The Health Nut Blog

If you experience heartburn, easing your symptoms might be as simple as changing a few habits. Keep reading for some tips on stopping heartburn before it gets going.

A lot of individuals experience heartburn during the nighttime. But by simply eliminating evening snacking, you can more easily achieve heartburn relief. Aim to keep from eating for at least two hours before you go to bed. This can be difficult for all you late-night snackers. But keep in mind that you won't have a restful night if you give in to temptation.

When you eat is important, but what you eat is equally critical. For instance, acidic foods such as citrus juices, alcohol, tomato products and coffee all increase the risks of getting heartburn symptoms. Excess production of stomach acids can be caused by even seemingly harmless food items. High fat or spicy foods are often the culprit in a bad case of heartburn.

Restricting the quantity of food you consume is another consideration in staving off heartburn symptoms. What this means is that you shouldn't stuff yourself at mealtime. If your stomach becomes too stuffed, the food is forced back up into your esophagus. And since it's already absorbed some of the acids in your stomach, it fuels that burning pain in your chest.

Overweight people can benefit by losing some of their body fat. A lot of people discover a decrease in their heartburn symptoms once they do. They often discover that there's less pressure on their stomachs and they have more space in which to digest their food. So it's less likely to be sent back by way of the esophagus.

Occasionally you might give in and eat too much or choose the wrong foods. When you do, it's essential that you sit or stand erect rather than lying down. This will help to hold the food in your stomach, away from your esophagus, and hasten the digestion process.

Heartburn sufferers who are overweight aren’t the only ones who should make more beneficial lifestyle choices. Individuals who smoke are also more inclined to this condition. If you smoke, the muscles in your esophagus don't work as efficiently. Therefore they're less able to prevent the undigested food in your stomach from making its way back up. Additionally, the stomach acid of smokers is more toxic due to the presence of chemicals. Each puff of a cigarette raises your chances of experiencing heartburn.

Be aware that a severe heartburn condition might not respond to simple lifestyle changes. Some will still require a visit to their physician before they get any relief.

# posted by NeilG @ 9:29 PM