Gastric Reflux: What To Eat?

When there are digestive problems, eating is no longer a pleasure but a big problem. In case of gastric reflux, knowing what to eat and what to avoid can help make mealtimes more pleasant.

The gastric reflux is invisible and annoying. It may not be recognized immediately, but the sensation of permanent acidity is one of the central alarm bells.

Symptoms are unexpected, even the cough and hoarseness are frequent. Even future mothers know something … We can help each other with nutrition, while, together with the treating doctor, the causes (physical? mental/emotional?) Are investigated. We begin to understand better what to avoid and what to eat in case of gastric reflux.

Gastric Reflux: What To Never Eat

Let’s start with the difficult one: here are the foods to be avoided absolutely, because they are complex to digest, too demanding for a stomach that “already has its work to do.”

• Ready-made packaged foods, often excessively seasoned with fat
• Fried food (all, including vegetables)
• Dressings based on cream and butter, lard, margarine
• Long cooking: boiled meats, meat sauce, stews
• The fat of meats (including bacon, lard) and hams
• Spirits (toxic to the liver)

Gastric Reflux, What To Eat Rarely

Here are the foods allowed in great moderation, no more than once a week:

• Chocolate
• Citrus fruits
• Tomato, also in sauce or puree
• Onion
• Peppers and chili
• Spices and herbs such as pepper, mint, garlic
• Coffee, tea, sweetened carbonated drinks
• Wine

Gastric Reflux: What To Eat

Foods that are easy to digest, that do not carry waste to the body, natural foods that are not very complex:

• Whole grains
• Fresh seasonal fruit and vegetables
• Water (at least 1.5 liters per day)
• Low-fat or semi-skimmed milk and yogurt
• Vegetable drinks
• Fresh, lean cheeses
• White meat
• Fish
• Eggs (not fried), maximum 2 per week
• Extra virgin olive oil, raw

Gastric Reflux: How To Eat

Here are some simple rules of eating behavior that will help relieve the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux:

• Have small, frequent meals. Avoid large meals.
• In general, I prefer foods of plant origin and low in fat.
• Avoid sudden temperature changes, i.e., foods and drinks that are too hot or too cold.
• Especially drink between meals.
• Eat while chewing slowly.

Also Read: Celiac Disease: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis

Remedies For Gastroesophageal Reflux In Infants

Gastroesophageal reflux is prevalent in infants. Let’s see what to do and especially what not to do in case of gastroesophageal reflux. Gastroesophageal reflux is the passage of the stomach contents into the esophagus, with evidence of vomiting or regurgitation.

It is good to distinguish it from gastroesophageal reflux disease, a pathological condition in which a whole series of symptoms due to reflux and frequent episodes of vomiting occur: inflammation of the esophagus, bronchospasm, apnea, and weight loss. This article talks about gastroesophageal reflux, when the phenomenon is limited and of minor entity, and the remedies to relieve neonates.

Gastroesophageal Reflux In The Newborn

In most cases, the infant’s gastroesophageal reflux spontaneously evolves towards healing, usually when the baby is switched to solid feeding and begins to sit or stand more often.

Why is the phenomenon so frequent? The main reasons are as follows:

• For feeding the newborn, which is exclusively liquid ;
• Why babies are almost always in a lying position ;
• Because the card is not ripe yet, the heart is a valve that connects the stomach to the esophagus and has the task of preventing the gastric contents from rising.

Gastroesophageal Reflux And Breastfeeding: What To Do?

In case of gastroesophageal reflux, DO NOT stop breastfeeding. If someone has told you that baby reflux depends on your milk because it is too difficult to digest, don’t believe it. The myths on breastfeeding are wasted. Mother’s milk is specially made to be digested by the young intestine of her newborn. Do not reduce feedings in the belief that you have given too much milk to the baby. Breast milk must be offered “on-demand,” not regularly. If we extend the time more than necessary, the baby risks getting hungry at the feed and sucking voraciously, facilitating vomiting.

On the contrary, it is advisable to feed more frequently so that the baby takes less milk at a time.

It is also essential to latch the baby correctly to the breast because incorrect sucking can promote reflux. In case of difficulty, consult a midwife. What if the baby is formula-fed? In this case, the pediatrician may recommend thickened milk; however, do not take this measure on your initiative.

Gastroesophageal Reflux In Newborns, Practical Advice

• Keep the baby in an upright position as much as possible and therefore in your lap or carrier rather than lying down in the crib.
• When the baby is lying down, make sure that the head is slightly raised above the body. Prams usually have a mechanism that allows you to increase the height of the side on which the baby’s headrests. In any case, the newborn must be put to sleep on his back to avoid the risk of SIDS, that is, sudden death in the cot, and therefore must never be placed on his stomach.
• Avoid any stressful situation for the child as much as possible and keep him in close body contact for a long time.
• Check the child’s weight often; consult your pediatrician if you lose weight or do not grow sufficiently. Also, contact the pediatrician in all cases where the child shows signs of suffering.
• Please do not give your child any medications unless the pediatrician prescribes them.

Also Read: What Helps Against Stomach Pain? The 8 Best Home Remedies