Acid Reflux Diet is one of the healthiest diets for a person, adding it with a healthier lifestyle will give a prolonged life. Acid Reflux is commonly known as Heartburn, and medically as Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease. Defined in simple terms as ‘a digestive disorder in which stomach acid or bile irritates the food pipe lining’. Acid Reflux tends to appear in the body between 35-50 years.

The causes of Acid reflux varies from – eating too fast, binge eating, eating trans-fat products, overeating, to chronic stress, pregnancy, smoking, alcohol, extensive use of caffeine, and old age. Eating habits of Individual determine the amount of acid the stomach may produce.

Right kind of acid reflux diet is the key to reducing acid reflux in the body.

The do's of acid reflux diet are:

1. Eat the non-acid reflux creating food e.g oatmeal, green vegetables, celery, and asparagus.
2. Eat food with the P.H level less than 7, e.g banana, melon, blueberries, apple, and corn.
3. Eat baked, grilled, or sautéed non-vegetarian food (never fried), e.g chicken, fish, turkey, or seafood.
4. Eat dry fruits, as they contain essential oils required for the body.

The don’ts of acid reflux diet are:

1. Avoid highly acidic food e.g tomatoes, orange, lime, grapefruit.
2. Avoid high-fat food e.g cheese, ghee, vegetable oils, and butter.
3. Avoid food and drinks with sugar, artificial sweetener or trans-fat.
4. Avoid spicy food.
5. Avoid drinks, such as coffee, tea, carbonated drinks, and alcohol.

1. Mint tea, regular coffee or tea,
2. Alcohol in any form,
3. Carbonated beverages with or without caffeine.
4. Fried, creamed or spicy vegetables dishes or Onion and Tomato,
5. Citrus fruits,
6. Whole milk, butter, chocolate milk, full fat sour cream,
7. Ice cream, cheddar cheese,
8. creamy and sugary Desserts,
9. Ground beef, chuck,
10. Marbled sirloin,
11. Chicken nuggets,
12. Macaroni and cheese,
13. Spaghetti with sauce,
14. Salad dressing,
15. Creamy salad dressing, oil & vinegar,
16. Corn chips, Potato chips.
17. Above mentioned foods are commonly noticed that initiate the sympoms in GERD patients. If you are a GERD patient and living with regular symptoms then make a look for above mentioned foods and findout which one is initiating your symptoms.

Do's:

1. Eat small meals instead of large meals.
2. Raise the head of your bed 6-8 inches.
3. Eat less spicy foods.
4. Do take vitamin B12 supplements, Vitamin B12 deficiency is a common complication with GERD patients who take antacid medication. A normal amount of stomach acids is healthy and beneficial for digesting foods, and your body cannot absorb vitamin B12 without them.
5. Take probiotics. Probiotics promote healthy bacteria, a veritable army against heartburn, diarrhea, and many other stomach problems. Probiotics are a main ingredient in yogurt and kefir, but if you can’t handle dairy products, then opt for probiotic supplements and tonics.

Dont's:

1. Avoid eating and then bending over, lying down.
2. Avoid tight fitting clothing.
3. Avoid fast food.
4. Lose weight if you are overweight.
5. Sit upright rather than slumped while eating
6. Stop smoking.
7. Avoid Chocolate- it is full of ingredients that disagree with acid reflux- it’s highly caffeinated, contains theobromine, a bitter alkaloid, and it’s high in fat.
8. Avoid sleeping on your right side. Use the force of gravity to your advantage. If nighttime heartburn is an issue, then sleep on your left side, and your stomach acids will stay where they belong.

1. Cereals:White rice, White bread, Brown rice, Oat meal, Broken wheat, Quinoa.
2. Pulses: Chickpeas, Kidney beans, moong dal, masoor dal, soybeans and all other with low spices and properly boilled. Vegetables: All gourds-bitter gourd, snake gourd, ridge gourd, bottle gourd, ivy gourd, ladies finger, tinda,green leafy vegetables.
3. Fruits: Custard Apple, Pears, small banana, Apple.
4. Milk and Milk products: Skim milk,Low fat Yoghurt and other fermented milk products.
5. Meat, Fish and Egg: Boiled egg, Lean Meat,skinless Chicken, Tuna, Salmon, Tilapia , Cod.
6. Oil:
   1. 5 Tbsp/ day (Olive oil, sunflower oil, Rice bran Oil, Canola oil)
   2. Sugar: 1 Tsp/ day.