Brief Answer:
Details on food and meals and how they affect acid reflux given below

Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome to "Ask a Doctor" service,

I carefully read your query and understand your concern.

Acid reflux can be minimized by doing the following:

- avoid coffee as coffee makes reflux worse. It relaxes the valve that connects the stomach with the esophagus, thus it increases the acid reflux

- avoid smoking and alcohol as these may cause the stomach to produce more acids

- eat frequent small amounts of food during the day. It is best to eat 5 small meals than 2 big ones. This way the stomach will not be too full and overextended and the reflux will be minimized

- avoid food 4 hours before bedtime so your stomach is quite empty before you lay down- this way the reflux is minimized

- avoid sparkling drinks, energy drinks, and sour food that contains a lot of acids such as citrus (lemon).

- you should eat fruit and vegetables but some patients do not tolerate well tomatoes and paprika. It is best to have them boiled or baked but not fried

- avoid fried food, spicy food, and fast food

-greasy food reduces the transit of the food and increases its time in the stomach, making acid reflux worse, so make sure you do not consume much greasy food

- avoid too hot and too cold food (extreme temperatures) as these may damage the mucosa of the throat and make the effects of the acid reflux worse.

- some patients are better with milk, others find milk to make their reflux worse so pay attention and do what is best for you

Other measures: make sure you have normal weight as overweight makes reflux worse, raise the head of the bed with bricks so the acid reflux is reduced when you lay down, etc.

I hope this answers your query.
I remain at your disposal for further medical assistance.

Regards,
Dr. Antoneta Zotaj
General and Family Physician

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Brief Answer:
Details on food and meals and how they affect acid reflux given below

Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome to "Ask a Doctor" service,

I carefully read your query and understand your concern.

Acid reflux can be minimized by doing the following:

- avoid coffee as coffee makes reflux worse. It relaxes the valve that connects the stomach with the esophagus, thus it increases the acid reflux

- avoid smoking and alcohol as these may cause the stomach to produce more acids

- eat frequent small amounts of food during the day. It is best to eat 5 small meals than 2 big ones. This way the stomach will not be too full and overextended and the reflux will be minimized

- avoid food 4 hours before bedtime so your stomach is quite empty before you lay down- this way the reflux is minimized

- avoid sparkling drinks, energy drinks, and sour food that contains a lot of acids such as citrus (lemon).

- you should eat fruit and vegetables but some patients do not tolerate well tomatoes and paprika. It is best to have them boiled or baked but not fried

- avoid fried food, spicy food, and fast food

-greasy food reduces the transit of the food and increases its time in the stomach, making acid reflux worse, so make sure you do not consume much greasy food

- avoid too hot and too cold food (extreme temperatures) as these may damage the mucosa of the throat and make the effects of the acid reflux worse.

- some patients are better with milk, others find milk to make their reflux worse so pay attention and do what is best for you

Other measures: make sure you have normal weight as overweight makes reflux worse, raise the head of the bed with bricks so the acid reflux is reduced when you lay down, etc.

I hope this answers your query.
I remain at your disposal for further medical assistance.

Regards,
Dr. Antoneta Zotaj
General and Family Physician

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