1. Heartburn: Foods to Eat, Foods to Avoid Slideshow Pictures
2. Digestive Disease Myths Slideshow Pictures
3. Take the GERD Quiz

Medical Author:

John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP

John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP

John P. Cunha, DO, is a U.S. board-certified Emergency Medicine Physician. Dr. Cunha's educational background includes a BS in Biology from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, and a DO from the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences in Kansas City, MO. He completed residency training in Emergency Medicine at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, New Jersey.

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Medical Editor:

Bhupinder Anand, MD

For mild or occasional symptoms, simple lifestyle modifications can help provide relief of symptoms.

• Avoid large meals.
• Avoid caffeine (coffee, teas, soft drinks).
• Avoid foods or drinks that reduce pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter such as chocolate, peppermint, caffeine-containing beverages, alcohol, and fatty or fried foods.
• Avoid foods that damage the esophagus such as spicy foods, citrus fruits and juices, tomatoes and tomato sauces.
• After eating, beware of activities that force acid back into the esophagus. Such activities include lifting, straining, coughing, and wearing tight clothing.
• Use gravity to your advantage. Avoid lying down within 3 hours of meals. If you suffer from nighttime heartburn, elevate the head of your bed when sleeping. Place 6-inch blocks underneath the head of the bed, or place a wedge under the mattress. Simply using more pillows under your head will not help and may worsen heartburn by increasing pressure on the stomach.
• Lose weight if you are overweight.
• Stop smoking.
• Limit alcohol intake.
• Antacids such as Maalox, Mylanta, Tums, or Rolaids can also provide relief. Antacids work by neutralizing acid. They should be taken 1 hour after meals or when heartburn symptoms occur.
• Low doses of drugs that block the production of stomach acid are available over-the-counter including cimetidine (Tagamet), ranitidine (Zantac), and famotidine (Pepcid).

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