Want a Special Weight Loss Program for Gastric Acid Sufferers? Try Bland Diet

Illustration (Jenna Hamra/Pexels)

JAKARTA - Gastric acid is often synonymous with stomach disease. In fact, gastric acid disease or GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) is a digestive disease that occurs due to the rise of gastric acid to the esophagus. The rise of gastric acid can cause pain in the stomach.

Regular eating patterns must be applied to GERD sufferers to prevent the rise of stomach acid. One of the rules of eating patterns that can be lived is to follow the bland diet program. Reported from Medical News Today, Thursday, February 25, a bland diet or a soft diet is a diet method that requires the patient to eat soft and soft textured foods. The goal is to reduce the risk of irritation on the stomach wall. Not only suitable for GERD sufferers, those who often experience inflammation and diverticulitis are also advised by nutritionists to undergo this diet.

The bland diet emphasizes the types of foods that can and cannot be consumed, the portion of food, and the way of eating. The types of foods that are allowed are low-fat foods such as fish, beef, poultry, tofu, and eggs, low-fiber vegetables and fruits, and foods that do not contain seasoning.

Seasoning is believed to trigger an increase in stomach acid, so sufferers will experience bloating, diarrhea, heartburn, nausea, and vomiting. Pudding, rice, bread, pasta, tea variants such as green tea, black tea, and herbal tea can also be consumed.

Meanwhile, the foods that should be avoided are foods with a hard texture, high fiber, high fat, spicy, and produce gas such as tubers. You are also prohibited from eating dried fruit, raw vegetables, sweet foods, caffeinated drinks and acidic foods.

Although it sounds tight, the purpose of this blend diet is to rest the digestive system. High-fiber foods are more difficult for the body to digest, especially for people with stomach acid. That's why, high-fiber foods must be avoided here. In addition, the goal is also to avoid further stomach irritation in people with stomach acid.

The blend diet is safe to run for only a short time. Maximum 3 to 4 weeks. If done in the long term, it can cause serious health problems, such as constipation due to a lack of fiber in the body.