Many people believe that milk and other dairy products will lessen heartburn, acid reflux, and GERD. The truth is, however, that heartburn and milk, GERD and cottage cheese, or any other of dozens of combinations may only make the problem worse.

If you call the National Heartburn Alliance toll free at 877-471-2081, you can request a copy of their heartburn guide. What will it tell you? It will advise you to stop heartburn, acid reflux, and GERD before they begin. To help you do this, they color-code various food groups.

* RED: Red means stop, of course. If a food is in this category, you should stop and rethink whether to risk eating it.

* YELLOW: Use discretion in eating these foods.

* GREEN: Normally acceptable foods that seem to have little potential for causing heartburn, acid reflux, or GERD.

GERD and cottage cheese make up only one combination against which the National Heartburn Alliance warns. Dairy products in general fall into the red and yellow categories of their guide - foods that GERD patients will want to avoid or eat cautiously.

"Red" foods for those who suffer GERD and similar complaints are cottage cheese, ice cream, milk shakes, and sour cream. They seem to have omitted regular milk, but other sites include it.

"Yellow" foods for GERD sufferers include low fat cottage cheese, cheddar cheese, frozen yogurt, mozzarella, 2 percent milk, skim milk, and yogurt.

Some believe milk is a perfect food for infants of any species, but not for adults. Other species of mammals stop drinking milk once they are weaned from the mother.

* Infant grizzly bears eat no honey, salmon, or berries. They live on mother's milk. Once they are weaned, however, they never again drink milk.

* Infant cattle do not graze on grass and sagebrush. They live on mother's milk alone. Once a calf is weaned, however, it never again puts milk into its stomach.

* Infant lions, tigers, and domestic cats rely on mother's milk for all nourishment. When they are weaned, that comes to an end. They become meat eaters, and never drink milk again.

* Humans are the only mammals that continue to drink milk into adulthood. We become adults, able to digest strong meat, but we still want milk with that meat - or coffee - or tea.

It is thought by some that when milk is the only food in the stomach, the gastric acid is neutralized. No heartburn or GERD. Neutralized acid allows milk proteins to survive and deliver essential hormones, immunoglobulin, and lactoferrins to the body. Milk stops digestion. It puts the process on pause long enough for the survival of substances that nurture and protect infants.

But, they say, milk was created to be alone in the stomach. Milk should not be combined with animal flesh from the prey, grains, grass, insects, or any other kind of food.

Put milk in the stomach with other foods, and it will prevent the stomach from doing its designated task. GERD, heartburn, or acid reflux can result.

Caution: The author is not a medical profession. The information in this article is for educational purposes only. If you have persistent GERD or related complaints, please see a physician for advice.