Before starting a diet for GERD relief we should first understand what the actual problem behind this health condition is. GERD or simply acid reflux disease is characterized by irritation of the esophagus that causes such symptoms as heartburn and hoarseness. It is usually caused by stomach contents refluxing into the esophagus and damaging it due to high acidity. The esophagus is a section of the gastrointestinal tract that delivers food from the mouth into the stomach. It ends with a sphincter muscle that connects it with the stomach and prevents the food from getting back up. If this happens the acid from the stomach can seriously damage the inner surface of the esophagus.

When it comes to a specific diet for relieving GERD, it is important to understand that in most cases the problem is physiological and is caused by the weakness or malfunctioning of the sphincter between the stomach and esophagus. So there are a few possibilities regarding food intake that have to be considered.

Meal times

Different clinical studies conducted in different parts of the world have shown interesting facts regarding the development of GERD. One such study was conducted in Japan in 2005 and has analyzed the connection between meal time and bedtime. The results are very interesting and certainly shed some light on the habits of eating with respect to GERD symptoms.

Different groups of study participants were taking meals at different times before going to sleep. And what's really interesting is that those people who have eaten in 3 hours or less before going to bed had 7 times higher rates of GERD symptoms development than people who had longer periods of time between meals and sleep. Moreover, the size of the last meal also mattered as smaller portions of food had given less acid reflux symptoms than larger meals.

So, when it comes to food, it is very important to have at least three hours between dinner and bedtime if you do not want to ask your doctor for Aciphex in the future.

Specific foods

As stated earlier, acid reflux disease is mainly a muscle problem connected to the esophageal sphincter. In order to avoid the problem with this muscle you can reduce the intake of specific foods that provoke acid reflux. So if you want to ease your GERD symptoms you should try to avoid consuming too much of the following products:

1. chocolate

2. creamed foods

3. fast foods (most)

4. fatty foods

5. milk

6. oils

7. peppermint

8. caffeine-containing drinks (coffee, tea, soft drinks)

Still, you should bear in mind that people differ and so does their response to different foods. Some people are very sensitive to the above foods and may experience unpleasant symptoms even without GERD. Others may be perfectly fine with foods such as these but will still need Aciphex or similar prescription medications in order to relieve acid reflux symptoms.

Ask your doctor

Consult with your doctor regarding specific GERD diet and any medications that may help you with your problem. Ask about Aciphex as it is one of the most effective drugs for GERD available on the market these days. And remember that the earlier you start treating acid reflux disease the easier it will be to neglect its symptoms in the future.