People who suffer from gastroesophogeal reflux disease (GERD) are often warned against fatty food, which is thought to exacerbate heartburn symptoms. After a review of several studies on the subject, an Italian researcher has concluded that too many calories -- not too much fat -- is the reason why certain meals upset the stomach.
GERD is a chronic condition in which acid from the stomach flows back into the esophagus, causing severe heartburn. GERD has been shown to raise a person's risk of developing esophageal cancer.
In light of the present evidence, there is no sound rationale for clinicians recommending that patients with (GERD) follow a low-fat diet. While several studies appeared to show an increase in acid reflux after high-fat meals, those meals also were higher in calories than the low-fat meals used as a comparison.
European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology 2000;12:1343-1345
Part of the reason why a low-fat diet is destined to disaster is that it, by definition, has to be a high carb diet. High carb diets will cause one's insulin levels to elevate. This will cause a whole domino series of biochemical interactions that will push a person away from health.
High insulin levels are associated with a wide variety of health problems, such as
Even if these disease are not expressed clinically they may have sub threshold effects which worsen the GERD and ulcer conditions. It is also believed that an infection called H. pylori may cause ulcers. High insulin levels will cause disruption of the immune system and decrease one's ability to fight this infection.
We are finally starting to see some progress being made in this area. Last year Propulsid was commonly used for this problem. But it was pulled from the market after it killed dozens of people from irregular heart rhythms.
However, treating GERD and ulcers in general is not all that difficult. Drinking 12 glasses of water per day and following the diet and supplementing with beneficial bacteria seem to resolve ulcers in well over 90% of the people that I care for with ulcers.
For those that don't improve NST also seems to be a useful resource.
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