal sphincter to function poorly, increasing GERD symptoms. What is the biggest indicator of GERD? Heartburn is the most frequent, though not the only, symptom of GERD. N Engl J Med. Esophagitis: incidence and risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma—a population-based cohort study.

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Support Center Support Center. External link. Please review our privacy policy. Comparisons with other proton pump inhibitors. Goh et al double-blind, 6-month trial. Labenz et al double-blind, 6-month trial.