Digestion & Indigestion

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Does anyone do any food combining ?
Are there proper combinations of food to prevent heartburn, indigestion, bloating and gas?
Or is it just specific foods that cause those symptoms?

Are all foods digested in the same type of stomach acid? fruit, vegetables, complex carbs and meat?

Does anyone take antacid or anti-reflux medication on a regular basis?
Which ones work the best?

Replies

  • wannaBme
    wannaBme Posts: 143
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    Does anyone do any food combining ?
    Are there proper combinations of food to prevent heartburn, indigestion, bloating and gas?
    Or is it just specific foods that cause those symptoms?

    Are all foods digested in the same type of stomach acid? fruit, vegetables, complex carbs and meat?

    Does anyone take antacid or anti-reflux medication on a regular basis?
    Which ones work the best?
  • beahurey
    beahurey Posts: 108
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    I have been eating cleaner for eight days now. I have noticed a drastic decrease in heartburn, indigestion, bloating and gas. I used to keep stock in Tums. I know processed beans and processed spicy food(which I used to love) would cause those symptoms for me personally.
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
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    If you are experiencing regular heart burn, it could be GERD, so it's important to go to a doctor to have that treated and reduce the chances of irreversible damage to your esophagus.

    Avoiding acidic and spicy foods can help reduce heartburn. Also, avoiding lying down after eating and avoiding eating to fullness can prevent it. However, since it is caused by a problem with a valve in the stomach, like I said it's important to see a doctor of internal medicine or gastroenterologist.

    The stomach only produces hydrochloric acid, and produces it in response to any shape change in the stomach, regardless of what food type causes it. Once the food enters the first part of the small intestine, different pancreatic enzymes will be released based on whether the food is high in fat, protein, or is very acidic. Bile is also released from the liver/pancreas to help break down fatty foods.

    I can't help with the antacids as I don't personally have heart burn. I hope the rest helps.
  • havingitall
    havingitall Posts: 3,728 Member
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    Does anyone do any food combining ?
    Are there proper combinations of food to prevent heartburn, indigestion, bloating and gas?
    Or is it just specific foods that cause those symptoms?

    Are all foods digested in the same type of stomach acid? fruit, vegetables, complex carbs and meat?

    Does anyone take antacid or anti-reflux medication on a regular basis?
    Which ones work the best?

    For food combinations read You Are What You Eat.. She explains how differnt types of food digest and what combinations cause problems
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
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    I should also add that amino acids (from proteins) will promote more hydrochloric acid production in the stomach. Smelling/seeing food, chewing, and swallowing will produce the first bit, and protein will cause more. Food hitting that first part of the small intestine will cause more to be released if it's poorly digested, but there's not much you can do to control that because it's the body's way of determining when the food is ready for release into the intestines. You may want to try a low protein diet, but I'd still talk to your doc. :smile:
  • amanda79
    amanda79 Posts: 21 Member
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    My husband has major heartburn and was overweight. He cut out the pop, fast food and snacking at night and he no longer has the heartburn. He was popping like 4 tums a night it was rediculous. He looks better and feels better. So it really is all in what you eat.
  • pdxmomof2
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    I have acid reflux. I take Prilosec OTC on a regular basis 2x per day. I used to take Prevacid but the cost became too much at $150 per mth after insurance covered most of it. The problem was there there is no generic for it. I have also taken Nexium in the past but it was not effective.

    Top foods to avoid are the following(after 5 yrs of this I have come up with my own list):
    Alcohol
    Peanut Butter
    Caffiene
    Tomato
    Orange, grapefruit, etc (citrus)
    Any tomato based soup, pizza , pasta, etc.

    All of these things cause a bad bout of acid reflux for me. I had a scope done about 6 mths ago and surgery was offered. I wanted to try and change my diet and loose weight first as the surgery is only 80% effective. I am not doing well with the weight but have changed my diet and know that when I indulge in these foods I will pay the price.

    I would not wish this on my worst enemy. I hope you can resolve this with weight loss and diet change!

    Amy:heart:
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
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    I have acid reflux. I take Prilosec OTC on a regular basis 2x per day. I used to take Prevacid but the cost became too much at $150 per mth after insurance covered most of it. The problem was there there is no generic for it. I have also taken Nexium in the past but it was not effective.

    Top foods to avoid are the following(after 5 yrs of this I have come up with my own list):
    Alcohol
    Peanut Butter
    Caffiene
    Tomato
    Orange, grapefruit, etc (citrus)
    Any tomato based soup, pizza , pasta, etc.

    All of these things cause a bad bout of acid reflux for me. I had a scope done about 6 mths ago and surgery was offered. I wanted to try and change my diet and loose weight first as the surgery is only 80% effective. I am not doing well with the weight but have changed my diet and know that when I indulge in these foods I will pay the price.

    I would not wish this on my worst enemy. I hope you can resolve this with weight loss and diet change!

    Amy:heart:

    Ugh, I hate those drugs that don't have generics. But once their patent runs out other companies can make generic forms so you will be able to get those eventually. :flowerforyou:
    I take one for IBS and it's $212 for one month! Right now insurance is covering the co-pay from my parents' tax return, but that was by clerical error, so next month I'm going to see how much it is...hopefully not $150, or I'm not going to be taking it. :ohwell:
  • porka29
    porka29 Posts: 868 Member
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    I have acid reflux. I take Prilosec OTC on a regular basis 2x per day. I used to take Prevacid but the cost became too much at $150 per mth after insurance covered most of it. The problem was there there is no generic for it. I have also taken Nexium in the past but it was not effective.

    Top foods to avoid are the following(after 5 yrs of this I have come up with my own list):
    Alcohol
    Peanut Butter
    Caffiene
    Tomato
    Orange, grapefruit, etc (citrus)
    Any tomato based soup, pizza , pasta, etc.

    All of these things cause a bad bout of acid reflux for me. I had a scope done about 6 mths ago and surgery was offered. I wanted to try and change my diet and loose weight first as the surgery is only 80% effective. I am not doing well with the weight but have changed my diet and know that when I indulge in these foods I will pay the price.

    I would not wish this on my worst enemy. I hope you can resolve this with weight loss and diet change!

    Amy:heart:

    Ugh, I hate those drugs that don't have generics. But once their patent runs out other companies can make generic forms so you will be able to get those eventually. :flowerforyou:
    I take one for IBS and it's $212 for one month! Right now insurance is covering the co-pay from my parents' tax return, but that was by clerical error, so next month I'm going to see how much it is...hopefully not $150, or I'm not going to be taking it. :ohwell:

    Me and the bf take Prilosec too. I also took Nexxium, but I was in the same boat as pdxmomof3, $10 a pill wasn't feasible. There is a generic on the market for Prilosec, I know they're supposed to be the same but I found it wasn't as effective as Prilosec.
  • wannaBme
    wannaBme Posts: 143
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    Thank you very much for ll of the information and suggestions. I'm going to try a couple of them and then get back to you all on how it works out.
  • spiritmi
    spiritmi Posts: 61 Member
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    i have not tried food combining but have read about it....i know people who swear by it...i have been a vegetarian for 18 years and thought bloating and gas was just a part of being a vegetarian and eating so much fiber, beans, etc:embarassed: ....however after meeting with a holistic neutropath (can't spell) i found out i needed to be taking digestive enzymes....that ended the bloating and the gas.:bigsmile: ..good luck to you!!!...joan