Eating to Prevent GERD / Acid Reflux / Heartburn

Part 1: Breakfast

[This is part 1 of a 5-part series on Eating to Prevent GERD.]

For a lot of people with GERD it is helpful to keep from having an empty stomach. At the same time, eating too much can provoke reflux.

The old adage that "breakfast is the most important meal of the day" is true for you. When you wake up in the morning, your stomach is pretty much empty - eating even a small amount of food can go a long way toward preventing reflux. Here are some breakfast suggestions that are not too little and not too much.

• 1/2 whole grain bagel with a tablespoon of light cream cheese.
• A slice of bread with a tablespoon of preserves.
• 1 cup of a high fiber cereal - choose one that has about 100 calories in per one cup serving. Use reduced fat milk (2%, 1% or skim).
• Keep granola or cereal bars on hand for emergencies. You may have to experiment to find a brand that doesn't provoke your reflux. Look for those lower in fat and added sugars and are high in fiber.
• Citrus juice can be a trigger for some people, but there are low-acid versions of orange juice that work for some. Papaya or mango juice may work well for you. These are lower in acid.

Smoothies can be a good way to start the day. Using fruits that don't usually provoke reflux along with non-fat yogurt will give you a healthy start to the day and put a little something in your stomach to prevent reflux.

Healthy, GERD-Friendly Smoothie Recipes:

Strawberry Banana Smoothie
Tropical Melon Smoothie
All GERD / Acid Reflux Safe Breakfast Recipes

Next: Step 2: The GERD-Friendly Midmorning Snack »