Doctor Tran Duc Canh, Department of Endoscopy and Functional Testing, Central Cancer Hospital, said that for people with gastroesophageal reflux, in addition to medication, they need a suitable diet, especially during the Tet holiday, when people often overeat and lose control.

Here are some notes on diet for people with gastroesophageal reflux:

Limit sour, spicy, hot, and indigestible foods

For patients with gastroesophageal reflux, the stomach is more sensitive to food than normal people. You should avoid consuming some spicy foods such as chili, kimchi, alcohol, sour foods (highly acidic) such as oranges, lemons, grapefruits, sour soup; foods that are difficult to digest such as fried foods with a lot of oil, coffee; raw vegetables such as onions.

Don't drink too much coffee

Drinking too much coffee can relax the esophageal sphincter. When the esophageal sphincter opens and closes abnormally, it causes stomach acid to reflux, causing uncomfortable symptoms. In addition, the caffeine in coffee also stimulates the vagus nerve, causing increased secretion of stomach acid, making the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux worse.

Limit carbonated drinks

Patients with gastric reflux should limit carbonated drinks, because these drinks contain a lot of carbon dioxide gas, causing continuous belching after drinking, creating an opportunity for acid from the stomach to reflux upward.

Don't drink too much citrus juice.

Citrus fruits are a group of fruits that contain high levels of acid, especially ascorbic acid and citric acid. When you eat a lot of citrus fruits, the acid in them will irritate the esophageal mucosa, indirectly aggravating the symptoms of heartburn and acid reflux.

Do not lie down immediately after eating.

Eating dinner right before bed increases the risk of reflux during the night, due to the change in position after eating. Therefore, you should eat dinner at least 3 hours before going to bed to ensure that your digestive system is less active when it is time to sleep. At the same time, you should not lie down right after a meal to avoid the risk of reflux.

Avoid certain activities after eating

Another thing to note when treating acid reflux is to limit your activities after eating. In particular, you should avoid jobs that require you to bend over or change positions frequently. Instead, sit and rest for about 30 minutes to an hour after eating to allow food to be digested and avoid acid reflux.

Avoid tight clothing

When you wear tight clothes, especially clothes that constrict the abdomen or waist, you are putting more pressure on your stomach. You should prioritize choosing comfortable clothes to limit the symptoms of the disease.

To prevent acid reflux, you should practice the following eating habits:

Eat many small meals.

Large meals put more pressure on your esophageal sphincter, so eating smaller meals can also help reduce acid reflux symptoms.

Should eat in a comfortable state

Eating too quickly or eating while stressed can easily cause you to experience symptoms of acid reflux.

Don't eat too much at each meal.

Consuming only about 70% of your needs per meal will help reduce pressure on the stomach, thereby reducing reflux.

Sit up straight when eating

For patients with gastric reflux, eating posture is also very important. The best posture is to sit upright when eating, doing so will help your upper digestive tract form a straight line, creating the most favorable conditions for food digestion.

According to Dr. Canh, obese people have a higher rate of gastroesophageal reflux disease than normal people. Weight management is a recommended method in the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease. Note that you should tighten your weight by eating healthy, exercising and possibly combining weight loss support products.

Symptoms of acid reflux tend to occur at night. Experts recommend that you elevate your head when sleeping because this position makes it difficult for stomach acid to flow up into the esophagus. Prioritize sleeping on your left side, in this position the stomach will be lower than the esophagus, helping you control the disease better. Conversely, if you lie on your right side, stomach acid will easily flow back through the esophageal sphincter, causing symptoms of acid reflux.

Some drugs have the effect of protecting the stomach lining, often used to treat reflux symptoms, especially to reduce heartburn, but it is necessary to consult a doctor to suit the level of reflux and the physical condition of each person.

Thuy Quynh