The tendency to stuff your face with food is often met with the urgent need to settle your stomach by laying on the couch for hours, especially during the holiday season. However, what some people fail to realise is that sprawling out after a big meal may not soothe your body like you think. Silent reflux, often referred to as laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR), can potentially be caused by “overeating and lying down just after eating”, according to the UT Southwestern Medical Centre. With Thanksgiving fast approaching, it’s important to be aware of the symptoms and signs of LPR, ensuring you aren’t inadvertently subjecting your body to the condition. UT Southwestern Medical Centre defines LPR as “a condition in which stomach acid flows back up the esophagus [swallowing tube] into the larynx [voice box] and throat.” The name is derived from the inherent form of the condition, which doesn’t cause any symptoms in the chest. When you swallow food, the contents travel down the esophagus past two sphincters, a ring-shaped muscle on the lower and upper portions of the esophagus connected to the stomach. Before the gastrointestinal system digests the food, the sphincters close so the contents aren’t able to come back up the esophagus. “If the sphincter does not close properly, acidic stomach contents can flow back into the esophagus, up to the throat and larynx,” the medical centre states. Potential causes of LPR include alcohol use, tobacco use, “certain food choices” like spicy or fried foods, obesity, overeating habits, clothing that fits tightly around the abdomen, and lying down immediately after food consumption. While the condition doesn’t evoke chest-burning symptoms like other forms of acid reflux, there are a number of other symptoms associated with LPR. Asthma, hoarseness, postnasal drip, lump sensation in the throat, bitter taste in the throat, difficulty swallowing, sore throat sensation, and burning throat sensation are all symptoms of silent reflux. “LPR can be the underlying cause of hoarseness, laryngitis, chronic throat clearing and related symptoms. You might not have typical acid reflux symptoms, like heartburn or indigestion,” the Cleveland Clinic explains. “Symptoms of acid reflux usually affect your lower esophagus, within your chest. But if you have LPR, the reflux has a habit of creeping higher up, into your larynx (voice box) and pharynx [throat].” Certain foods and beverages can cause a breach in the lower esophageal sphincter; coffee, chocolate, mint, garlic, and onions all have the potential to cause LPR. Since there is no single cause of LPR, treatments include lifestyle and diet adjustments. “Some people can solve their LPR with lifestyle adjustments alone,” Cleaveland Clinic suggests. “It takes time for LPR to heal, though, so it may be several months before you can tell if your adjustments are working.” Medications called proton pump inhibitors are also offered to help move the healing process along. Surgery is only necessary in severe cases such as “an obvious defect affecting your esophageal sphincter muscles, like a hiatal hernia,” the Cleveland Clinic states. Read More Shingles symptoms, what causes it and how to treat the virus 13 possible cancer symptoms you should get checked out Salon owner with incurable cancer who lost hair in treatment makes customisable wigs

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Make the most of all the season has to offer by chowing down on bell peppers, courgettes, cauliflower and asparagus across three wonderfully, light dishes that sing summer. As part of our Budget Bites column – where we’ve teamed up with Sorted Food to bring you easy, affordable, quick and (most importantly) tasty recipes once a month – we’ve brought you three seasonal dishes that make the most of your staple ingredients while keeping your fresh shopping list minimal. We’ve also provided a handy shopping list for the ingredients (though hopefully most of it will be knocking about already), which are used across all recipes to ensure minimal food waste. You just need to decide where to shop, whether it’s locally or online. Shopping list 9 cloves garlic 20g fresh ginger 30g fresh basil 4 red bell pepper 2 courgette 5 spring onions 200g asparagus 1 lemon 1 cauliflower 1 red chilli 5 spring onion 40g unsalted butter 150g mozzarella ball 300g crème fraîche 1 x 250g ciabatta 1 vegetable stock cube 2 tbsp miso paste ½ tsp ground cumin ½ tsp ground coriander seed 1 tbsp mild chilli powder 2 tbsp sesame seeds 10g pine nuts 400g tinned chopped tomatoes 400g tinned butter beans 250g microwave Puy lentils Olive oil Vegetable oil Sesame oil Red pepper soup with basil salsa If you can get your hands on Romano red peppers, give them a go – they will provide a little more sweetness. Serves: 2 Ingredients: 4 red bell pepper 4 cloves garlic 6 tbsp olive oil ½ ciabatta (1x 250g) 20g fresh basil 10g pine nuts 400g tinned chopped tomatoes 150g mozzarella ball Method: 1. Preheat: Preheat the oven to 180C. 2. Prep the peppers: Deseed and thinly slice 4 bell peppers, then peel and thinly slice 3 cloves of the garlic – we will use the other clove of garlic later. 3. Preheat the pan: Add 2 tbsp of the oil to a large saucepan and place it over a medium heat. 4. Fry the peppers and garlic: Once the oil begins to shimmer and loosen, tip in the peppers, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Fry for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until soft and jammy. Get on with the rest of the dish in the next steps while you wait. 5. Prep the bread: Cut 1 ciabatta in half and wrap half in clingfilm – we will use this for another recipe in the pack if you haven’t used it already. Cut some of what remains into small 0.5cm cubes and rip the rest into bite-sized chunks. 6. Get ready to bake: Toss the small cubes with 1 tbsp of oil and a generous pinch of salt on a small baking tray. Spread everything out into an even layer on the tray. 7. Bake: Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes, until deep golden brown and crisp. Get on with the rest of the dish in the next steps while you wait. 8. Assemble the salsa: Add the leaves from 20g of basil to a measuring jug, along with 10g of pine nuts, 3 tbsp of oil, and a generous pinch of salt. 9. Blend the salsa: Blend until smooth and pesto-like, then give the hand blender a rinse – we will need it later. 10. Add the tomatoes: Once the peppers are ready, add 1 x 400g tin of tomatoes and a generous pinch of salt. 11. Add the bread and simmer: Add the ripped up chunks of bread from earlier (not the small cubes), and 150ml of water. Simmer for a further 5-7 minutes, until the bread starts to break up – this will thicken the soup. 12. Wash up: While you wait for the bread to break down, crack on with a bit of washing up. 13. Blend: Once the bread has broken down a bit, take the pan off the heat and blend until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 14. Serve: Divide 1 x 150g ball of mozzarella between 2 serving bowls, then ladle over the soup. Spoon over the basil salsa, scatter over the crispy ciabatta, and dive in! Summer stew with dukkah croutons We use ground spices but if time is on your side, try toasting whole spices and then blending them to amp up the flavours! Serves: 2 Ingredients: 2 courgette 5 spring onions 200g asparagus 2 cloves garlic 400g tinned butter beans 1 vegetable stock cube 1 tbsp miso paste 40g unsalted butter ½ ciabatta (1x 250g) ½ tsp ground cumin ½ tsp ground coriander seed 2 tbsp sesame seeds 3 tbsp vegetable oil 100g crème fraîche 10g fresh basil 1 lemon Method: 1. Preheat: Preheat the oven to 180C, this will be for the bread later. 2. Prep the veg: Cut 2 courgettes in half lengthways, then cut them crossways at 1cm intervals. Cut 5 spring onions in quarters crossways, then repeat with 200g of asparagus. Peel and finely grate 2 cloves of garlic. 3. Assemble the stew: Add the courgettes, spring onions, and garlic to a medium saucepan along with 1 undrained 400g tin of butter beans, 1 stock cube, 1 tbsp of miso, and 40g of butter. 4. Get the stew on: Add 400ml of water, then place the pan over a high heat. 5. Simmer: Once the stew comes up to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 4-5 minutes, until the courgettes soften slightly. Get on with the rest of the dish in the next steps while you wait. 6. Prep the bread: Cut 1 ciabatta in half and wrap half in clingfilm – we will use this for another recipe in the pack if you haven’t used it already. Rip what remains into bite-sized chunks and add them to a medium baking tray. 7. Get ready to roast: Toss the bread with ½ tsp of cumin, ½ tsp of ground coriander seed, 2 tbsp of sesame seeds, 3 tbsp of oil, and a generous pinch of salt. Spread everything out into 1 even layer. 8. Bake: Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes, until deep golden brown and crisp. Get on with the rest of the dish in the next steps while you wait. 9. Add the asparagus: Once the courgettes have softened slightly, add the asparagus and simmer for a further 4-5 minutes, until the asparagus is soft but still has a slight bite. Crack on with a bit of washing up while you wait. 10. Season: Once the stew is ready, finely grate over the zest from 1 lemon, then season to taste with its juice and salt. 11. Serve: Divide the stew between bowls and spoon over 100g of crème fraîche. Finish with the leaves from 10g of basil and tuck in! Chilli roast cauliflower with ‘holy trinity’ lentils The “holy trinity” in this dish refers to a wonderful combination of spring onion, ginger and garlic that is often used throughout Chinese cookery. Serves: 2 Ingredients: 1 cauliflower 2 tbsp vegetable oil 1 tbsp mild chilli powder 200g crème fraîche 1 tbsp miso paste 5 spring onion 3 cloves garlic 20g fresh ginger 2 tbsp sesame oil 250g microwave Puy lentils 1 red chilli Method: 1. Preheat: Preheat the oven to 180C – this will be for the cauliflower later. 2. Prep the cauliflower: Cut the green leaves from 1 cauliflower, then use a small knife to cut small florets from the woody stalk in the centre. We won’t be using the stalk or the leaves for this recipe, but they work well in soups! 3. Get ready to roast: Toss the florets with 2 tbsp of vegetable oil, 1 tbsp of mild chilli powder, and a generous pinch of salt on a large baking tray. Ensure the florets are fully coated, then spread everything out into 1 even layer. 4. Roast: Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes, until golden in places and soft throughout. Get on with the rest of the dish in the next steps while you wait. 5. Mix the creme fraiche and miso: Beat 200g of creme fraiche with 1 tbsp of miso paste in a small bowl and set aside – we will use this for garnish later. 6. Chop chop: Finely chop 5 spring onions, then peel and mince 3 cloves of garlic and 20g of ginger. 7. Preheat the pan: Add 2 tbsp of sesame oil to a large frying pan and place it over a medium-high heat. 8. Fry: Once the oil starts to shimmer and loosen, add the spring onions, garlic and ginger. Fry for 3-4 minutes, until fragrant and golden in places. 9. Add the lentils: Add 1 250g pouch of lentils to the pan and fry for a further 4-5 minutes, tossing regularly, until piping hot. Crack on with the rest of the dish in the next steps while you wait. 10. Prep the chilli: Thinly slice 1 red chilli – we will use this for garnish later. If you are still waiting for the lentils, now would be a great time to do a bit of washing up! 11. Serve: Spoon the miso creme fraiche onto plates and spread it out into large discs. Divide the lentils between the plates and add the roast cauliflower. Scatter over the red chilli and serve! In response to the rising cost of living, we have teamed up with Sorted Food to bring you easy, affordable, quick and (most importantly) tasty recipes once a month. Find out more about Sorted and their nifty meal-planning app Sidekick at sortedfood.com/sidekick. Read More Three quick and easy plant-based fakeaways to create at home The Union Rye, review: Finally, a decent restaurant in this charming East Sussex town Missing Glastonbury? Here’s how to have a festival feast at home Four berry sweet recipes that go beyond strawberries and cream Can you whip up the perfect burger in just five minutes? These are the viral TikTok recipes you have to make this Father’s Day