For Pie Crust:

1 cup quick cooking oats
¼ cup whole wheat flour
¼ cup ground toasted almonds
2 tbsp brown sugar
¼ tsp salt
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp water

For Pie Filling:

¼ cup brown sugar, packed
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
4 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin
2/3 cup evaporated skim milk

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425F.

To make pie crust, use a small mixing bowl to blend quick cooking oats, whole wheat flour, almonds, brown sugar and salt; set aside.

Blend vegetable oil and water in measuring cup with fork (or wire whisk) until emulsified.

Add oil/water mix to dry the ingredients you’d set aside (oats, flour, almonds, brown sugar and salt) and blend well. If mixture seems too dry, add small amounts of water, a bit at a time, to keep mixture together.

Press the crust mixture into a 9-inch pie plate; bake 8 – 10 minutes until crust is a light, golden brown.

Lower heat in oven to 350F.

Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl and use a fork to blend; add in beaten egg and vanilla extract and continue mixing until all ingredients are well blended.

Now add canned pumpkin and evaporated milk to the bowl, one at a time, and blend well.

Pour the filling mixture into piecrust you made earlier.

Bake 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted at center comes out clean.

Serve chilled with whipped cream for a traditional holiday favorite.

1 boneless chicken breast, 4 ounces
1 slice whole wheat bread, made into crumbs
2 tsp chopped fresh basil, divided
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
½ egg white
Pinch of salt
2 tsp finely chopped celery
6 tbsp reduced-sodium chicken broth
¼ tsp chicken bouillon granules
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp water
¼ cup low-fat sour cream
¼ cup long-grain brown rice, cooked without salt or fat

Preparation

Put the chicken breast in a plastic bag and pound with a cooking mallet until meat is flat, about ¼ inch thick.

Mix the whole wheat breadcrumbs, 1 tsp chopped fresh basil, fresh thyme, egg white, salt, and chopped celery in a medium mixing bowl.

Spread stuffing mixture onto flattened chicken breast; roll meat up and hold together with toothpicks.

Place the stuffed chicken roll along with the chicken broth in a non stick skillet; bring ingredients to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer.

Cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until cooked through.

Add chicken bouillon granules to the skillet, sprinkling over meat to coat.
Next blend cornstarch and water in a small bowl, then add this mixture to skillet, stirring continually so mixture thickens.

Add low-fat sour cream to skillet and continue heating.

Prepare brown rice according to package directions.

When sauce is thickened and chicken cooked, remove toothpicks and spoon sauce over the chicken.

Serve alongside rice and top chicken with remaining 1 tsp of chopped fresh basil.

This won’t rule out eating in restaurants, but it will mean that you’ll need to be selective of the dishes you choose, as the foods you eat have an enormous impact on the occurrence and degree of the acid reflux symptoms you feel. 

Once your doctor has diagnosed you with acid reflux, you will likely be provided with dietary suggestions to follow in order to keep your symptoms in check.  At first, this can make eating out quite the daunting experience, since you’ll have been watching every ingredient that has gone into your meals.  However, with time, you’ll get to know what to eat if you have acid reflux from the types of foods offered at your favorite restaurants and learn which ones fit in with your GERD-friendly diet. 

However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t try new places or that you can’t simply head somewhere spontaneously.  After all, you’re not always in charge of the restaurants where you’ll be eating.  From client meetings to birthday and anniversary celebrations, there are many times when you simply find yourself at restaurants whose menus you’re unfamiliar with.  In this case, if possible, go to the website for the restaurant or call ahead and find out what is on the menu.  If you can’t, don’t hesitate to ask about ingredients that go into a certain dish that looks as though it has potential for your diet and palate.

Use the following tips to get you started with what to eat if you have acid reflux:

1 – Instead of ordering a full meal that will tempt you to overindulge at one sitting, try having a salad without the dressing or a simple soup.  It’s easy to eat too much when you’re conversing with others and the portions are as large as they usually are at restaurants.

2 – Avoid cream dressings when you’re eating a salad.  Salads with lots of (non acidic) vegetables are a terrific choice, but you’ll only negate the benefits if you choose a heavy cream-based dressing.  Instead, try a light dressing.

3 – Red meats and greasy foods should be avoided altogether, as they cause a great deal of acid to be formed in the stomach and take longer to digest so they remain in the stomach longer than other foods.  Instead, choose lean poultry and grilled or steamed foods.

4 – Dairy can give GERD sufferers a very hard time.  Instead, try soy-based equivalents.  Soy has come a long way over the last few years and you may find soy milks, cheese, and ice creams pleasantly surprising.

5 – Although it’s best not to drink wine, beer, and other alcoholic beverages at all, if you want to have a drink limit your consumption to small amounts and have a glass of water on hand too.

Though this may seem like a lot of rules for what to eat if you have acid reflux, as you build good habits, you’ll discover that it’s not as challenging as you once thought and that there are many appealing alternatives to your old favorites.

3 tbsp fat free sour cream
1 tbsp light mayonnaise
1½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp chilli sauce (optional)
1 cup cooked shrimp meat, rinsed and patted dry (about 6 ounces)
¼ cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1 tbsp chopped fresh chives
2 avocados, peeled, pitted and halved lengthwise
1½ tsp lemon juice (optional)
4 cups shredded romaine lettuce
4 pinches of paprika (optional)

Preparation

In a medium mixing bowl combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce and chilli sauce (if using), use a wire whisk to blend ingredients well.

Next, stir shrimp, red pepper and chives into the mixture, blend well.
 
Use a tablespoon to transfer the shrimp mixture into the avocado halves.

Sprinkle lemon juice over the top of each half (optional).

Place avocados on a bed of romaine lettuce. Dust each with a pinch of paprika, if using.

Serve alone or as a delicious addition to a meal.

6 tbsp whole wheat flour
6 tbsp all purpose white flour
3 tbsp medium grind yellow corn meal
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp Splenda
6 tbsp old fashioned oatmeal
1 cup non fat buttermilk
1 large egg
2 large egg whites

Preparation

Start by sifting the whole wheat flour, all purpose flour, corn meal, salt, Splenda and baking powder into a large bowl.

Next add in oatmeal and use a whisk to mix the dry ingredients thoroughly.

Fold in the buttermilk, egg and egg whites; blend until batter is free of lumps.
Heat a non-stick griddle (or frying pan) over medium-high heat until hot.

Stir pancake batter and lower heat under griddle to medium.

Pour batter in ¼ cup servings onto hot griddle.

Cook the pancakes until tiny bubbles appear and then burst; use spatula to flip to other side.

Cook second side about ½ as long as the first side; check browning and then remove pancake from griddle.

Serve hot with some light spread, jam or pure maple syrup — 1 tbsp per two pancakes. Also delicious with fresh melon and a serving of natural live yogurt.

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 small white onion, minced
¼ lb button mushrooms, sliced
1 cups arborio rice
¼ cup white wine
2 cups water
1/8 tsp salt
Black pepper (to taste)
2 ounces wild morels, shitake or oyster mushrooms
1 tbsp (per serving) fresh basil
1½ ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and julienned (optional)

Preparation

Use medium sized stockpot to heat the olive oil; add the minced garlic and cook slowly over low heat taking care not to let the garlic or oil brown.

Once the garlic is soft and translucent, add the onion and cook over a medium heat, stirring frequently, until onions are also clear.

Next add the button mushrooms to the stockpot and cook over medium-high heat until browned.

Keep cooking until mushrooms are a dark, roasted brown color.

Add the arborio rice to the pot; cook for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
Reduce heat to medium and add white wine; stir well. Cook for 1 minute then add 2 cups of water, salt and pepper (if using).

Stir frequently so that rice doesn’t stick to the pan. After 15 minutes, check to see if rice is soft and cooked through. It shouldn’t be mushy.

If needed add ¼ cup water to keep mixture from drying out. You can do this more than once, if needed.

Slice wild mushrooms into bite size pieces and add to pot once rice is cooked; add basil and parmesan-reggiano cheeses.

Mix well and cook another 2 – 3 minutes over very low heat.

Serve right out of the pot; top each serving with julienne tomatoes (if using) for a bit of color and a whole lot of flavor.

Osteoporosis is a condition where the bones begin to lose their density (bone mineral density or BMD), placing the sufferer at increased risk of a fracture or break. It’s a condition that typically occurs as we age when the body is less able to regenerate healthy new bone.

Although it may not look it, bone is actually living tissue that is constantly renewing itself. It’s made up of a hard outer shell that contains collagen, minerals and blood vessels, as well as a softer core of bone marrow.

Bones are kept healthy and renewed by a supply of proteins and minerals absorbed from the blood, including calcium.

Specifically, it is proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) among the commonly prescribed acid reflux medications that put people at a higher risk of osteoporosis, according to a 2008 Canadian study.  Proton pump inhibitors are drugs that stop the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach in order to reduce damage caused by acid reflux or GERD.

The study examined 63,000 people aged fifty or older and looked into their medical records, prescription records, and other relevant elements.  Among the group, 15,300 had fractures from osteoporosis, including those of the hip, spine, and wrist.

 The participants in the study who had histories of fractures from osteoporosis were almost two times more likely to have used proton pump inhibitors for a minimum of seven years in comparison with other study participants. And sixty two percent of those participants in the study with hip fractures had used proton pump inhibitors for a minimum of five years.  However, there was no evidence that the short-term use of proton pump inhibitors would increase the risk of osteoporosis-related fractures.

It should be noted that it is not the proton pump inhibitors that actually cause the fractures.

The study showed only that there is a link between the acid reflux medication and fractures due to osteoporosis.    The researchers believe that as the PPI’s block the stomach’s hydrochloric acid, the body’s ability to absorb calcium may be impaired, leading to – or worsening – osteoporosis.  However, more study is required to either prove or disprove this hypothesis.

Though the precise link between the long-term use of proton pump inhibitors and osteoporosis-related fractures has yet to be determined, there is enough evidence that should encourage you to discuss the risk of osteoporosis and related fractures with your doctor before starting to use proton pump inhibitors – especially over a longer period of time.  Commonly prescribed PPI acid reflux medication includes:  Prisolex, Aciphex, Nexium, Protonix, and Prevacid.

If you’re currently prescribed a PPI to control acid reflux it important to continue with your medication unless otherwise advised by a medical professional. If you have concerns over the long term use of PPI’s then raise your concerns at your next doctors visit.

When you speak with your doctor, you will need to work together to decide whether the benefits of taking PPIs outweigh the risk of osteoporosis-related fractures.  You may decide to take proton pump inhibitors as a temporary acid reflux medication while other potential life changes or drugs are decided upon. 

Those who are most at risk of being effected by this issue are people who are taking or who are about to begin taking PPIs and either have osteoporosis or are at risk of the disease. 

Less powerful acid reflux medication may be a better solution for these people.  For example, histamine blockers (also known as H2 anatgonists) are able to effectively treat GERD and its related symptoms.  Though they are often less effective than proton pump inhibitors, they are not linked to osteoporosis fractures when used over the long term.

Alternatively you may wish to do away with acid reflux medication altogether (don’t forget to speak to your doctor first). This approach is successful for many thousands of people who rely on nothing more than small changes in their diet and some simple home remedies to keep symptoms at bay.

2 quarts water
1 lb Yukon Gold potatoes
1 tsp unsalted butter
1/3 cup non fat buttermilk
1/3 cup 2% milk
¼ tsp salt
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

Preparation

Use a large stockpot to heat 2 quarts water.

Cut potatoes into quarters and place in the stockpot so that they are covered by about an inch of water.

Bring to boil; reduce heat until water is simmering.

Simmer potatoes 15 – 20 minutes until cooked.

Remove potatoes from heat and drain; add unsalted butter, buttermilk, milk, salt and grated ginger to potatoes and mash potatoes by hand or with electric hand mixer on low speed until creamy. Ginger should be well blended.

If you like, add ground black pepper to top and serve this warm, delicious side dish with any meal over the holiday season.

1 large egg
1 medium egg white
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 box plain Melba toast (5 ounces)
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
4 fish filets (tilapia, cod, whiting), about 4 ounces each

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375F; place a large non-stick cookie sheet or skillet in the oven.

Put the fish filets on a thick stack of paper towels, so they aren’t touching each other.

Cover with more paper towels, pressing down so that as much of the fish as possible is touching the paper towels, drawing out the moisture.

Whisk together the egg, egg white and Dijon mustard in a small bow until smooth and creamy looking. Set aside.

Use your food processor (with steel blades) to process the Melba toast, salt and ground black pepper into small crumbs.

Thoroughly coat each fish fillet in the egg mixture, and then coat with the Melba toast mixture so that all parts of the fish are covered.

Repeat the above step one more time; placing fish first in egg mixture and then in Melba toast mixture.

Take the heated cookie sheet or skillet from the oven and spray with oil.

Put each of the fillets on the heated pan without touching each other; spray the top of fish with oil and return to the oven and bake for 3 minutes.

Turn each fillet, spray the top side with oil and bake for5 minutes.
Turn one last time, spray lightly with oil; bake 6 more minutes.

Serve fish fillets hot with rice or potato and a salad.

Exercising releases endorphins in the body, which are chemicals that lift your mood and give you an emotional boost.  Furthermore, endorphins help with digestion and minimize the sensation of pain (they act like a natural pain killer), meaning that exercise will directly benefit the reduction in acid reflux symptoms.

That being said, acid reflux sufferers should be aware that not every exercise is right for them.  It is important that low impact exercises be selected in order to avoid stimulating reflux.  Timing is also important for exercising, as heightened activity too soon after eating can encourage reflux.

The best exercises are those that allow you to remain somewhat upright, as opposed to reclined.  For example, weight lifting that requires you to lie on your back will create a larger risk of acid reflux than bicep curls. Similarly, cyclists riding stationary bikes are at a lower risk than those who ride street bikes or mountain bikes, as they are not jostled around from the bumps in the road or trail.  The same thing goes for any kind of exercise that causes you to bounce around, including running.  Similarly, many people find that weight machines are much more acid reflux-friendly than free weights as the exercise is more structured allowing for a better posture while exercising.

When you know you will be exercising, build a habit of eating a light meal ahead of time, and waiting a while before you get started.  The food that you choose before exercising should be low in fats and proteins.  High carbohydrate foods eaten two or more hours in advance should help you to avoid discomfort as you work out.

You already know that drinking water is crucial to healthy exercise, but it is especially important to you if you suffer from heartburn acid reflux. Keeping your fluid levels up allows you to remain hydrated, and helps to neutralize any acids that happen to be in your stomach as you exercise.  If you want something a little different on occasion, try watering down non-carbonated sports drinks to add a bit of flavor to your hydration.

Speak to your doctor to help choose the right exercises and timing for you.  You will likely receive recommendations for toning, stretching, aerobics, and rest.  Take each of these elements seriously and follow the suggested activities carefully.  Keep in mind that everybody has their own reaction to different foods and activities, so what may work for someone else may not work for you.

With that in mind, don’t let acid reflux keep you from exercising.  Always remind yourself of the importance of exercise to keeping your weight down, your body healthy, and your GERD symptoms under control.  Should you be unsuccessful with one kind of exercise be prepared to try another until you find ones you are happy with and get you the results you are after.

If you can’t seem to find an exercise that will agree with you yet, you may wish to speak to your doctor about taking over-the-counter antacids before you exercise, to avoid the risk of exercise-induced acid reflux symptoms. This may be the help you need to get your weight down to a point where you don’t need antacids anymore when increasing your activity level.

The more you maintain a healthy weight, exercise level and acid reflux friendly diet, the more you should find your heartburn, acid reflux and GERD symptoms decrease.