CindyinAtl

I may have been in denial for quite some time.  I think my weight may be part of my GERD problem.  I’m not fat.  But, with age I have begun to put weight on around my stomach.  Since not all fat is just under the skin, I now realize that the fat gathering for a party around the organs in my abdomen could be dancing on my stomach causing GERD attacks.  So, I’ll be taking a lose weight approach to eating with GERD. Anyone have any low fat meal ideas to share that can help with weight loss... Read Full Story

As an amateur genealogist, I was thrilled to see that Lisa Kudrow was bringing the television series, “Who Do You Think You Are?” to the United States! This show and the PBS offshoots of it are showing us that we are all related. We are all family. It doesn’t matter what the color of your skin is or the country your grandparents came from or whether you are famous or not. If you go back far enough. We are all related. It is humbling. This show is the beginning of what, for some, will be a... Read Full Story

I’ve been sleeping on a slant for a year and a half and its driving me crazy.  It helps with night time GERD a lot.  But it isn’t comfortable and I swear I think I am sleep deprived from the lack of deep sleep.  Some times I skip dinner altogether so that my stomach is ultra empty and night and try sleeping flat or on my left side.  I never last very long, though. Its maddening. All I want for Christmas is a magic potion to jump start my LES valve! Read Full Story

The holidays can be a challenging time for those suffering from GERD.  Afterall, quite a bit of our celebrations revolve dining with family and loved ones.  We treat ourselves to more sweets and fatty food than we do during the rest fo the year.  So, how are you going to enjoy the treats and keep GERD episodes to a minimum? Luckily, there are lots of things you can eat.  Remember eat small portions and avoid the common culprits of onion, garlic, tomato products, chocolate, citrus and... Read Full Story

It is so easy to get our thought processes locked into our main line of ancestors and miss the sights along the way. Many times there are clues where you least expect them. So, I encourage you to do a little meddling in the lives of others (those who have passed on, that is!) When you can’t find a fact about your target ancestor. The answer might exist in vital records and obituaries of other family members related by blood OR by marriage. I recently unlocked the mystery of where one of my... Read Full Story

Ever heard of Red Tea, known also as Rooibos tea  (pronounced like “roy-bos”)?  It means Red Bush in Afrikaan.  Is a natually caffeine free herbal tea.  But its different from all those fruity (read acidy) herbal teas.  It comes in different flavors (my favorite is Good Cape Hope Vanilla by The Republic of Tea .)  It tastes richer than other herbal tea so you don’t feel quite as cheated when you can’t have a cup of coffee.  Drink it English style wiht a little milk or cream, yum! I know... Read Full Story

With the onset of middle age I’ve had an increase in stomach fat.  In fact it seems that all of my weight gain has been through my middle.  Most of what you read says this is not good from the perspective of many diseases (heart disease, diabetes, etc.)  I am also wondering if the increased fat may be contributing to GERD symptoms. My GERD started right about the time I started putting on more stomach fat.  This was the kind of fat that is around the internal organs, not just a spare tire... Read Full Story

Slowly, over time, I’ve discovered little things (diet-wise) I can get away with.  Its good news on the one hand and not so good on the other.  I now know what causes only mild problems for me and I’m over eating those things.  Because of that, I’ve gained back all 15 lbs that I lost after my original diagnosis.  The weight is bad enough.  But the extra pounds have worsened my symptoms.    So, I’ve come full circle.  I need to know take my own advice and dial back my eating and stop eating... Read Full Story

I haven’t had any alcohol since July 2008 when I was diagnosed with GERD.  Its always been something I could give or take.  However, I did enjoy a nice glass of wine or a marguerita with the girls periodically.  Once I had things a little bit under control (last month) I decided to try a glass of white wine.  Wow, big mistake.  It really burned!  So,  I assumed that alcohol was permanently out of the picture. This weekend I was out with a friend for dinner and decided I would try a... Read Full Story

I went to my doctor today with excitement in my step.  I was going to finally get a perscription for the GERD medicine that works best for me.  As I said in my previous post, I tried ALL the different meds available due to the generosity of my doctor and her samples.  Prevacid was the winner.  But there was a big BUT.  United Healthcare won’t cover Prevacid.  They only cover:  Aciphex which only comes in a 20 mg version and stops working by mid-afternoon Zegerid which has sodium... Read Full Story