How to Avoid Heartburn

How to Avoid Heartburn

Eating doesn’t seem like it should be too much of a challenge. As long as there is plentiful food around and you have the means–and, perhaps, the knowledge–to safely prepare it, there shouldn’t be any trouble beyond deciding what to eat. However, deciding what to eat can often be a challenge in itself. In today’s world, we are extremely aware of the power of food, and we treat it like a living thing that must be tamed; before we can trust it, we feel we need to know the calorie count, the suggested serving size, the carbohydrates, the protein, the expiration date. Of course, there’s more to it than that. What if you can’t eat gluten? What if you’re lactose intolerant? And, the battle that many of us fight daily–what if you have heartburn? Food can be difficult.

Heartburn

Acid reflux, most commonly referred to as heartburn, is a strange sensation that results when stomach acid splatters up into your esophagus. Imagine it like dropping a stone into a pond–the splash goes up and spreads out. Heartburn has different causes depending on the individual. Some lifestyle choices can increase heartburn, while others minimize the effects or the condition itself; similarly, food choices impact the severity and frequency of heartburn. Before making any big changes, though, it’s important to visit a opens in a new windowGastroenterology expert. Heartburn could be a sign of something much more serious–you don’t want to take that risk.

Avoiding the Burn

So, how can you avoid heartburn? Here are a few quick tips!

• Food. Food choices are a huge part of avoiding heartburn. If you’re looking to cut heartburn-causing foods, the first thing you’ll want to cut out is deep-fried everything; next, avoid fast food; after that, minimize tomatoes and tomato-based sauces; finally, and most unfortunately, you’ll also want to avoid chocolate and peppermint, too.
• Meal planning. It’s not all about the food itself–sometimes it’s about the when. Don’t eat for two hours before you go to bed, and, during the day, try spreading the three usual meals into multiple smaller meals. This gives your digestion system an easier job and can help minimize heartburn.
• Drinks. Like food, drink choices can also affect heartburn intensity and frequency. Caffeine, soft drinks, and alcohol are all high on the list of perpetrators, and you’ll want to cut these out of your diet as much as possible in order to avoid heartburn.

Interested in more heartburn tips? Looking for Gastroenterology experts? opens in a new windowContact us today!