# Is ham a reflux trigger?



## madge

Our son and his family are coming for Christmas, and would like ham for a change. So would my husband. But with my reflux, I'm wondering whether it would be a problem. Any of you with reflux have suggestions? We're kind of tired of chicken and turkey. Pork isn't a good idea for me (seems to bother me), and beef is tolerable, but not our favorite. Sure could use some ideas.


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## Kathleen M.

It probably depends on how fatty the ham is compared to the beef that doesn't bother you or the pork that does, after all ham is pork, but there often are leaner hams.I would avoid the heavily salt cured hams (country ham) if salty foods bother you.I think the key would be to keep your portion of the ham small and have the whole meal be relatively small. Overeating anything will make things worse.


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## madge

Thanks, Kathleen. I do notice that salty foods bother me sometimes. Will go light on eating and not much ham. Son also wants cheesy hashbrown potatoes, which bother me too. Guess I'll open a can of sweet potatoes for myself and go light on that too.I read somewhere that the skins of red grapes could be helpful for those with reflux. So my husband bought some red ones and the nice, sweet dark (almost black) ones. Delicious, but now I have an acidy taste in the back of my throat. Guess that's not the answer.


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## overitnow

Hi madge,What you want are the flavonoids from the skins and seeds from the red grapes, not the juice. It also takes a large number of them repeatedly to help. That is why a supplement is more useful than the whole food. (It also took a couple of months to effect a change in my indigestion/GERD.)Mark


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## madge

Overitnow, I know...I think you once mentioned a flavenoid that was called something like Provex, wasn't it? But I'm very allergic to red wines, both the alcohol and the sulfites, and who knows what else. I get very bad migraines from them and sometimes swelling and hives, so I don't want to take anything that would have red wine or red wine residue in it. That's why I tried the grapes, hoping the skins would be helpful. I don't drink the juice, because fruit juices always bother my stomach. If I could find flavenoids that didn't have wine or wine byproducts in it, and it didn't cost an arm and a leg (I'm retired on a fixed income), I'd try them.


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## overitnow

I understand your fixed income problem. It is just that it takes the skins and seeds from literally hundreds of grapes, on a regular basis, to affect changes. While whole table grapes are a good foodstuff, they should not be expected to make any noticeable change to your digestion. I expect the flesh and juice from the grapes was causing your digestive reaction and, of course, most of us spit out the seeds, rather than crunching them up, so those benefits get lost, as well.I don't know that you would have the same results that I have had; but, for the record, the cost is about $20 a month and the Provex is made from grapes that have not been used for winemaking...and it is good for the heart, which is important for all of we seniors. Merry Christmas and I hope the ham is delicious. Mark


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## madge

Thanks, Mark, and the same to you! (I'm making ham, but also a chicken. I know that's something I can eat without problems. Then I can just eat a little of the ham.)I thought that Provex was made from both wine byproducts and grape skins and seeds. Wonder if it would help my reflux (and my heart) if I didn't take as much of it . Maybe. Better than not taking any.


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