Now that we’re past the worst of the holiday food-binge season, it’s time to re-focus and get serious about solving some of our food-related issues.

Many people find that during the time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve, they abandon many (or all) of the good habits that keep their digestion healthy.

If that’s you, then you’ll likely benefit from this list of six acid reflux no-no foods that will get you back on track.

If you have found yourself back on the over-the-counter reflux medications because of the holiday season, never fear. Changing just a few or even all of these mistakes can set you right again, so you can leave the drugs at the pharmacy and out of your body.

If you have acid reflux, remember to avoid these common mistakes:

1 – Very large meals- It can be tempting at holiday time to indulge all night long at various parties and family gatherings. It’s part of the practice of celebration. But now that the freezer is stocked with leftovers, try to limit the volume of how much you are eating.

Instead of 3 huge meals, which causes nothing but pain and digestive problems…reduce the amount of food by ¾ and eat more frequently during the day. Snack on fresh fruit and fiber-packed vegees.

2 – Caffeinated beverages- Unless your drink is a cup of green tea, whatever beverage you are consuming that has caffeine needs to go. Caffeine is a known trigger for reflux, migraine, and high blood pressure. Go green or lay off and switch to water.

3 – Sugared soft drinks- This class of drinks is caffeine’s evil twin. There is simply no nutritional benefit to sodas, sports drinks, or juice cocktails with HFCS. The sugar content and the fizzy nature of the soda causes more harm than any benefit you’d ever see, so switch out all those calorie bombs for some cold, purified water.

4 – Too much alcohol- It is true that a glass of red wine with dinner aids in digestion, helps fight high blood pressure, and provides a host of anti-oxidant chemicals, but it is also true that alcohol in excess breaks down the mucous in the stomach.

This precious substance is what protects your stomach from digesting itself as it wards off the damaging effects of the acid. With reflux, you don’t need any help with the acid part. Put down the wine glass after 1 serving and steer completely clear of hard liquors like scotch, tequila, rum, and bourbon.

5 – Milk Chocolate- You’re not out of the woods yet, holiday-wise. Valentine’s Day is on its way and whatever confections you were able to avoid during the Christmas season might be waiting for you in a different package in February. Chocolate is packed with sugar and fat, not to mention caffeine, and all 3 are on the frequent offender’s list for acid reflux flare-ups.

6 – Animal product overload- From turkey to ham to crown roast, and everything in between (like eggnog and whipped cream topping), meats and dairy products are a one-way ticket to reflux misery.

We overdo it during the holidays anyway, where balance should be in the front of our plate-loading strategy, but that frequently takes a back seat to the merry-making.

If you are suffering the flare-ups, remember that your meat servings should never be larger than a deck of cards- at ANY meal. Dairy is the same way. Switch out these high-fat, high calorie foods for plant-based foods like quinoa and legumes that are also very high in protein. These plant proteins are also great for digestion because of their very high soluble fiber content.

A little better planning and a re-commitment to valuing the peace of your stomach over the short-term pleasure of the taste buds will pay off enormously after only a few days of smarter eating.

Suffering acid reflux? Learn how to permanently get rid of it acid reflux as little as 5 minutes here…

Or, if you have IBS, discover step-by-step plan to eliminate IBS for good here…

But first. Do you suffer acid reflux or digestion problems? What’s your secret weapon? Please leave your comments below.