Ahhh, the holidays... a time of friends, family, and for all too
many people...
Heartburn!
If you're one of the 60 million Americans who suffer from acid
reflux disease you know how one meal of indulgence can lead to a
day or night of misery.
The problem is that during the holidays we allow more things
into our diets than we do the rest of the year. We eat more
sweet and rich foods, drink more alcohol and coffee, and quite
often can pay the price with increased heartburn.
But be of good cheer, dear holiday party-goer, you can still eat
well, have a great time, and avoid your heartburn problems!
The secret lies in knowing what foods are bad so you can limit
them or substitute something in their places.
The bad heartburn foods come in two varieties...
1. Those that cause an increase in stomach acid, some of which
can spill over into your esophagus causing heartburn.
2. Those that relax the esophageal sphincter. The esophageal
sphincter is a little muscle at the base of the esophagus that
acts as a lid that prevents stomach acid from entering the
esophagus.
Here are some of the heartburn causing foods you should look
out for this holiday season.
Peppermint
What candy is more associated with the holidays than the red and
white striped candy cane? Yet, peppermint is one of those foods
that relaxes the esophageal sphincter and allows acid up into
your esophagus.
Instead, try a stick of red licorice. You can buy these sticks
in bulk, or individually wrapped.
Chocolate
Yes, I'm afraid it's true; chocolate is another "relaxing" food
that can open the way for stomach acid to reach your esophagus.
Instead of chocolate, though, try substituting...
Just kidding. True chocoholics know that there's no substitute
for chocolate, but there are people who are thinking of creative
ways to make chocolate heartburn free.
See the resource box at the end of this article for a collection
of heartburn-free recipes, including one for fudge!
Alcohol and Coffee/Tea
Between the office holiday party, Christmas with the family, and
New Year's Eve, alcohol consumption for many people sky rockets
during this time of year. And, even non-drinkers can over
indulge with higher than normal levels of coffee or tea (regular
and decaf).
All of the above beverages can increase the acid production in
your stomach and give you heartburn. Instead try substituting
hot cider (in moderation) for the coffee or tea, and
non-alcoholic beer or wine for your other favorite alcoholic
beverages.
Hors d' Oeuvres
Spicy and fatty foods are notorious for generating stomach acid
production, and no place are these foods more conveniently and
neatly presented than on the hors d' Oeuvres trays and tables at
holiday parties.
Foods to look out for include cheese, salami, beef sticks, and,
of course, spicy buffalo wings. Instead, stick with pretzels,
apples, or carrots and broccoli dipped in low fat ranch dressing.
Brunch Food
Lastly, another meal that friends and family share together
during the holidays--and one that's loaded with heartburn traps
and snares--is brunch.
From the coffee, to the eggs prepared in butter and garnished
with bacon or sausage, to the donuts and fruit juices, brunch
offers heartburn foods at every turn. Even here, just a few
modifications can result in a very satisfying meal followed by a
pleasant, heartburn free day.
Here are a few tips for making your brunch selections...
Egg white omelets are better than those made with whole eggs,
and if you like to have some sort of bread with breakfast, try a
whole grain bagel with low fat cream cheese.
Apples and bananas are the best choices for fruit and, if you
want a fruit juice, apple is probably your best bet there, too.
As you can see, there are plenty of opportunities for acid
reflux and heartburn sufferers to enjoy delicious heartburn-free
food this holiday season.
Simply, approach each get together or party with a strategy
about what and how much you'll eat. Then, choose to avoid the
bad heartburn foods and, most importantly, have a great time
this holiday season!
Happy Holidays!
About the author:
Brent Randall is a writer and former acid reflux sufferer living
outside of Chicago, Illinois. For more tips, suggestions, and
plenty of heartburn free recipes that you can use this holiday
season and all year long, go to
http://acid-reflux-help.blogspot.com/2005/11/heartburn-free-foods
-for-holidays.html
