by Ashleigh Feltham
Accredited Practising Dietitian and Accredited Nutritionist

Do you suffer from indigestion or heartburn? More than one in every ten Australians experience this uncomfortable condition and it is one of the most common digestive disorders. The cause and treatment can vary from person to person. Diet is one factor that plays a role in helping to alleviate the uncomfortable symptoms associated with this disorder.

Indigestion occurs due to a dysfunction in the interaction between your gut and your brain. There is emerging evidence that your gut microbiota may play an important role in influencing your symptoms and is one more reason to keep the ratio of the types of microbes in your gut more in favour of your health.

Smoked Mussel Ragu

A diet that is low in saturated fat and high in omega-3 fat seems to help reduce symptoms of indigestion. Seafood is a good source of this anti-inflammatory fat. The quality seafood product varieties available are not layered in batter which is high in saturated fat. There are choices that include seafood with nothing else added but spring water and other varieties which include whole grains, herbs, and spices to support an anti-inflammatory style of eating.

An overall diet approach to follow to reduce symptoms of heartburn is an anti-inflammatory style diet like the Mediterranean diet. This diet includes moderate amounts of lean meat and seafood, is high in dietary fibre, rich in antioxidants and contains both pre and probiotic foods and beverages support.

Take home message

You do not need to suffer from the discomfort of indigestion or heartburn. Take on a whole diet approach that is anti-inflammatory to support the health of your gut and your quality of life.

Reference:

Duncanson K, Burns G, Pryor J, Keely S, Talley NJ. Mechanisms of Food-Induced Symptom Induction and Dietary Management in Functional Dyspepsia. Nutrients. 2021; 13(4):1109. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13041109