Foods to Avoid When a Patient’s Digestive System Disorders Include GERD
GERD is an acronym denoting gastro esophageal reflux disease for which there is no cure. Falling among the chronic disease that require management and periodic physician evaluation, patients suffering from GERD present with an esophagus which evidences extensive damage brought on by stomach acid reflux. While the ailment could have been prevented had the patient visited a physician earlier on when frequent bouts with heartburn became apparent, the wait has caused the damage to be irreparable and thus far going forward the best way of dealing with GERD is severe dietary intake management.
Foods to avoid when a patient’s digestive system disorders include GERD are varied, and while not each and every aspect may pertain across the board, the following enumeration has been found to be a common denominator in a plethora of sufferers:
* Avoid foods high in fat. Since the fat slows down the stomach emptying process, the overabundance of stomach acid continues for longer than needed.
* Avoid high doses of vitamin C. Surprisingly, this vitamin has been linked to the production of stomach acid and when supplementation is done the overage of the substance will lead to an increase in the acid that is not desirable.
* The same is true for coffee – decaf or regular – and also alcohol. Both substances are known to encourage the production of stomach acid. Add any soft drink that contains carbonation to this list as well.
* Smoking has been associated with a decrease n the function of the muscle clamp at the lower end of the esophagus, thus weakening its effectiveness in keeping stomach acids at bay. It is wise to engage in smoking cessation.
* Some foods that have been linked to the increase in the stomach acid’s concentration are oranges, tomatoes, chocolate, onions, and broccoli.
* All foods need to be decreased when ingested at any one time. In other words, rather than enjoying three square meals, it is wiser to enjoy half a breakfast and then follow it up a couple of hours later with the other half. The goal is to decrease the amount of food the stomach has to process, thus lessening the amount and pH level of stomach acid, which in turn will decrease the risk of further damaging the esophageal lining.
Of course, many patients are known to cheat and even though the foods to avoid when a patient’s digestive system disorders include GERD are meant to not be overly restrictive, there are times when caution is thrown to the winds. It is therefore vital that patients understand that failure to abide by the restriction may actually lead to complications of GERD. These may take on the form of ulcers, an uncomfortable difficulty in swallowing, and may finally give way to cancer of the esophagus.
Encourage patients to follow the food restrictions and consider augmenting them with medicines designed to lessen the pain associated with the bit of stomach acid that may still cause a problem in spite of a serious adherence to the regimen. Of note are Ranitidine and also Sucralfate.
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