GERD: Treatment, Diet and Home Remedies

Food and Nutrition

• Fruits like Apples (fresh and dried), apple juice, bananas, pears, peaches, melons, strawberries, grapes
• Vegetables like Baked potato, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, green beans, peas, asparagus, lettuce, sweet potatoes
• Skinless chicken breast, egg whites or substitute, fish (with no added fat)
• Feta or goat cheese, fat free cream cheese, fat free sour cream, low fat soy cheese
• Cereal (bran or oatmeal), corn bread, rice (brown or white), rice cakes, millets
• Water, herbal teas, non-citrus drinks, skimmed milk
• Low fat salad dressing, herbs, hummus, mild sauces

• Fruits like Oranges and orange juice, lemons and lemonade, grapefruit and grapefruit juice, tomato and tomato juice, cranberries and cranberry juice
• Raw onions, peppers, radishes, french fries, mashed potatoes
• Fatty ground beef, marbled sirloin, chicken nuggets, buffalo wings, fried meat
• Whole milk, chocolate milk, ice cream, high fat cream cheese or sour cream
• High fat grain products (cheese bread or products made with whole milk)
• Caffeinated beverages, whole milk, alcohol, carbonated beverages
• Strong mustard, chili sauces, creamy salad dressing, black pepper, vinegar, curries, pickles, mint

Yoga and Exercise

1. Shaker Swallowing Rehabilitation Exercise (  watch video ) is used to strengthen the Upper Esophageal Sphincter. 
   
2. Avoid exercises that require a reclining position like sit-ups and stomach crunches and people who exercise strenuously especially running, weight lifting, and, cycling, may actually have an increase in GERD
   
3. Breathing exercises are done to reduce acid reflux
   

• Pranayama (Breath exercise)    watch video
• Deep Breathing for Relaxation    watch video
• Abdominal Breathing While Seated   watch video

• Sukhasana (Easy pose)   watch video
• Bidalasana (Cat pose)   watch video
• The Wind Relieving Pose (Pavanamuktasana)   watch video
• Shava Asana (Corpse pose)  watch video

Home Remedies

• Quit smoking
• Follow a proper diet and maintain healthy weight
• Avoid eating within three hours of bedtime
• Sleep on your left side – The LES is on the left side of the stomach and if your oesophageal sphincter is weak it may not close properly. If you sleep on your right side, acid may be able to leak out of the stomach into the oesophagus, causing pain and damage to the oesophageal lining.
• Elevate the head of your bed 6-8 inches to prevent the backflow of gastric juices.
• Reduce stress
• Keep diabetes and asthma under control