Around 60 million Americans face heartburn in their daily life. Most people suffer from this condition due to indigestion. Some experience heartburn symptoms every day and if you are having the same problem, the real cause is hidden in the food you are consuming.
Many times, we end up consuming foods, which can harm our health. So, it is better to figure out what’s not good for your health.
Usually, heartburn happens after consuming a meal so we have done some research about the foods that trigger heartburn.
Fatty Foods
Foods enriched with a high amount of food take time to digest. Strictly avoid such foods because they result in more acid production. It can even irritate the digestive system.
Consuming a large amount of them is more dangerous and unhealthy. If you are eating a large amount of meal before bedtime, that can cause heartburn and acid reflux. Moreover, fatty foods affect the LES function by keeping them relaxed. Don’t eat fries, potato chips, donuts, pastries, etc. especially before going to bed.
High-acid Foods
Some high acidic foods such as tomatoes and citrus foods irritate the damaged esophagus lining. Eating them on an empty stomach provokes heartburn. Vinegar, lemons, oranges, and grapefruits, all can trigger heartburn. They can worsen the heartburn symptoms. Grapefruit juice, orange juice, lemon juice, all them can complicate the situation more.
Beverages
Some carbonated drinks increase the chances of heartburn. Drinks containing caffeine lead to a surge in stomach acid. Select the drinks that contain no amount of bubble and caffeine. In this category, there are herbal tea, milk, and water. Still, if you can’t say no to coffee or cola, prefer to drink in a smaller amount.
After drinking soda, a person can burp because it contains gas. When the sugar present in the soda ferment in our stomach and leads to bloating.
Consuming alcohol puts your valve between the esophagus and stomach into a relaxing mode. This causes acid to flow easily and hit your throat.
Chocolate
As we have already let you know that caffeine can act as a great triggering agent for heartburn, you should not taste chocolate. This is because it contains caffeine too. If you can survive in a day without tasting chocolate, congrats. Consuming chocolate for dessert and eating it on an empty stomach will cause heartburn too.
Chewing Gum
Are you shocked knowing that chewing gum is also an important factor when it comes to heartburn? It forces our mouth to produce more saliva. This extra saliva neutralizes acid and encourages your stomach to breakdown food into the smaller intestine.
Some Natural Heartburn Remedies
Follow these few natural remedies to cope with heartburn,
- Avoid overeating as it can put pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter. It becomes weaker or functions improperly.
- Sometimes, it’s your weight that creates a complex situation of heartburn. Fat can exert some force on the abdomen and as it goes high, LES changes its position too. This condition is known as hiatus hernia in medical terms.
- Consuming a limited amount of alcohol is necessary because it can worsen heartburn symptoms.
- Don’t eat raw onion because it can irritate the esophagus lining.
- Peppermint and spearmint are two of the worst known thing to increase the rate of heartburn.
- Because of our body anatomy, sleeping on the right side is risky. The best comfortable position is resting on the right side.
Conclusion
There are many possible heartburn treatment options but in most cases, over-the-counter medicines are enough. However, feeling heartburn regularly requires immediate attention. Make sure you choose the right food to eat.
