Here’s How Your Diet Can Defeat Your Heartburn

Brooke Cagle

According to a number of studies on its prevalence, Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) — also known as acid reflux, heartburn or indigestion — affects an estimated 20 percent of Americans on at least a weekly basis.

It’s also estimated that 60 percent of adults will experience heartburn (which has nothing to do with your heart) at least once in a 12-month period. For the uninitiated, heartburn occurs when corrosive stomach acid flows back up into the esophagus, which is characterized by a burning sensation in the chest. Over time, this damages the soft tissue of the esophagus and can lead to esophageal cancer.

More than 15 million Americans use a class of drugs called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) like Prevacid and Nexium to treat their acid reflux, but recent studies have linked PPIs to a growing list of complications, such as heart attacks, dementia, nutrient deficiencies and infections.

As it turns out, however, you might be able to treat acid reflux with a strategic diet and exercise regimen, starting by eliminating acidic foods like coffee, citrus, tomatoes and alcohol. In his book The Acid Watcher Diet, Dr. Jonathan Aviv of the Mount Sinai Icahn School of Medicine in New York, describes the diet that worked when he himself developed acid reflux, most of which came from trial and error.

Dr. Aviv recommends starting with a 28-day “healing diet” consisting of natural and unprocessed foods and non-acidic produce, along with fiber-rich foods like leafy greens, lentils and almonds. Rather than having three large meals, acid reflux sufferers should eat up to six small meals a day, stopping at least three hours before bedtime.

As for your exercise routine, don’t hit the gym immediately after eating, and avoid activities like heavy weightlifting, sit-ups, crunches, competitive cycling and advanced yoga. All of these, according to Dr. Aviv, can encourage the flow of gastric acid. Gentle yoga, stationary biking and light weightlifting, however, are all fair game.