Learn to fight Gastric Acid

You frequently suffer from gastric acid and you still haven’t figured out why.  Although you might not believe it, this condition has become very common in the majority of people.  Even if you don’t suffer from it, you surely know someone who is continuously complaining about heartburn discomfort.

Why I have gastric acid

One of the most recurring causes of heartburn is not establishing a set time to eat meals, either because of work or for other reasons.  We generally ignore a meal schedule, and we end up combining breakfast with lunch, or lunch with dinner.

Remember that each meal you have a space of 3 to 4 hours between one another.

The key is to eat a varied diet, in moderate proportions, and to avoid heavy and spicy meals.

What can I eat?

In order to prevent burning in the lower area of the chest, or to prevent a bitter or sour taste in your mouth and the consecutive pain, keep the following recommendations in mind:

Breakfast

You breakfast should always include some sort of dairy, like milk, yogurt, low-fat cheeses, eggs – maximum of three a week – grains, lightly toasted bread, and peeled fruits.

Lunch

Lunch should consist of white meats, because these are the easiest to digest, like fish, chicken breast, and fat-free veal.  Eliminate all sausages, chorizo and bacon from your diet, as this type of foods, over time, could cause heartburn.  As previously mentioned in other articles, they are harmful to health.

In regards to heartburn it is better to eat vegetables cooked.  You can boil them or steam them, but if so, remember not to cook them for too long as they can lose their primary properties.  

Dinner

To improve digestion, you should eat at least two hours before going to bed.  This is vital for preventing indigestion, gas, and gastric acid.

You should avoid

Avoid all kinds of processed condiments, like mayonnaise, ketchup, or anything else that is not homemade.

It is not recommendable to eat fried foods or foods that are very hot, which could irritate the gastric mucosa.

Do not eat fried foods or fatty foods.

Coffee, black tea and tobacco are prohibited for those with gastritis.

When eating, dedicate some time to it.  As we spoke about earlier in the previous article, enjoy your meals and savor your food.

Water, infusions and apple cider vinegar

Some infusions can help fight heartburn and it is better to take them after meals.  Try it out with tea made from boldo, chamomile, mallow, lemon verbena, horse tail, melisa, mint, rosemary, sage and lime.

Whenever possible, drink close to two liters of water a day and avoid alcohol consumption.

Apple cider vinegar is also very good for this condition, try drinking one teaspoon of it whenever you feel bad.

Careful with citrus

Citrus and other fruits rich in vitamin C, as well as chocolate, could increase the risk of suffering from heartburn.  If you still continue to experience your problem after these recommendations, or if it becomes chronic, it’s better to see a doctor to establish what is truly causing your condition.

You need to keep in mind that people who are overweight, smokers, or pregnant women are more susceptible to suffering from gastric acid.

Revised by: Dra. Loredana Lunadei on 12/31/2017

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