HEARTBURN !! Just like heartbreak, we’ve all suffered from it, at some time or the other. After a heavy spicy, greasy meal or that late night warm, gooey pepperoni pizza; your digestive system kicks in! You get the burning pangs of discomfort and pain in the middle of the chest. Heartburn typically strikes after meals and can last several hours. Then there are also those who suffer from heartburn on a long time basis, a condition called GERD (Gastro esophageal reflux disease). Anyone can develop heartburn, but certain lifestyle factors including dietary modifications affect how well the sphincter works, as well as the amount of acid produced by the stomach, which can lessen or alleviate symptoms. There are meds, people suffering from GERD and Heartburn take, which help, but in this post I’m talking about Food and Lifestyle changes.
If you are prone to heartburn DON”T….!!
- Go to bed or lie down soon after eating. Having food in your stomach when you lie down can trigger acid reflux symptoms such as heartburn.
- Eat late night snacks.
- Drink too much alcohol or smoke cigarettes. Both aggravate the condition.
- Indulge in fatty or spicy foods.
- Eat certain fruits and vegetables like citrus, tomatoes, and onions. These may not affect everyone, so you have to watch for yourself to figure out what triggers your heartburn.
- Drink too much soda, coffee, and other carbonated or caffeinated beverages
- Eat too much chocolate.
- Get overstressed. The digestive system is very sensitive to stress of any kind and acidic contents tend to linger in the stomach longer during times of stress.
Tips to help heartburn. DO….!!
- Eat at least 3 hrs before bedtime.
- Eat slowly: Take your time to enjoy and digest your meal. If you wolf down your fav fast food in the car, in heavy traffic, you’re increasing your chance of heartburn.
- Exercise : This not only helps relieve stress, but can decrease heartburn symptoms as well. Physical activity helps to keep the digestive system moving like it should. Even a short stroll around the block can help especially after a meal.
- Elevate the head of your bed: Use a pillow or two or place 4- to 6-inch blocks under the legs at the head of your bed. Either way your head is elevated and can help put gravity to work for you.
- Know your food triggers and avoid them: Certain fruits like citrus, especially oranges and grapefruit seem to affect people. If you are one of those, avoid them. In general spicy foods and fatty foods affect most people who have GERD or who are prone to heartburn. If that’s your trigger, eat milder versions of the same food rather than giving it up. Coffee tea, carbonated drinks seems to be a strong trigger for most people with GERD, so limit or avoid consumption of the same. However, unless these are causing you acid reflux symptoms, you don’t have to avoid them. Different people have different triggers.
- De-stress: Very important. Do whatever it takes for you to De -stress! Listening to music, working out, spending time just chilling with my family works for me. So do whatever you need to and de-stress!
If all of this is simply not enough, consider taking an over-the-counter medication like Prevacid®24HR to treat frequent heartburn. Prevacid®24HR prevents acid that causes frequent heartburn for a full 24 hours.
I have a home-made version of a drink that works for me, my family and my clients, to helps soothe heartburn . It’s very easy to make and tastes quite nice. Skip the lemon if it’s one of your triggers and add some honey if you like it a little sweet !
I glass warm water + 1/4 tsp sodium bicarb + 1 tsp lemon juice + a pinch of ginger powder or freshly grated ginger.
Mix all this together and drink up 🙂 Sodium Bicarb helps acid indigestion by neutralizing excess stomach acid. It works like an antacid ! Don’t overdo the Sodium bicarb or it can cause loose stools. This is a good drink to drink before the meal if you’re prone to heartburn.
Hi there! I’m Sunithi, AKA Sue, a registered dietitian with a sweet tooth and a passion for eating healthy (quite a combo) currently working as an independent consultant in the DC Metro area. I’m also a blogger, health nut, nutrition geek who jogs to keep sane :)! I love to revamp recipes and add some ‘Nutrition Bytes’ to them. All my recipes are gluten free! I also blog on natural health and fitness! Visit often and drop me a note if you have any nutrition queries!
I have GERD and am 7mos pregnant…the meds I normally take, are class C drugs, and I am hesitant to take them while pregnant. Throughout each of my earlier pregnancies, I’ve been able to deal with the GERD w/o medicating; however, with this current pregnancy, the damage to my throat and the irritation has been nearing an uncontrollable point….My OB has even begun encouraging me to take the meds…in searching for an alternative, I came across your recipe….THANK YOU!! In all honesty, I did not have much faith that it would work….it seemed way too simple, but I gave it a shot as I was willing to try anything, and I must say, this drink is AMAZING! It doesn’t completely wipe out 100% of the discomfort, but it comes quite close. I’m not crazy about the taste, but it’s also not horrid, and sweetening it, helps tremendously. This drink, is no my go-to miracle drink! I’ve recommended it to everyone I know! I cannot thank you enough for sharing!
Hi my wife suffers from heartburn. This should be very helpful to her. Whether she heeds the advice is another matter. So fingers crossed.
Great post very informative thanks lee
This is very helpful. I too, suffered from heartburn but has subsided due to the switch of lifestyle. From an unhealthy lifestyle to a healthy lifestyle.
Very Interesting article. I referred this article to my sister. She could really relate to the information mentioned and this was very helpful. She is improving and not complaining that frequently as it was earlier.
Thanks a lot !
This is a great idea for pregnant mums to be. Heartburn can be a real problem in the last few months of pregnancy. Thanks for the article.
I like the advice you gave about simply preventing heartburn. A lot of people that are prone to heartburn decide to keep eating foods that trigger it and just plan on treating it during or after. While it does take some self discipline, just preventing it in the first place can be much better for your body and health.