Throughout the past semester, I have seen more doctors and learned more about my digestive system than I ever thought I wanted. While frustrating, I did learn one important nugget of information: acid can be the silent stomach killer. But what does it mean to "limit acid"? For anyone out there that suffers from random stomach aches, this one's for you.
My doctor's believe that I have acute gastritis, which in normal terms means that my stomach lining is inflamed. Although the cause of my case is unknown, I was given a laundry list of foods to avoid. From caffeine to tomatoes, I have been cutting out acidic foods from my diet.
How do you know if you may have acid reflux?
If you have a sensitive stomach, acid could be aggravating it. You may not even realize because acidic foods can create a silent acid reflux. Seemingly unrelated symptoms such as cough, abdominal pain, trouble swallowing, can all result from a build up of acid in your stomach.
How is acid reflux caused?
Acid reflux is caused by a build-up of acid in the stomach that travels up your esophagus, usually creating a burning sensation in your chest. While usually only occurring occasionally, acid reflux can cause many serious diseases such as gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD).
While there is no single cause for GERD, it most often occurs when the esophagus is overwhelmed by the amount of acid that travels through it.
Limit acidic foods
The simplest way to eliminate acid reflux is to limit acid in your diet. Acid can be found in citrus, caffeine, alcohol, tomatoes, and dairy to name a few. If you are trying to reduce your acid reflux, it's always best to check if any of the foods you're about to eat are highly acidic.
While it has been difficult, I have noticed that the worst stomach aches I get are caused by highly acidic foods. Even if you don't have acid reflux or stomach aches, being mindful of these foods can improve your overall digestion.