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?
