Since the symptoms of gastric reflux, like acidity, burning, but also difficulty in sleeping, can become more acute during seasonal changes, it is suggested to avoid chocolate to those people who suffer from it – explains Dr. Beatrice Salvioli, gastroenterologist at Humanitas hospital. – In fact, chocolate is a tasty food that can worsen the symptoms of gastritis or reflux in individuals who are affected by them. Beside chocolate, coffee, especially in the morning on an empty stomach, tomatoes, citrus fruits, alcoholic beverages, sausages, smoked meat and fatty, fermented cheeses should also be avoided as they stimulate higher production of acid in the stomach. In addition, to prevent reflux, it is advisable to change bad habits and lifestyles and to avoid overweight, especially on the waistline, as it increases intra-abdominal pressure that can push on the stomach and encourage acid regurgitation from the stomach. Finally, in order to reduce acidity, it is better to avoid the classic “pinch of bicarbonate”, especially for long periods; instead, excellent antacids are available on the market for immediate relief, in addition to drugs such as proton pump inhibitors, used in the treatment of gastric hyperacidity, which act on the symptom but not on the reflux cause.
