Eating to Prevent GERD

[This is part 4 of a 5-part series on Eating to Prevent GERD.]

Afternoon Snack

The afternoon snack is similar to the mid-morning snack. It is designed to help keep something in your stomach without eating too much at lunchtime and triggering reflux symptoms.

A good approach is to eat half of a sandwich at lunch and save the second half sandwich for later in the afternoon.

On days where lunch is leftovers from dinner, choose one of the lower calorie items in the mid-morning snack section.

If you are working at losing weight, eat a half sandwich or a smaller portion of leftovers then have one of the lower calorie items in the mid-morning snack section.

Here are few other good choices for snacks:

Slice a small amount of fruit and top with a sprinkle of Splenda artificial sweetener or sugar and then a dollop of non-fat yogurt.

Jell-o can make another great mid-morning snack. Because they are artificially flavored, the citrus might not bother you. With the sugar free versions you will also save calories by having a small cup of Jell-o as your snack. They also make the ready-made fat free pudding snacks that are sugar-free and low in calories.

Weight loss is a key goal for many people who have GERD, and exercise is an important part of this. There are some activities that can trigger reflux, including bending exercises, weight lifting and jogging. Walking is a terrific way to exercise. It doesn't cost anything, is easy and it's so good for you. Other low impact sports that can be GERD friendly include bicycling and swimming.

Next: Step 5: The GERD-Friendly Dinner »