Acid Reflux Diet Should Be Carefully Controlled
When it comes to monitoring your own health, you know what you should be doing. You have heard about the food pyramid, organic foods, limiting alcohol consumption, exercising properly, not smoking, wearing your seat belt and the list goes on. Telling yourself that no one follows all of the recommendations makes it easier when you want to indulge in your own bad habits. After years of neglecting yourself and doing many of things that the medical community has been telling you not to do, you have suddenly started to have medical problems. Going to your doctor to get a 'magic pill' to help was a great idea and you are proud that after not seeing him for many years that you decided to visit. Being a typical person, you have been self-medicating yourself and treating your own ailments based on information you read or heard about. The doctor was someone that you avoided unless you were really sick.
Now, you have had the unfortunate experience of being hit with an acid reflux attack that was so severe you thought you were dying. Never thinking back on the bottles of antacid you eating on a regular basis to calm your stomach, you did not connect these events. Your doctor was, of course, happy to see you, but did mention that it had been a while since your last visit. He spends time with you and listens to your problems and your symptoms and then gives some valuable information. Telling you that you might have a gastrointestinal problem he suggests a variety of medical tests to 'see what is going on in there'. His office staff schedules several medical appointments for you to have the tests completed and for you to come back for another consultation. Before leaving, the doctor gives you a diet that you must follow that he believes will help settle your stomach and relieve your excess acid problems. The diet is fairly basic and one that most people with acid reflux disease must deal with on a daily basis. You are told to avoid chocolate, peppermint, citrus, spicy and fatty foods, and alcohol and carbonated beverages until you return for your next visit. At that time, the doctor will have the results of your medical tests and then a final evaluation can be made. If you are diagnosed with acid reflux disease you will probably be on a special diet for the rest of your life. This does not mean that you can never eat these foods again, but you will have to restrict your intake of them especially if they are known to be a real problem for you. Deciding to cheat on your diet should involve careful planning on your part. Eat a small amount of the item, take your medication, and do not lie down for several hours-in fact, try to exercise that evening. Remember that if you decide to cheat that you are risking your health and might have a severe acid reflux attack that same night. |