Nine Tips for a Well-Managed Stomach

excerpt from...

Is it Butterflies or Indigestion?

By Lisa Mosing, MS, RD, FADA, LifeScript Director of Nutrition

 

 

1. Studies show that you're less likely to have heartburn if you control your weight.

 

2. Eat small, frequent meals throughout the day.

 

3. Be physically active most days of the week to help reduce stress, stimulate normal bowel contractions and maintain a healthy body.

 

4. Aim for high-fiber foods like whole grains, fruits and vegetables.

 

5. Eat fewer fatty and fried foods. These have been linked to heartburn.

 

6. Limit intake of gas-producing foods such as cruciferous vegetables (i.e., broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage).

 

7. Avoid eating before bed.

 

8. Sleep positions also matter. Research has shown that sleeping on your left side can help curb nighttime heartburn. Another trick if you have heartburn or GERD is to raise the head of your bed six inches.

 

9. Identify your trigger foods for abdominal turmoil and avoid them, especially during stressful periods in your life.

 

 

Take Control of Your Ailments by "Choosing and Losing"

 

 

Indigestion

 

Choose:

- Probiotics

- Herbal tea

- Small, frequent meals

- Mineral water

 

 

Lose:

- Gas producers such as beans, broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower

- Citrus fruits

- Tomatoes

- Greasy or fatty foods

- Sorbitol (sugar-free sweetener found in several chewing gums and hard candies)

- Fructose-sweetened foods

 

 

 

Gas

 

Choose:

- Steamed, fresh produce except for gas producers such as beans, broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower

- Nonfat dairy foods (if no lactose intolerance)

- Whole-grain foods and cereals

- Herbal tea

 

 

 

Lose:

- Carbonated beverages

- Vegetables that can produce gas such as beans, broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower

 

 

 

 

Heartburn

 

Choose:

- Steamed, fresh produce (non-acidic)

- Lean meats

- Nonfat dairy foods (if no lactose intolerance)

- Whole-grain cereals and rice

- Herbal tea

 

 

 

Lose:

- Alcohol

- Caffeine

- Carbonated beverages

- Citrus foods such as oranges and grapefruits

- Chocolate

- Full-fat dairy products (especially if lactose-intolerant)

- Greasy or fatty foods

- Tomato products like tomato juice and spaghetti sauce