Heartburn

Do you suffer from HEARTBURN? it's a common problem that's caused by the backwash of stomach acid into the esophagus, the tube connecting the mouth and stomach.

Try these effective tips for heartburn relief:

1- Eat in a smart way: Large meals put pressure on the muscle that normally helps keep stomach contents from backing up into the esophagus. The more you eat, the longer it takes for the stomach to empty, which contributes to reflux. Try smaller, more frequent meals and don’t wolf down your food.

2- Avoid late-night eating. Having a meal or snack within three hours of lying down to sleep can worsen reflux, causing heartburn. Leave enough time for the stomach to clear out.

3- Don’t exercise right after meals. Give your stomach time to empty; wait a couple of hours. But don’t just lie down either, which will worsen reflux.

4- Sleep on an incline. Raising your torso up a bit with a wedge-shaped cushion may ease nighttime heartburn. Don’t just prop your head and shoulders up with pillows. Doing so can increase pressure on the stomach by curling you up at the waist.

5- Identify and avoid foods associated with heartburn. Common offenders include fatty foods, spicy foods, tomatoes, garlic, milk, coffee, tea, cola, peppermint, and chocolate. Contrary ro what many people believe, Carbonated beverages cause belching, which also causes reflux.

6- Chew sugarless gum after a meal. Chewing gum promotes salivation, which helps neutralize acid. Avoid peppermint gum, which may trigger heartburn more than other flavors.

7- Rule out medication side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist whether any of the medications you take might cause pain resembling heartburn or contribute to reflux.

8- Finally, Lose weight if you need to. Being overweight puts more pressure on the stomach and pushes stomach contents into the esophagus. Tight fitting clothing and belts that come with weight gain may also be a factor.

Source: Harvard