1.What Is It?
When stomach acid flows the wrong way — back into the tube that connects your throat to your stomach (your esophagus) — that’s called acid reflux. If it happens often and doesn’t get better, it’s called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Symptoms include chest pain, a cough, and trouble swallowing, especially when you lie down. Sometimes it can bring up bits of food or sour liquid into your mouth.
2.Food Plays a Role
What you eat can have a big effect on GERD. There’s a long list of foods that you may want to stay away from, including chocolate, onions, acidic foods, and red meat. But other foods may help — or at least not make it worse.