Hello all!

I hope it's not poor form to register here and immediately create a thread asking for help. But I was hoping some of you fine folks could help me out here.

I'm looking after a young (early teens) relative of mine for a while, and she suffers from extreme chronic heartburn (which she has consulted doctors about, before anyone asks). Her regular diet is almost painfully bland, and I'd love to cook some new meals for her, taking her needs into account. And, if possible, go to restaurants.

The problem is, I just have no idea where to begin.

Heartburn rules out tomatoes (except in small quantities), obviously chilli and curries, pork, bacon, any non-lean cuts of beef, citrus fruits, and frying things. Cheese, well-cooked onions, blueberries/raspberries/strawberries, yoghurt, and dairy can be tolerated, but not in significant amounts.

The only really safe foods are rice, goat cheese, bread, cereal, crackers, potatoes, cabbage, peas, egg whites... etc.

I've been reading a lot of vegan recipe sites, sine they seem to use those ingredients a lot. But it'd be absolutely awesome if I could get some more suggestions about what I can make. And especially what I can suggest to her at Chinese restaurants, since she adores Chinese food but tends to wind up sobbing and clutching her chest an hour or two after touching it.

I'd be really grateful for any responses.

I hate heartburn. Why would I want to be friendly to it?

--Bryan

On Jun 24, 8:41*am, Food Snob® > wrote:
> I hate heartburn. *Why would I want to be friendly to it?
>
> --Bryan

I was thinking that chili is about the most heartburn-friendly
food I can think of. With lots of beer.

Cindy Hamilton

On Jun 24, 6:13*am, Cindy Hamilton >
wrote:
> On Jun 24, 8:41*am, Food Snob® > wrote:
>
> > I hate heartburn. *Why would I want to be friendly to it?
>
> > --Bryan
>
> I was thinking that chili is about the most heartburn-friendly
> food I can think of. *With lots of beer.
>
> Cindy Hamilton

Or some good Mexican food.

On Jun 24, 12:10*pm, Chemo the Clown > wrote:
> On Jun 24, 6:13*am, Cindy Hamilton >
> wrote:
>
> > On Jun 24, 8:41*am, Food Snob® > wrote:
>
> > > I hate heartburn. *Why would I want to be friendly to it?
>
> > > --Bryan
>
> > I was thinking that chili is about the most heartburn-friendly
> > food I can think of. *With lots of beer.
>
> > Cindy Hamilton
>
> Or some good Mexican food.

According to my internist, fat is the thing most responsible for
heartburn and acid reflux.

N.

I have had GERD now for 20 years. I take a pretty stong rx and it
helps a lot. If I forget it, I am in agony.

Now, don't think I am nuts with this off-the-wall suggestion for a
total change...
Try hot buffalo wings made with Durkee red hot sauce. The cayenne
pepper acts as an anesthetic.
I used to go to my Dr and tell him iced tea and spaghetti would kill
me but hot wings did nothing.

PurpleBerries wrote:
> Hello all!
>
> I hope it's not poor form to register here and immediately create a
> thread asking for help. But I was hoping some of you fine folks could
> help me out here.
>
> I'm looking after a young (early teens) relative of mine for a while,
> and she suffers from extreme chronic heartburn (which she has consulted
> doctors about, before anyone asks). Her regular diet is almost painfully
> bland, and I'd love to cook some new meals for her, taking her needs
> into account. And, if possible, go to restaurants.
>
> The problem is, I just have no idea where to begin.
>
> Heartburn rules out tomatoes (except in small quantities), obviously
> chilli and curries, pork, bacon, any non-lean cuts of beef, citrus
> fruits, and frying things. Cheese, well-cooked onions,
> blueberries/raspberries/strawberries, yoghurt, and dairy can be
> tolerated, but not in significant amounts.
>
> The only really safe foods are rice, goat cheese, bread, cereal,
> crackers, potatoes, cabbage, peas, egg whites... etc.
>
> I've been reading a lot of vegan recipe sites, sine they seem to use
> those ingredients a lot. But it'd be absolutely awesome if I could get
> some more suggestions about what I can make. And especially what I can
> suggest to her at Chinese restaurants, since she adores Chinese food but
> tends to wind up sobbing and clutching her chest an hour or two after
> touching it.
>
> I'd be really grateful for any responses.
>
>
>
>
Why don't you Google acid reflux recipes or GERD recipes. It sounds that
she has this condition rather than just plain heartburn. There are
surgical remedies if the cases are severs.

It's a very common condition in my family. Most of us on my mother's
side had or have some form of it. Some have had the surgery. Others,
like me watch our diet but are able to eat a more varied diet by taking
medication.

--
Janet Wilder
Way-the-heck-south Texas
Spelling doesn't count. Cooking does.

On Jun 24, 7:41*am, Food Snob® > wrote:
> I hate heartburn. *Why would I want to be friendly to it?

LOL sometimes the obvious answer is the funniest.

On Jun 24, 2:24*pm, Nancy2 > wrote:
> On Jun 24, 12:10*pm, Chemo the Clown > wrote:
>
> > On Jun 24, 6:13*am, Cindy Hamilton >
> > wrote:
>
> > > On Jun 24, 8:41*am, Food Snob® > wrote:
>
> > > > I hate heartburn. *Why would I want to be friendly to it?
>
> > > > --Bryan
>
> > > I was thinking that chili is about the most heartburn-friendly
> > > food I can think of. *With lots of beer.
>
> > > Cindy Hamilton
>
> > Or some good Mexican food.
>
> According to my internist, fat is the thing most responsible for
> heartburn and acid reflux.

Well, a proper chili should fit the bill on all counts:

fat
tomatoes
spices
onions

Oh, sure, people make chili with turkey and tvp and stuff,
but the real deal should provide a good dose of fat. If
you feel your chili is lacking, you could augument the
fat with some cheese and/or tortilla chips.

(Seriously, I know that a BLT for dinner will have me
refluxing all night, but sometimes you've just gotta
when the summer tomatoes are ripe.)

Cindy

Thomas wrote:
>
> I have had GERD now for 20 years. I take a pretty stong rx and it
> helps a lot. If I forget it, I am in agony.
>
> Now, don't think I am nuts with this off-the-wall suggestion for a
> total change...
> Try hot buffalo wings made with Durkee red hot sauce. The cayenne
> pepper acts as an anesthetic.
> I used to go to my Dr and tell him iced tea and spaghetti would kill
> me but hot wings did nothing.

I'm wheat intolerant. Reflux is one of the many symptoms I get if I eat
a portion of wheat bigger than a little to thicken gravy. Another
suspect could be the tomatoes if you have a sauce with that saghetti -
Tomatoes are nightshade family and some folks have the same sort of
intolerance to them that I have to wheat.

Another possiblity is the type mixing. Mix a starchy or sugary food
with a protein and/or fat food and the stomach is presented with a type
that reacts poorly to acid and a type that needs acid to digest.
Spaghetti with cream sauce and/or meat mixes starch and protein. A
burger fries and milkshake mixes all types. It's a recipe for
indigestion until it all makes it out of the stomach into the intestine.

The buffalo wings won't have enough hot sauce to effect the chemisty
much and so no acid clash. Note that peppers are in the night shade
family as well as tomatoes. Not sure if that is evidence that you have
no intolerance issue with tomatoes.

Thomas wrote:
> I have had GERD now for 20 years. I take a pretty stong rx and it
> helps a lot. If I forget it, I am in agony.
>
> Now, don't think I am nuts with this off-the-wall suggestion for a
> total change...
> Try hot buffalo wings made with Durkee red hot sauce. The cayenne
> pepper acts as an anesthetic.
> I used to go to my Dr and tell him iced tea and spaghetti would kill
> me but hot wings did nothing.

I have GERD, and I take something for it. I also don't eat for a
fairly long time before I go to bed. If I eat something that
tends to cause problems, I do it early in the day.

--
Jean B.

PurpleBerries wrote:
> Hello all!

>
> I'm looking after a young (early teens) relative of mine for a while,
> and she suffers from extreme chronic heartburn (which she has consulted
> doctors about, before anyone asks). Her regular diet is almost painfully
> bland, and I'd love to cook some new meals for her, taking her needs
> into account. And, if possible, go to restaurants.
>
> The problem is, I just have no idea where to begin.



Diet doesn't seem to be the final answer.

Why haven't the doctors she has consulted given her anything for relief?
Even over-the-counter medications (Pepcid, Prevacid, Prilosec) can help
if taken before eating.

She may have some kind of food intolerance (fat, onions, tomatoes,
dairy?) that are causing her reflux. I am surprised her doctors haven't
been more thorough in diagnosing and treating her condition. Teens
usually have cast iron stomachs. There's also the possibility that she
is or was bulimic and has damaged her esophagus.

There are too many variables for us to be of much help, as evidenced by
the jokers recommending chili. Creamed stuff sounds soothing but will
trigger the production of more acid. My advice is to look into what
her doctors have advised.

gloria p

On Thu, 24 Jun 2010 11:24:10 -0700 (PDT), Nancy2 wrote:

> On Jun 24, 12:10*pm, Chemo the Clown > wrote:
>> On Jun 24, 6:13*am, Cindy Hamilton >
>> wrote:
>>
>>> On Jun 24, 8:41*am, Food Snob® > wrote:
>>
>>> > I hate heartburn. *Why would I want to be friendly to it?
>>
>>> > --Bryan
>>
>>> I was thinking that chili is about the most heartburn-friendly
>>> food I can think of. *With lots of beer.
>>
>>> Cindy Hamilton
>>
>> Or some good Mexican food.
>
> According to my internist, fat is the thing most responsible for
> heartburn and acid reflux.
>
> N.

i get a slight twinge (if that's the word) of heartburn at the first bite
of a sandwich with mayonnaise on it. it goes away rapidly, though.

your pal,
blake

On Thu, 24 Jun 2010 12:42:46 -0700 (PDT), Cindy Hamilton wrote:

>
> (Seriously, I know that a BLT for dinner will have me
> refluxing all night, but sometimes you've just gotta
> when the summer tomatoes are ripe.)
>
> Cindy

a small price to pay for a good BLT.

your pal,
blake