A hiatal hernia is a condition when the upper part of the stomach pushes through the diaphragm into the chest. Heartburn is the most common symptom of a hiatal hernia. Others include difficulty in swallowing, nausea, excessive burping, chest pain and abdominal pain. It causes pain and discomfort after and during eating food. Therefore, it is important to avoid food that is likely to cause acid reflux. Diet plays a very important role in treating a hiatal hernia apart from hernia surgery. People aged 50 or are above 50, can suffer from this condition.

Let us see what to include and what to avoid in the diet if you are suffering from a hiatus hernia.

Foods to avoid:
The foods that are highly acidic and can aggravate GERD. These foods have acid that may not be good for the stomach. These include chocolates, garlic, onions, coffee, tea, carbonated drinks, dairy products like milk, ice cream, cream-based foods, oil, butter, citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, grapes, spicy food, tomato-based sauces, alcohol, peppermint and mint.

Foods to Eat:
People with heartburn should eat and cook their food in a healthy way. Let us see what foods can help heat burn. These include healthy fats like avocado, coconut and olive oils, walnuts, clarified butter, grains such as oatmeal, multigrain, brown bread, brown rice, foods high in protein such as turkey, salmon, chicken, eggs, legumes, fruits such as banana and apple, vegetables such as peas, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, baked potato, green beans, low fat yogurt, herbal drinks such as tea.

Some important tips on diet include the following:

• Eat smaller and more frequent meals than a larger meal at a time.
• Chew food very well in order to aid digestion.
• Have moist food as much as possible.
• Eat in a calm and relax place.
• Do not eat while standing.
• Do not sleep immediately after eating.
• Lose weight if overweight.
• Stop smoking and drinking alcohol completely.
• Visit your doctor regularly for follow-ups.

By implementing these diet changes, you can increase the chances of recovery after a hiatal hernia surgery faster and healthily. Talk to your doctor to know more about the treatment options. This condition may be troubling but gets better after adjusting the diet.