Overcoming Acid Reflux

I was diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in 2008 and even though sometimes it still recur, I am more cautious now and at least I know what to do. GERD is a more serious form of gastroesophageal reflux or acid reflux or acid regurgitation. If you have persistent heartburn occurring at least twice a week, consult you doctor. You may have GERD.
For me, it started with the feeling of having hyperacidity and hungry even if I have just eaten. Then I experienced vomiting after a meal or the feeling of it even if I was just brushing my teeth. I was not anorexic! But it seemed like my stomach has so much acid that it does not want to accept my food intake. There even came a time when I didn't even want to eat because I hated the feeling of throwing up after a meal.
What I did not know was the food I am fond of eating aggravates my conditions. Here are some of the food I loved eating but needed to avoid:

• coffee and tea
• orange juice and everything citrus
• vinegar and other sour condiments
• spicy foods
• spaghetti and other tomato-based foods
• chocolate and other chocolate-based foods
• potato chips and other potato-based foods

I was not ready to give up coffee and sour foods. I tried to trim down my coffee in take, but still it did not worked. Until such time that I really want to get over GERD and live a little healthy.

Give up coffee. That was one of the most difficult. I love coffee and it has been a great part of my being. Its aroma sets my mood and it really keeps me awake during the night. But I knew, this is one of the first to give up. (I am now back at coffee drinking but not as much as before.)

Switch to apple juice. Though I want apples and apple juice, I never imagined to be the replacement of my best loved coffee. But according to doctors, this is one of the best treatment of GERD. So for two weeks, I tried to drink just apply juice and water and I know it is working. Apple juice stabilizes the acidity of your stomach and it helps in the right digestion of food.

An apple a day. We always hear the saying, “An apple a day, keeps the doctor away.” So be it! At first, I had to take ranitidine. It was a good medicine but more expensive. Apples are healthier.
Know more about GERD here.

Avoid stressful activities. This is one of the most difficult to do. I am always caught in stressful activities with my many commitments. But at least I learned to say “no” and to slow down. I took a spiritual retreat to renew my strength and just avoid being stressed.

Hydrate. One of the best therapy that we can have is to drink a lot of water. Through drinking lot of water, we can flush out toxins out of our body. For me not to forget to drink water, I always get a glass of water in front of me in my working area. I know I needed it badly.