Solving Reflux Indigestion Woes

12.28am, should be asleep. Feel the urge to write so here we go.

A long time ago, I suffered from reflux. My stomach would cough up acid and bile. Eventually part of my esophagus, the part leading to the stomach, grew an extra lining. The valve didn't close properly. I thought I was doomed.

My dear sister however pointed out that the conditions leading to reflux - Bad diet, improper sleeping habits, lack of exercise etc.. - was all me.

I was drinking way too much coffee (ten to twenty cups a day). I love my filtered coffee. I was eating tons of junk food: people ate biscuits, I ate packets and tins.

And of course the usual suspects - too much sugar, (HoneySmacks!!!) too much fried food, not enough vegetables, not enough fruits, waaaay too much processed stuff.

I think I must have nuked all the good bacteria in my stomach with the amount of caffeine I had been taking. And I was suffering badly from constipation. Yeah, I was full of it. :(

Now, I had been subsisting on this diet for quite a long while. It took me a long time to stop it. I took it a day at a time. I started eating more healthy stuff. I started cooking more meals where I could incorporate more fresh vegetables and make it all tasty, casserole dishes are great for that. I stopped buying the chips, packets of cookies etc.. I found that if I didn't have them in my larder, I couldn't eat them.

I stopped buying cheap crappy fruits that I did not eat. I only bought fruits that tasted good and I could finish within the week. I may have paid a bit extra but I could really feel where the money was spent.

I ate a fair bit of papaya. I stayed away from acidic fruits.

Of course occasional I would indulge... but the memories of my reflux made me think twice before I made Pringles, Danish Butter Cookies and Columbian Coffee my main source of daily nutrient.

I think the exercising helped. I got into the habit of going to the gym, running, etc. Tread Mill Running with a good running CD/mp3 track is very very very addictive. For some reason, exercising seems to have helped me cut down on my fat intake. I think my brain woke up to the fact that it took so much energy to burn off the fat.

I also found that my stomach doesn't digest fried oil very well. It'd take me a good 4 - 5 hours to digest the crap - otherwise if I did some hard exercising before the duration (admittedly with a kickass physical trainer) - I'd hurl.

I went to the gym for a whole year. I looked good. I felt good. Then...

The good news for all you lazy farts is I've stopped exercising and dieting, but my weight is stabilized and my reflux problem is still gone.

Right now, I don't think I have a very optimal diet. I still drink too much coffee and tea. Probably eat too much biscuits. Not as bad as before. And I guess if I don't watch out - I'll be back at Square 1.

But I'm definitely more conscious over what I eat. But you'll find it becomes 2nd nature. Its like a light has been turned on in my brain and I'm very aware that eating certain foods too much or at certain times of the day is totally taboo. The body has become aware of the consequences.

And surprisingly its not a torture to avoid eating chips or if I don't eat KFC for an entire year. I do get cravings but I've learnt to not give into temptation. And yes, it does become 2nd nature.

I also learnt not to overeat - and to attempt to eat smaller portions. Six smalls meals a day is better than one or two big ones.

Stretching and maintaining a good posture also does help. No time to talk about that. But if you slouch, you are putting pressure on your stomach - and preventing it from operating effectively. Its like squeezing a toothpaste in the middle. Stuff gets stuck at the back; same principle.

Lastly, try and not worry so much. Worrying doesn't help you solve any problem. Try and be logical about it. Do what you can. And when you go to sleep at night, tell the problem to bugger off. You'll need a good night's sleep to do your work properly.