Hiatal Hernia Diet Tips

Acid retention increases with hiatal hernia, due to which acid is pushed back into the esophagus. This is now turning out to be a very common problem which is gaining momentum, due to the change in food habits and the amount of fried and fat saturated foods that are now consumed with regularity. Here are some hiatal hernia diet tips, which will help in dealing better with the problem. Before that let's get to know a little about hiatal hernia itself.

What is Hiatal Hernia?

There are different types of hernia. Hiatal hernia is a condition, where the upper part of the stomach pushes up into the chest, through an opening in the diaphragm. This opening is called the esophageal hiatus. This condition is more commonly seen in women than in men, in middle age. People who have undergone abdominal surgeries are also prone to hiatal hernia. At the same it also affects obese people. The risk associated with hiatal hernia increases with age. Sometimes, children are also affected with it though.

Hiatal Hernia Diet Tips

Here are some of the simple tips, which will help you deal with hiatal hernia better.

• Do not drink water while having your meal. Drink water either half an hour before or after your meal.
• Instead of three big meals, have six small meals. Your last meal should be at least two hours before you go to bed.
• Do not lie down after your meal. At least for an hour sit up straight after your meals. If possible go for a stroll, this will prevent acid reflux disease.
• Avoid bending after your meals. If you must bend avoid bending to your right as that promotes heartburn.
• Alcohol and smoking should be avoided by people suffering with hiatal hernia. Remember the production of stomach acid is stimulated due to smoking.
• You can have an antacid if you feel you might experience heartburn.
• While sleeping, keep your head and shoulder at an incline.
• Avoid wearing clothes which constrict your stomach.
• Avoid foods which cause acid reflux by following a GERD diet.

Hiatal Hernia Diet Plan

When you plan your hiatal hernia diet, make sure that you have a well balanced diet. Here is an example of a hiatal hernia diet plan.

Early Morning: Add lemon juice and honey to a glass of lukewarm water. Drink this first thing every morning.
Breakfast: You can choose fresh fruits of your choice. Also have a glass of milk, however, do not substitute fresh fruits and milk for a milkshake.
Lunch: For lunch have whole wheat tortilla or bread along with vegetables along with a glass of buttermilk.
Early Evening (4 p.m.): Give your favorite coffee or tea a skip. Instead, opt for a glass of a healthier drink like fruit or vegetable juice.
Dinner: Have dinner as early as possible. Dinner should be light and you can include salads. To avoid the monotony in salads, you can also add sprouts to it.
Before Going to Bed: If you like milk, then have a cup just before going to bed. The other alternative is to have an apple just before bed time.

Hiatal Hernia Food Tips

Food Group	Safe Food	Moderate Safe Food	Food to be Avoided
Vegetables	Baked potato, peas, French beans, broccoli, carrots, cabbages	Garlic, onions (cooked)	Onions (raw), fried potato
Fruit	Apples (in any form), Bananas	Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, peach, grapes	Oranges, orange juice, tomatoes, grapefruit juice, lemon, cranberry juice
Dairy	Feta, goat, fat free cream cheese, soy products such as low fat soy cheese	Yogurt, skimmed or 2% milk, low fat homemade cottage cheese, cheddar or mozzarella cheese	Sour cream, milkshake, ice cream
Grains	Multi-grain or whole wheat bread, brown or white rice, oatmeal, bran or cereal, corn bread	Granola cereal, garlic bread, muffins	Macaroni, spaghetti
Oils, Dressings	Low fat salad dressing	Ketchup	Cream based salad dressing, salad dressing with oil and vinegar
Meat	Egg white, lean meat, chicken breast and wings, fish (without any added fat)	Fried eggs, fried fish, tuna salad, ham, ground beef (lean)	Buffalo wings, chicken nuggets, ground beef
Beverages	Water	Non alcoholic beer and wine, root beer, cola	Liquor, Coffee, Tea

I would just like to mention that the list I have given above is not an exhaustive list. You will have to find out what suits your condition better. There is also a possibility, that a food item mentioned in the safe list above, can worsen your problem and on the other hand, a food item to be avoided will end up suiting you well. Nevertheless, I hope these hiatal hernia diet tips, are of help to you.