Guest Author - Linda Hamill

Tip #1 Foods To Avoid:

There is a high chance you'll encounter foods during this holiday season that will mean you'll have heartburn.
Please avoid:

Tip #1

For the most part, fruits and vegetables are low in acid. Here is a basic list you can follow especially if you have heartburn.

Low Acid:
- Pineapple
- Peaches
- Apricots
- Grapes
- Bananas *This is the number one fruit that helps hearburn!
- Raisins
- Prunes
- Coconuts *I would suggest unsweetened coconut that you can buy at the store.
- Melons
- Cantaloupe
- Pears
- Apple juice *I suggest eating an apple instead.
- Okra
- Figs
- Avocados
- Squash
- Green beans
- Peppers *If you have a hard time with onions, Peppers may not be good!
- Lima beans
- Mushrooms
- Carrots
- Corn
- Lettuce *The dark varieties of lettuce work the best. Avoid Iceburg type.
- Cucumbers
- Sweet peas
- Spinach
- Beets
- Parsley
- Potatoes
- Almonds
- Dates

Foods to be avoided:

- Tomatoes
- Lentils
- Berries, strawberries, oranges, grapefruit

About tomatoes:
I have found that I can eat Roma tomatoes and I do not get heartburn. But if I eat other kinds of tomatoes, I get heartburn. You might want to give Roam Tomatoes a try. Again, It is seeing what you stomach likes and dislikes, what it will tolerate and will not tolerate. Sometimes one has to experiment to see what works best.


*Vegetable Storing and Preparation Tips: A Few Suggestions

Peppers

Bell peppers are sweet and smoky, while peppers like jalapenos and habaneros are very spicy and hot. Choose firm, brightly colored peppers and store them covered in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Wash them, cut in half, and remove seeds before slicing or chopping. Roasting peppers, then placing them in a paper bag and removing the skin makes the peppers smoky, soft and sweet. The seeds and membranes in hot peppers store most of the capsacin, so remove them for less heat. Be very careful when preparing hot peppers to not touch your eyes, nose or mouth or your skin will burn. By the way, drinking milk or eating bread is the best way to reduce the heat taste of hot peppers on your tongue.

Potatoes

Potatoes store very well, so buy them in bulk! Make sure to store them away from onions, however, as they each release a gas that shortens the other vegetables life.
Don't store potatoes in the refrigerator, as the starch will convert to sugar and the taste will be unacceptably sweet. Potatoes should be firm, heavy, and smooth with no soft spots or bruises. I almost never peel them before adding them to a recipe, but you certainly can peel if you prefer.

Spinach

Fresh baby spinach is a wonderful addition to salads. It is soft and sweet with a wonderful nutty flavor. Cooked spinach has more available nutrients, however. I prefer using frozen cut leaf spinach when a recipe calls for cooked, but cooking fresh spinach is very easy. Purchase spinach with crisp, deep green leaves with no bruises or soft spots. Wash thoroughly because it tends to be sandy. Steam the spinach with just the water that clings to its leaves for moisture, until it wilts and turns very deep green.

Squash

Winter squashes are hard skinned, heavy fruits (yes, fruits!) that should be firm, with a dry, attached stem. Winter squash is almost always baked. Pumpkins, butternut squash, delicata, Hubbard, acorn and spaghetti squash are common varieties. Summer squashes are more like cucumbers, with tender, soft skin and delicate flesh. Choose firm, small summer squashes with no brown spots. Peel if you like, wash, and slice. Summer squashes are wonderful cooked in a little butter, with salt and pepper. Varieties include yellow summer squash, crookneck and scalloppini.

Tomatoes

If you are lucky enough to grow fresh tomatoes yourself, you know how wonderful they are right off the vine. During the fall, spring and winter months, I prefer buying plum, cherry, or grape tomatoes rather than the large woody varieties that are bred for shipping sturdiness. Tomatoes should be firm, but give gently when pressed. If you can buy them from a farmer's market or roadside stand, so much the better! To seed tomatoes, cut in half and gently squeeze to remove the seeds and tomato jelly. To peel tomatoes, dip briefly in boiling water until the skin begins to split. Cool by plunging into ice water, and the skin will slip right off.

Zucchini

Zucchini becomes so prolific in backyard gardens during the summer months. It's best if eaten when fairly young; the large football-like zucchini become tough and bitter. The skin is edible, so you can peel it or not as you like.



Tip #2 Heartburn and Alcohol

Alcohol is also irritating to peptic ulcers. It can create an ulcer or just worsen your ulcer. Definitely, if you have an ulcer, stay away of alcohol.

If you do not want heartburn, I would advise staying completely away from alcohol. However, if you really would like to drink it here and there, drink very little. Pay attention to the drinks that give you worse heartburn than others. Drink plenty of water after you have the alcohol. You should also drink white wine instead of red. Also, remember that if you are taking any medications, that medications and alcohol do not mix. One can overdose or go into a coma when they combine alcohol and medications together.


Tip #3 Cooking Techniques

Did you know that heartburn can be minimized by cooking techniques? It's true.

Try to prepare food by using very little fat. When you cook food in butter or oil, it can stay in your stomach longer. This can cause stomach problems. The best cooking methods include: roasting, baking, broiling, poaching or steaming, all of which decrease the amount of fat, but maintain a dish's flavor. Using a wok or pressure cooker can help you make food quicker.

If you have heartburn do not use frying, deep-frying, and sautéing. Instead you can steam vegetables, seafood or poultry using broths, juices, water, wine or dry vermouth.