How to Have Your GERD, and Your Tea, Too (Report from NYC Coffee & Tea Festival)

From Michele Brody's Reflections in Tea

NOTE:  Whoa!   Far too long between posts!   In case you're wondering, I  have not abandoned this blog, far from it -- I've just been side-tracked by a few trips out of town, long work hours, housecleaning projects, and, frankly, the temptation to play outside instead of sitting in front of a screen, now that Spring is here.  Lots of stockpiled GERD/guts/recipes/related topics ahead, so back to it, on a regular schedule, then!

After a few months of increased GERD and far too many TUMS, I am, somehow, feeling better.   Thank goodness, because a few weeks ago, I attended the 2013 NYC Coffee & Tea Festival (a sold-out frenzy that weighs heavily in favor of tea aficionados, with more leaf than bean again this year -- it's one of my annual highlights).  I wondered how my gut would handle more tea than usual, more black tea than usual, and more excitement than usual -- this year's festival coincided with a visit by my parents and an exceptionally hectic work-week.    

I am convinced after much trial and error that you can have your tea and your GERD, too -- you just need to figure out what works for your guts, tea-wise.  It may be drinking only with meals, avoiding strong black teas, or reducing the amount of tea/drinking it every few days, or perhaps going full-on herbal (I never thought I'd drink this much chamomile, but I've found a few varieties that are a delight).  As I've mentioned elsewhere on this blog, oolongs and pu-ehrs give me little to no problems, but YMMV.

THE TEA-HOUSE  

I started my festival day by wandering the aisles and found this at one end -- Michele Brody, a performance artist, engaged in Reflections in Tea, an interactive work where people enter a copper-and-teabag-lined structure to share a cup and stories of tea.  (For more on Michele's work and her Tea Reflections piece, see this interview from the Villager.)    The walls were created with tea-stained fillable tea-bags which had been covered with people's handwritten experience with tea.  I entered the structure, Michele's first participant of the day.   There was a calm but palpable energy in the tea-house, making me feel like I had entered a sacred space like a kiva or shaman's tent.   We shared cups of puehr and I was invited to write my own "reflection in tea."  (I wrote about navigating GERD as a tea-aficianado.)  

The tea-house:

Some of the "tea reflections" on used tea bags:

 

GREEN TEAS

I've been drinking a lot of green tea lately, usually mid-day and the afternoon.   My GERD tolerates "high quality" loose-leaf teas, particularly delicate ones.   One of the draws of the festival for me is buying from merchants I don't usually find in my local stores, like Sara's Tea Caddy, which specializes in fine-grade Japanese tea.   I sampled the Genmai Hojicha and should have purchased it, but splurged on the Fukamushi Sencha instead.  (Next time, I'll get both.)

I can tolerate high quality, delicate green tea.   While all loose-leaf is superior to pulverized tea in a sealed paper bag, I think GERD-wise, for me, it matters even more to seek out loose-leaf green tea, and a source that has been handled well.   I am steeping mine for about 1 minute, for a very light result.  Tip: If you want stronger tea, do not increase the steep time -- increase the amount of tea used.  (This applies to all tea.)

OOLONGS AND PUEHRS

The festival had many opportunities to try and buy my two favorite teas (as you may know from my earlier posts), puehrs and oolongs.   I especially liked the red oolong I sampled at Lotus Leaf Tea.  Here is one of the Lotus Leaf owners preparing a taste:

I bought the red tea and and a very rich puehr (shown below).   I learned some puehrs are artificially fermented with chemicals (!) (source for this pending, but that is what the Lotus Leaf purveyor told me); this one is naturally aged.  Another thing to consider when I buy puehrs!

One of my favorite New York tea suppliers was at the Festival -- Fang Gourmet Tea, a Chinese tea shop based in Flushing, Queens.  Fang's stand is always mobbed!   They have excellent tea in quality and variety, and the wonderful Fang staff gets a shout-out for perfectly matching one's tastes, budget and needs to the right tea.   I was tempted by a few of the costlier rare teas, but one of the tea sellers suggested I wait and come to their store where I can sample them -- make sure I like it before buying it. A trip to Queens is pending.  (Here is a nice article about Fang from Serious Eats.  And Fang's breadth of tea experience is demonstrated in this article about their pestle tea.)

I sampled the Four Season oolong, and decided to take a stronger variety home.   I drink oolong tea almost daily, with little impact on my GERD except in a positive way:  I feel calm, healthy, and happy when I drink it.  

A new Festival favorite, Everlasting Teas, is a company founded by a father-son team, Alan and Sammy Levine.  They stress unflavored teas, including a few rare varieties for the connoisseur (oolongs aged for over 30 years, etc.).  I was thrilled to be part of a small "tea tasting" at the stand, where we heard about each tea and tasted several varieties.   Sam's dad, Alan, had medical issues and drinking tea was one of the life-changes he made for better health.  (For more about Alan and Sam, see this blog entry from Chelsea Market Baskets, which also sells their teas.)

Alan and Sammy Levine at their stand, during a tasting.

Everlasting Teas -- exquisite selection and presentation!

 I picked up a Mountain Oolong and an aged oolong (Note: that is not me in the photo).

Another discovery for me at the Festival was The Tea Merchant, an organic, fair-trade tea company with the full variety of teas.  Full disclosure:  the booth invited bloggers to sample teas (and, one suspects, hopefully write about them) and I received samples of the Wuyi and Biodynamic Darjeeling.  I had GERD issues with the Darjeeling (see section on black teas, below), but enjoyed the Wuyi -- though I was a little underwhelmed, maybe due to my preference for Fang's and Everlasting Teas' varieties.

BLACK TEAS

Well, I think I've had it with black tea.  After sampling several stands at the fest, it was only when I consumed black tea that I started feeling my gut percolate.  Day to day, I avoid black teas except the occasional Tazo "Joy" tea (a blend of Darjeeling, Green and Oolong), and the Charleston plantation tea I picked up on our Southern road trip last year.  And then I drink them only late in the day, after I've had meals.

Still, at the festival, I was charmed by Ajiri Tea, a mother-daughter run company (with their dad/husband helping out at the booth) whose name means "to employ" in Swahili, and provides "a sustainable cycle of community employment and education" for women in Kenya.   (See The Mantle's interview for more about Ajiri's social mission.)  The boxes are works of art, literally, hand-crafted/designed by Kenyan artists and children.   I already had a box at home that I found at the Smithsonian, and was delighted to meet the Ajiri owners.   While I appreciate the high quality of this tea, I am forced to admit it is too harsh for my GERD sensitivity, and I cannot drink much of it.  So, I'll share the tea with friends, and enjoy the colorful boxes.

One of the most popular stands was the Bingley's Teas Limited booth, with its literature theme (teas are named after Victorian characters such as Mr. Knightly's Reserve), dramatic and detailed presentation (check out the photo below for tiny glimpse, and their Pinterest board), and -- unique, quality black teas.   I was tempted (by the self-titled Tea Temptress) by the Jane Austen Sampler, but decided to avoid buying black teas at the Festival (aside from Ajiri) since I am resigned to my inability to really drink them.  (Sigh.)  

My Festival bounty!

Secret Weapon: Pukka Tea

Stellar packaging by Pukka Teas.

I've been puzzled about a surge in my GERD symptoms.  Over the past month, I've had daily instances of reflux, the lump in throat feeling, heartburn, belching, and/or nausea, inspiring me to chew Tums on a daily basis.  So frustrating, since my symptoms have been subsiding!   The only cause I can point to is stress.  Since January, my life has been a whirlwind of deadlines, events, late nights, early mornings, galas, blizzards, even a concussion!  No wonder my guts are responding in kind.

To ease my digestive issues, I streamlined my diet this week, reducing caffeine and dairy, and I made a very deliberate effort to eat more slowly, eat smaller portions, and avoid constant "snacking" between meals to give my intestines time to catch up.   (I'm on the fence about whether snacking is good or bad, the "6 small meals a day" plan vs "give your digestive tract a break" plan.  And when I say "snacks" I mean bananas, nuts, homemade granola, oranges, applesauce -- not chips and candy bars.)

After a few days, I felt relief (though I did feel withdrawal from the caffeine).  Yesterday, I enjoyed two cups of dark oolong tea and a few squares of 70% dark chocolate for the first time in days, without problems.   This alternating between herbal tea and non-herbals continues to be a great strategy, allowing me to enjoy my beloved caffeinated teas and happy guts.  

Of note:  I am also filling my head with amusements to replace the stress -- long walks, comics, mindless television programs, music.  I do feel better, mentally and physically!

PUKKA TEA -- HERBAL TEA FOR THE HERBAL SKEPTIC!

Herbal tea is still a challenge for me.  I don't like the taste of many herbal teas that are out there, and many have ingredients I don't want to ingest (stevia, ginseng, acai, goji, etc.).   So I was thrilled to discover the array of herbal blends by Pukka Tea at their sample station at this year's NYC Vegetarian Festival.  They have their share of tulsis and ginsengs, but I was delighted to find various chamomiles and lemongrass teas, fennel and licorice blends -- a wealth of options for the troubled digestive tract! 

I bought Pukka's Chamomile Vanilla tea and the Rose, Lavender, Chamomile blend.  Both are wonderful, and I am not a chamomile fan.   (The chamomile tea that is still my favorite is the Chamomile with Lavender blend by Traditional Medicine.  Really good, and organic.)   I also picked up samples of the fennel blend and a rooibus variety.

And, the Pukka packaging alone is worth the purchase.  Visual meditation!

More Pukka packaging.  Aaaaahhhhh!

Secret Weapon: Kukicha Tea

Tea is often not recommended for GERD sufferers due to its reputation as a "trigger" food.    In my case, caffeinated teas can aggravate my reflux, but I am determined to find a way to continue to drink tea -- one my great pleasures of life! -- and still manage my issues.  I found by reducing my tea consumption (1-2 cups a day instead of 3-4), incorporating a few herbals and decaffeinated teas, and taking an occasional "tea hiatus," I am able to enjoy all types of tea with no or minimal reflux.  

The type of tea matters, too.  In an earlier post, I mentioned hojicha, a roasted green tea that works well with my gut.  Puehrs and oolongs are also non-triggers for me.   Another tea I have recently re-discovered is kukicha, or "twig tea."  Kukicha and hojicha are variations of bancha, the "last tea" produced by the tea tree before it goes dormant.   This tea is naturally lower in caffeine -- perhaps that is why I tolerate it so well? -- and is the tea of choice of Buddhist monks, and macrobiotic diets, and many  tea drinkers such as this blogger, who notes kukicha's health benefits.

Kukicha is literally twigs of the tea tree taken during pruning.    T Ching's introduction explains the difference between bancha, hojicha, kukicha, and matcha (note: T Ching is a tea blog worth a look, overall).

I recommend Bellocq's Roasted Kukicha with its excellent mild but deep, nutty flavor.   Here is my cup, after brewing:

Secret Weapon: Fruit/Floral Tisanes

Peach Tranquility, a fruit and floral tisane

When I started my diet management plan for my GERD, I was appalled by the thought of "giving up" tea.  Tea is a big part of my life -- I enjoy it, rely on it, look forward to it, shop for it like other people buy fine wine.  Herbals never excited me.   When I realized that caffeinated tea was one of my triggers, I decided I would minimize the amount of tea I drink daily, reducing it from three cups to one (maybe two, on a hectic day).    By staggering the amount of black or green tea I drink, and by having it later in the day -- not first thing in the morning -- and by going on mini caffeinated tea hiatuses (24-48 hours without any tea), I can usually drink any tea with no GERD side effects. 


One thing that has helped me keep my tea in my diet is my willingness to develop a taste for herbals.  I usually start the day off with lemon verbena tea or chamomile.   By late morning, I have a cup of black tea -- Oolong or a classic black tea (Ceylon, Earl Gray) -- or I'll just have a cup of Pu-ehr in the afternoon.   Before or after dinner, I enjoy another cup of tea.  This one is herbal or possibly an Oolong.

Lemon verbena is a favorite herbal, but "Peach Tranquility," a fruity blend from Teavana, is becoming my herbal tea of choice.   (Note on Teavana:   Yes, this is a mall chain, and yes, the sales help are known to be pushy, but the tea itself is outstanding.  So are the accessories.)  Peach Tranquility is tasty, soothing, fun to brew (look at all that stuff!), and completely agreeable to my cranky gut.

CAVEAT:  In checking around the web, I found a few recommendations for GERD sufferers to avoid fruit-based infusions -- they will be too acidic.   I have no problem with this one.   As always, you'll have to see what works for your particular gut.

Secret Weapon: Oolong Tea

Fantastic tea from a tea merchant based in Queens, NY.

One of the hardest things about having GERD is limiting my tea intake.   Tea is for me like wine is to some people.  I savor not only the taste, but also the aromas, leaf textures, packaging, and "experience" of preparing tea.   When I travel, I make a point to visit local tea emporiums -- coming home with a few bags of French verveine or Darjeeling is a highlight!  I even attend an annual trade show.   

So, when my GI specialist added "tea" to the list of trigger foods, I was mortified.  No tea?!  You have to be kidding.  Over the past year, I've had to come to terms with the reality that tea can exacerbate my GERD.   I've also managed to "have my tea and my GERD too" by creative consumption.  For example:

• I've found that if I drink caffeinated tea every other day, this greatly helps minimize or eliminate any trigger effect.  
• Reduce the number of cups a day to one (or two)
• Take 2-3 days off from drinking tea at all -- I'm not as happy those days, but the long term benefits are worth it!
• Experiment with different varieties of tea; I've found that Oolong and Pu'ehr teas are less likely to trigger GERD than straight-up black teas like Earl Gray or Assam.
• Be open-minded to decaffeinated tea.  I got a few samples of Harney & Sons' Decaffeinated Ceylon, and even I will admit that a cup in the afternoon is pleasing (I'm not alone -- apparently, this is noted in reviews as the only decaf tea that has the richness of regular tea).  I still rarely drink decaffeinated tea, but keep a few bags of the Harney & Sons around in case I'd like something black tea-ish but am not sure my gut can tolerate it.

OOLONG TEA -- ESPECIALLY GERD FRIENDLY?


My gut seems to respond differently to different teas in the caffeinated category.  Pu-ehr tea and Hojicha are usually always safe teas, rarely triggering a reflux response.   Some of the greens (Lung Ching in particular, and some of "high quality" senchas) are also reliable.  The other type of tea that works well with my gut is Oolong, a favorite of Chinese medicine practitioners for easing digestive problems.   The unifying theme here may be fermentation -- a process known to be easy on the belly.  Maybe that's why these teas are best for my gut (and, luckily, they all happen to among my favorites).

Oolong tea, brewed from loose-leaf.  I usually drink oolongs, verveine, and hojicha in the mornings.

MORE LINKAGE: TEA AND GERD

Again, it's a challenge finding non-commercial references to tea and health benefits.  Most of what I'm finding are weight loss, quasi-medicinal, and commercial tea merchant sites.  I'll keep searching but for now:

Another Livestrong item specifically about green tea and GERD -- I like the point made that drinking tea is often a relaxing activity, thereby reducing stress and anxiety, which can trigger acid reflux.  Yeah!

On the merits of chamomile tea.  There's even a chamomile-inspired movie included here.

And then there's this chap (not sure of his credentials, but he verbally cites his facts), whose YouTube series includes this video clip about green tea and acid reflux.

Tea and Small Portions

I have had two cups of tea today (!) and have no exacerbated feelings of GERD.  I'm starting to wonder if I even know what "food in throat" feels like anymore -- is it so constant that I am thinking it's not there?  or don't care?  Or is it truly subsiding?  It has always been extremely subtle.  Does anyone else have "subtle GERD?"

Anyhow, I'm thrilled about no overt heartburn or reflux associated with my tea drinking.  A few other aspects of my diet may be responsible.  The past few days:

• I am eating multiple small meals/snacks
• I am eating small portions
• Since Saturday, 9/10, I have been taking a daily probiotic pill
• After feeling three days of "tooth grinding" I used my nightguard last night (what a miracle device!

My Favorite Probiotic: Pu-ehr Tea

I could devote an entire blog to my love of Pu-ehr, a fantastic fermented black tea with a full, rich flavor and "texture."  I have seen come pressed into large rectangular cakes, or as small quarter-sized, tissue-wrapped domes, or sometimes loose-leaf after being unraveled from its cake.    It seems thicker than other teas, almost velvety in appearance, like a strong coffee or Guinness does.

Secret weapon:  Since Pu-ehr is fermented, it is a source for probiotics.  How delightful is that?   Its medicinal value is endless, it seems.

The Wikipedia entry for Pu-ehr covers the basics…

but Mike Petro's meta-page devoted to Pu-ehr is truly a marvel.

Green Beans and Bees

Finally, on to the Union Square greenmarket!  It's been three weeks since I've been there -- and my psyche and stomach are feeling deprived.  I've loaded my grocery cart with three tote bags (one is a cooler-style bag) and two plastic containers in which to stash fragile things like peaches and tomatoes.  My journey to the greenmarket involves a lot of walking and a subway ride, so preparation is the difference between getting things home in one piece or finding all of your cherry tomatoes turned into a mash.

As I've been grumbling in the past posts, my diet this past week has been lacking fresh produce, let alone my beloved greenmarket produce.  Blame it on the hurricane, my schedule, family visits and a lot of eating out.   So, I cannot wait to get green beans, chard, kale, tomatoes, other leafy things, maybe cauliflower if they have it.

 Of note: I've had green or black tea every day this week, and any effects were modest.  Right now, I am drinking an oolong and admit I feel a minor "lump in throat" feeling.  If this is all I experience, I'm not concerned.  (Unless it's pathologically affecting my esophagus.  Then I have trouble.)

My GERD is minimal today.  I spent the past two days eating smaller portions -- back to the "two breakfasts" scheme -- and minimizing my dairy intake (just the nightly ice cream).

I've been sleeping hard and long, even with strange dreams, and have started a reading-before-bed routine to help me de-stress.  Reading before bed -- it's been a long time that I've done this, and I LOVE IT!  Right now I am in awe of Motel Art Improvement Service, a comic by Jason Little.  (Whom I met at a local comics convention and he drew my own personal Bee for me in the cover flap of my book!)

GERD Progress Report: One Week Later

It's been about a week since the last day of my GERD Elimination Diet and…

I still feel good.  I have had caffeine on a steady basis in the form of black and green teas and dark chocolate, and did not feel "gerdy" afterwards.   (This was a pleasant surprise; I was expecting problems.)   I am still feeling the FIT (food in throat) feeling, and a few days ago I had more belching than I'd deem "normal."     Overall, I am experiencing less GERD symptoms.  No morning GERD either, which is a relief.

What am I doing differently?  For one thing, I've increased my daily exercise dramatically:

• More walking!  I'm briskly walking nearly 20 blocks to work each morning.  This is on top of the 20 blocks I walk after work every day.   This routine requires me to leave the house earlier -- which means more organization, and fortitude to stay "on target" in the mornings.  I love seeing the city waking up, my fellow commuters whooshing along, doormen polishing the brass fixtures, smelling the bakeries along the way.  
• I'm re-committing to climbing stairs (six flights) when possible during the day.  To distract myself from the tedium and challenge, I experimented playing an effective ball-dropping game on my smartphone while hiking up the stairs.  
• I've added an "abs" workout series to my morning strength routine that I do every other day.  I got the latest one from Real Simple, which has a good "15 minute workout" section online too, so you can just go there and craft a lovely series for yourself.

I've felt less stress throughout the day.  No night guard needed, either!

Can exercise really make this much of a difference?

Roasted Green Tea (Hojicha)

Yay!

My first cup of long awaited tea after this week of tea deprivation!   I chose hojicha (roasted green tea) I bought from a Japanese shop in Brooklyn.  The mug is from Dado Tea, a marvelous tea cafe in Central Square, Cambridge, MA.

My doctor, while warning me that tea can exacerbate GERD, agrees tea is a healthy drink.  I like that he understands my tea affection (affliction) and is not outright banning it for my diet, encouraging me to explore strategies (more herbals, green teas, etc.).

After my first cup, I feel slight FIT, and a small bit of heartburn -- but I've had these issues without the tea all week.  So…

p.s. Green tea is one of the recent health crazes, but of course us green tea drinkers know how it good it is, and how good it is for you, all along, right?

Gerd Elimination Diet, Day 5: Friday, August 12

TGIF.  I stayed up late to watch the Republican debate and now a cup of tea would be my salvation.  Instead, I am drinking orange juice and looking forward to a cup of herbal.  After 10 minutes of waking up today, I felt that clenched throat feeling and slight heartburn.  This resolved soon on its own and I did morning weights with no concerns.

Breakfast -- 6:30 AM
1 Wheetabix square
1 C. almond milk
1/4 C. raisins
1/2 graham cracker square
-- Hectic morning but in a good way. I was busy with chores, though I ate breakfast slowly.  I just didn't have time for my usual fruit.

Snack -- 9:00 AM
8 oz. fresh squeezed orange juice
-- another effort to ward off the germs of my coworkers...

Snack -- 11:00 AM
1 hard boiled egg (pastured)
1 granola bar (Nature Valley Honey & Oat variety)

Lunch -- 1:30 PM
Leftover medley: corn on the cob, green beans, edamame, parsley
-- I threw this together in five minutes.  Ingredients from leftovers, except for the edamame, which I sauteed in the morning before adding to the mixture.  Delicious!
1 C.  cherries

Snack -- 5:00 PM
pretzels, crackers, 1 oz smoked gouda
-- Office party after work; I nibbled on a few things.

Dinner -- 7:45 PM
1 slice pizza (regular cheese)
1/2 slice Sicilian pizza
Salad with tomato, cucumbers, peppers and Italian dressing
-- After a long day, I was exhausted!   I decided to eat out, and did not want to make a production of it, so we walked around the block to a good pizza place and that's what we had.

Dessert -- 8:30 PM
1 C. vanilla ice cream (Breyer's)

Gerd Elimination Diet, Day 4: Thursday, August 11

Morning GERD:  Once again, shortly after waking, I went from feeling "okay" (slight FIT) to that clenched throat sensation.  I don't know what is causing this.  I am definitely hungry upon waking.

Pre-Breakfast Snack -- 6:00 AM

1 Mott's natural applesauce cup
1/2 graham cracker

-- I hoped this would calm my stomach acids.   It calmed the hunger, and by turn, the acids.

Breakfast -- 7:15 AM

1 Wheetabix square

1/4 C. raisins

handful of strawberries

-- By 7:45 AM, I felt a sharp pain in my esophagus/stomach -- a "lump in throat" feeling again.   It seems eliminating caffeine is not making any difference.  I could use a cup of tea soon -- but will delay until this week is over!

Snack -- 9:10 AM
1 bottle Odwalla Strawberry C-Monster
-- Everyone at work is sick, and I felt run down this morning, so on to my "secret weapon" -- Odwalla C-Monster, with 1500% of the Vitamin C needed in a day.  This usually gets me past any germy episodes.

Snack -- 10:00 AM
1 slice rye bread (Syrena Bakery)
1 cup of decaffeinated Ceylon tea (Harney & Sons)
-- Feeling mentally better just steeping a cup of "black" tea.  Had bread since I was hungry; I think I need to have more protein in the morning as part of one of my breakfasts.  Some ideas: nuts, nut butters, tofu, pastured egg, edamame.  It's no wonder I am hungry since I am eating only a "half portion" of cereal earlier, but I think more protein early in the day would be beneficial.

Snack -- 10:45 AM
1 C sliced strawberries

Lunch -- 12:00 PM
1 Amy's Burrito (Indian Spinach and Tofu)
8 oz Poland Spring water
-- Amy's burritos are heavenly.  Wholesome, delicious, perfectly seasoned to my taste.  This variety sounds like it would be spicy, but it is mild.

Snack -- 2:30 PM
1 Mott's natural applesauce cup

Snack -- 4:00 PM
1 single serving almond milk (Silk brand vanilla)
1 Nature Valley granola bar (Oat & Honey)
-- I do love these bars, but am trying out other brands for my "go-to."  I'm trying to avoid honey...

Dinner -- 7:45 PM
2 Morningstar vegetarian sausages
2/3 C. baked beans (B&M vegetarian)
2/3 C. mixed vegetables (Birdseye)
1 slice rye bread
-- No time for elaborate cooking, so this is our quick meal.  Racing around before and after dinner with chores. Feel ok, though while eating the sausages I felt some heartburn come on during the meal.  This subsided quickly during the meal, as well.

Lost Weekend (and Nights of Gerd)

Despite eating out, eating too much, and eating too much of the "wrong" foods (chocolate, tea, fatty things), my GERD seemed no worse than average.   The weekend was a whirlwind, and my stomach followed.

I am starting my GERD Elimination Diet today for seven days.  No chocolate sounds extreme to me and continuing with no tea is uncivilized.  I have been falling asleep at my desk at work in fits of narcolepsy.  But, it's only seven days and I will probably learn something.

Another thing I would like to try this week is not reclining until after three hours from my last meal in the evening.   Over the past months, I'm increasingly prone (no pun intended) to GERD-y symptoms in the middle of the night and in the morning:  belching, regurgitation, slight heartburn.   This is new for me, and irritating.  

GERD is stressful!  Which only produces more GERD!

Food Diary: Thursday, August 4

RANDOM OBSERVATIONS

GERD elimination diet is not underway, yet.    My 48 hours without tea ended with a cup of a white and green tea blend this afternoon.   It was a weak cup and I did not feel any different after drinking it, except happier.

I started the day with a glass of Gerolsteiner mineral water and that "food-in-throat" (FIT) feeling.

WHAT I ATE

7:00 AM - Breakfast:
1 Wheetabix
1 C. almond milk
1/4 C. raisins
handful of grapes

10:00 AM Snack:
1 slice rye bread (plain)

10:30 AM Snack:
Brownie (my homemade dairy-free, egg-free, chocolate-full brownies)
- No adverse effects from the brownie.

1:00 PM - Lunch:
1 small salad from Le Gourmet deli that I composed myself.  It contained leafy greens, peas, walnuts, tomatoes, chickpeas, balsamic dressing.   Slice of foccacia bread on the side.
1 small brownie (1/2 inch) piece
-  Strong "food in throat" feeling.  This feels like a "lump in the throat" that you get during a nervous moment.

At some point today, I also had 1/3 C. unsweetened applesauce.

2:30 PM - Snack
1 cup white/green tea

8:15 PM - Dinner
1 C. kidney beans (from dry organic beans I made last night)
1 C. broccoli (frozen florets)
1.5. slices of rye bread with Earth Balance spread

9:45 PM - Dessert
1 large bowl of mint chocolate chip ice cream (Breyer's)
- My diet is vegetarian-veering-to-vegan.  I can't seem to resist ice cream and pizza, still.  When traveling, I shift to vegetarian, though I seek out vegan options.  I buy pastured eggs and eat these almost exclusively.   Soon, I'll devote an entry to my diet, or maybe a page, just for context. 

Food Diary: Wednesday, August 3

RANDOM OBSERVATIONS

This is the second tea-free day of my "GERD elimination test."  Is that why I am so tired?  I fell asleep at my desk both days.  Is it the lack of tea that's causing my narcolepsy?  A few times, I also felt unable to mentally "get with it."  I knew if I had some tea, the afternoon would go more smoothly.  As for how this is making my guts feel, I have to admit I feel less "gerdy."  No belching, no regurgitation, nothing.   Note that I am still having chocolate (bar and brownies).

I've decided to omit my bathroom goings-on in this blog, which will already be full of gratuitous information about my guts.   However, take note:  anyone interested in improving their GI issues -- or their health, in general -- should track how their intestines are functioning.   For Android phones, I recommend the PoopLog.  (iPhone users -- any suggestions?)

WHAT I ATE


6:00 AM - Breakfast
1 Wheetabix biscuit
1 C. almond milk (Blue Diamond unsweetened vanilla)
1/4 C. raisins (Sunmaid)
1 peach
1/2 C. blackberries
2/3 C. mineral water (Gerolsteiner)

10:00 AM - Snack
1/3 sourdough bagel, plain
1 individual applesauce (Motts Natural)

12:00 PM - Lunch 
1 white flour roll (from Employee Appreciation Day free lunch)
1 vegetable "potsticker" (from Employee Appreciation Day free lunch)
1.5 C. squash casserole (mine)

1:30 PM - Snack
1 Mr. Softee vanilla ice cream cone

3:30 PM - Snack
1 C. cherries

7:30 PM - Dinner 
Warmed in cast iron pan:  kidney beans, fresh corn kernels scraped off the cob, 4 cherry tomatoes, fresh parsley

9:00 PM - Snack
Brownies - from a recipe I found on Allrecipes for Vegan Brownies

The Plan: GERD Elimination Diet

THE PLAN

Dr. C. suggested I try an "elimination diet" for GERD.  This means avoiding the following for 1-2 weeks and introducing them back in, to see what/if anything triggers GERD:

• Alcohol
• Spicy foods
• Chocolate
• Caffeine
• Mint
• Fatty foods

PROGNOSIS

Alcohol: Easy, as I am a teetotaler.

Spicy foods:  Also easy, as I am a spice wimp.

Chocolate: Problematic.   By 11:00 AM, I have usually had a square of dark chocolate.

Caffeine:  Tea is my life.  I have been experimenting with drinking caffeinated tea every other day.  For the elimination diet, I will have to cold turkey it for 1-2 weeks.

Mint: I can take or leave it.  This should not be a problem to avoid.

Fatty foods:  I will need to leave my olive oil at the kitchen door for the next few weeks.

OTHER ISSUES

I have been a vegetarian since the age of 12, and am striving to a vegan diet altogether.   This does not affect the GERD diet but if I also try a classic allergy elimination diet, things get complicated.

I am not supposed to recline until 2-3 hours after eating, but logistically, this is ridiculous.  By the time I get home, cook, and eat, it's already 8:00 PM.  That means going to bed at 11 PM but this is too late if I want to get up by 5:00 AM.   How do people manage?

Did I mention tea is my life?