Nutrition

Conquering heartburn with our diet

Published

2 years ago

July 6, 2024

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A balanced diet

In this chapter, we will be discussing how we can conquer heartburn with our diet.

Heartburn is a painful burning sensation in the chest and/or throat, which occurs when stomach acid and other digestive juices back up into the eosophagus (the tube that carries food to the stomach).

Almost everyone gets heartburn sometimes, but if you have heartburn more than twice a week, you may have gastroeosophageal reflux disease (GERD). Here is what you need to know.

A one-way valve sits just above the stomach, which opens to allow food from the eosophagus to enter the stomach, and closes tightly to prevent vice versa.

In GERD, this valve does not close tightly enough to prevent the digestive juices in the stomach from climbing up into the eosophagus, which irritates the eosophagus, leading to the characteristic chest and/or throat pain and discomfort.

Certain medications, foods and alcohol can bring on heartburn, and management of this condition may be medical or dietary;

Foods to include

• High fiber diet such as whole grains, fruits (with the exception of citrus fruits) and vegetables

• Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, flax seeds, and walnuts

• Water; it flushes out the eosophagus

Foods to avoid

• Fatty foods such as fried foods

• Coffee

• Tea

• Whole milk

• Spicy food

• Citrus fruits

Lifestyle changes

• Weight loss through exercises like going for walks, jogging, and riding bicycles

• Avoiding alcohol intake

To conclude, heartburn can be very uncomfortable and disabling, but it’s also very well controlled and prevented with the above measures incorporated into our diet and lifestyle, which are sure to keep us far away from the clutches of heartburn.

The writer is a nutritionist and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Holistic Health Centre.

By Dr Bernice Korkor Asare

Nutrition

Can Ghana feed its people well? Building a nutrition-sensitive food system

Published

6 days ago

August 29, 2026

WeeklySpectator

When we talk about nutrition in Ghana, the conversation often focuses on individual choices: eat more vegetables, reduce sugar and salt, drink more water and exercise regularly.

These messages are important, but they tell only part of the story. Good nutrition is not just a personal responsibility; it is also a food-system issue.

What Ghanaians eat is influenced by what farmers produce, what food costs, how it is processed and marketed, what is served in schools, and what information consumers receive.

Ghana has the agricultural capacity to produce a wide variety of nutritious foods, including vegetables, fruits, legumes, fish, eggs, roots and tubers. Yet production alone is not enough. Poor storage, transportation challenges and weak market access mean that an estimated 30 per cent of food in Ghana can spoil before reaching consumers or retailers, according to a 2025 study by the International Growth Centre. The losses are particularly significant for fruits and vegetables, reducing both farmers’ incomes and the availability of nutritious foods. This is where policy becomes important.

Agricultural policies should consider not only how much food Ghana produces, but also whether that food contributes to healthy diets. Greater support for diverse crops, local vegetables, fruits and legumes could strengthen both agriculture and nutrition.

The food-processing industry has a role as well. Processing can reduce food waste, improve convenience and create new markets for local produce. But greater attention should be paid to the nutritional quality of processed foods, particularly those high in salt, added sugar and unhealthy fats.

Public education must also become more practical. Telling people to “eat healthy” is not enough when nutritious foods may be unaffordable or unavailable. Consumers need information, but they also need a food environment that makes healthier choices realistic.

Good nutrition begins on the farm, continues through the market and food industry, reaches the school and household, and ultimately ends on the plate.

What is needed is greater coordination.

A successful nutrition strategy should connect agricultural production with health objectives, school feeding with local agriculture, food processing with nutritional quality, and public education with the realities of household income and food prices.

The ultimate goal is not simply to produce more food.

It is to ensure that Ghanaians have reliable access to safe, affordable and nutritious food throughout their lives.

Feature Article by Women, Media and Change

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