How can I avoid heartburn?

Many women experience heartburn, even more than men and burning discomfort in the chest or throat has become a frequent occurrence especially when they move near menopause; these discomforts usually have nothing to do with the heart as most heartburns happen when stomach acid backs up or refluxes and irritates the esophagus.

For many people that experience this, it can be prevented or reduced through simple lifestyle changes especially diet as certain foods and habits can trigger it.

The most important thing is to understand what is okay to eat and what is not as well as how and when to eat certain foods or which habits to change.

The following are significant triggers of heartburn:

Eating too much: The amount of food eaten at a time is a major factor because bigger isn’t always better. No matter what food you are eating or how good it looks, don’t stuff yourself up; a stuffed stomach makes heartburn likely.

Also, avoid too much fatty foods which tend to stay in your stomach for longer periods. And the longer they are there, the more likely there will be discomfort.

Slow down: Gulping down food doesn’t lead to good digestion, and they can make you more likely to get heartburn symptoms. You need to take your time and enjoy your meals.

Don’t eat high-acid foods like tomatoes, salsa and marinara sauce or citrus fruits like oranges, grapefruits, and lemons by themselves. They can trigger heartburn, especially if you eat them on an empty stomach.

Also, try other fruits and vegetables with less acid to give your tummy a break or limit your portion size of acidic foods by offsetting them with something else.

Trim the fat off of meat and poultry, and cut the skin off chicken; you can do this by baking, broiling, grilling or roasting food instead of frying them.

There is a need to watch what you drink too because some beverages especially those with caffeine can make heartburn more likely because they boost acid in the stomach. In addition, alcohol can relax the valve between the esophagus and stomach and allow acid escape more easily.

Geat from peppery foods and hot sauces can scorch you from the inside by relaxing the gateway valve, leading to heartburn.

It is important to identify triggers because it is not the same for everyone.  Take notes to help you pinpoint what you can handle and what leads to heartburn.

Chewing gum after a meal keeps your mouth making saliva. The extra liquid helps neutralize acid and spurs your stomach to empty its contents into your small intestine faster by moving your food down the line before heartburn gets a chance to set in.

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