The holiday season is here and it's all about family, friends, food and for some -- heartburn.
Beaumont Hospital experts say holiday meals can be the perfect storm to trigger the condition.
According to Dr. Mitchell Cappell, chief of Gastroenterology, gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD is more commonly known as heartburn or acid reflux.
Acid reflux is caused by acid released in the stomach for digestion that migrates up the esophagus, a muscular tube that connects the mouth with the stomach; the lining of the esophagus is delicate and can be burned away by the acid, causing the signs and symptoms of the condition.
Dr. Mitchell Cappell offers these tips:
- Limit your portion sizes. Break up your food intake over more, but smaller meals a day.
- Take a walk after your holiday meal.
- Avoid trigger foods such as tomatoes, citrus, raw onions, raw garlic, chocolate, alcohol, caffeine, peppermint, carbonated beverages and vinegar-based items.
- Lost weight. Overweight and obese people are more likely to suffer from acid reflux.
- Stop smoking. People who smoke are more likely to suffer from erosive esophagitis, a condition characterized by the lining of the esophagus wearing away.
The condition affects 60 million Americans at least once a month, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
Read Beaumont's full article here.
