Why Is GERD Awareness Week During Thanksgiving?

To perhaps no one’s surprise, GERD Awareness Week occurs during the week of Thanksgiving; this is entirely intentional. Most of us tend to overeat and indulge in special treats during this time一 which is fine, but it can be very uncomfortable for patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Here at The Tampa Bay Reflux Center, we don’t want you to feel like you can’t indulge a little bit一 we just want you to know how to strike the perfect balance this holiday season.

What Is GERD Awareness Week?

Like other awareness weeks and months, GERD awareness week is a week-long time period during which individuals and medical professionals spread awareness about gastroesophageal reflux disease. During the week of Thanksgiving, overeating一 although delicious一 can cause extra strain on the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), which is a common cause of acid reflux. Let’s take a look at how you can both prevent and stop heartburn from occurring, simply by changing how you eat this Thanksgiving.

How To Stop Heartburn During Thanksgiving

Know Your Triggers

Everyone is a bit different, so what might trigger you might not cause heartburn for someone else. However, the most common triggers foods cause an issue for our GERD patients: caffeine, chocolate, citrus fruits, alcohol, and fatty foods. Add your own trigger foods to this list and be careful what you consume on Thanksgiving this year!

Eat In Moderation

As mentioned above, unnecessary upward pressure from overeating can cause reflux to occur more easily一 even when upright. You can avoid much of your reflux discomfort by eating moderate-sized portions. We know that stuffing was amazing, but if you overfill your stomach with it, it won’t matter whether or not it contained trigger foods.

Wear Loose Clothing

Even if you don’t overeat or consume trigger foods, wearing tight, restrictive clothing can still cause heartburn. Tight clothing in the abdominal area一 like too-small underwire bras, compression shorts, and high-waisted pants一 puts pressure on your stomach. This pressure is practically identical to the pressure that occurs when you overeat. A weak LES will not be able to contain your stomach contents (even if you didn’t overeat) if there is pressure placed on the stomach.

Thanksgiving Foods To Avoid With Acid Reflux

Now that we’ve discussed some general ways to avoid acid reflux this holiday season, let’s take a look at some specific reflux-triggering foods that you may find at the Thanksgiving dinner table一 and should likely pass onto the next guest.

Gravy

While turkey may not be a high-fat food, gravy that is made from the pan drippings will be very high in fat. If you do have some, limit it to a tablespoon or so.

Cranberry Sauce

If there’s a homemade sauce, ask whether it contains citrus fruit; many recipes call for orange or lemon juice一 and that’ll be sure to make you breathe fire later.

Pumpkin Pie

Perhaps the most distressing thing to miss out on, pumpkin pie contains a lot of fat from milk, eggs, and whipped cream. You can make your own low-fat version if you’d like一 just bring it to any party you please!

Holiday Beverages

Spiced rum egg nog may be delicious, and a glass of white wine with your turkey might taste divine, but alcohol is a slippery slope to ascend when you struggle with GERD.

Kicking Acid Reflux For Good

If you’re ready to say “goodbye” to your heartburn symptoms for good, contact the team here at The Tampa Bay Reflux Center; we can help you determine which GERD surgery is right for you.