Gastroesophageal reflux disease - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gastroesophageal reflux disease - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: "Avoiding aggravating factors

The rubric 'lifestyle modifications' is the term physicians use when recommending non-pharmaceutical treatments for GERD.

Certain foods and lifestyle tend to promote gastroesophageal reflux:

* Coffee, alcohol, calcium supplements, and excessive amounts of Vitamin C supplements are stimulants of gastric acid secretion so avoiding these helps. Calcium containing antacids such as TUMS (Calcium carbonate) are in this group[1]
* Foods high in fats and smoking reduce lower esophageal sphincter competence so avoiding these tends to help as well.
* Having more but smaller meals also reduces the risk of GERD as it means there is less in the stomach at any one time.

Advice generally given:

* avoid eating for 2 hours before bedtime
* elevate the head of the bed on 6 inch blocks. (Pillows under the head and shoulders have been shown to be ineffective.)
* avoid sodas that contain caffeine
* avoid chocolate and peppermint
* avoid spicy foods
* avoid acidic foods like oranges and tomatoes
* avoid cruciferous vegetables: onions, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussel sprouts
* avoid fried and fatty foods
* avoid milk and heavily milk based products

Avoiding food for 2 hours before bedtime, as well as not lying down after a meal, are the most important of the lifestyle modifications. Elevation to the head of the bed is the next easiest to implement. If pharmacologic therapy in combination with food avoidance before bedtime and elevation of the head of the bed, then the other steps are recommended."