A person feeling a burning sensation or pain near the breastbone that reaches the throat or the whole neck, coupled with the nagging feeling of vomiting may be experiencing heartburn.
Heartburn is the result of the weakening of the lower esophageal sphincter which, especially when the pressure is too high within the stomach area such as in the case after a meal, allows the reflux of food and acid from the stomach to the esophagus, causing a burning sensation and the feeling of having a heart attack.
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Know the foods that you eat.
Listen to your body. Identifying which foods are kind to your stomach and which ones are causing you to suffer is one way to prevent you from experiencing heartburn. Minimize or avoid acid-forming foods – literally the ones that could further worsen your condition. Foods like macaroni and cheese, french fries, ice cream, spicy foods, ground beef, sirloin and buffalo wings can trigger acid to accumulate. Furthermore, beverages like wine, caffeinated drinks and any types of liquor can add to the severing case of heartburn. When you choose to eat out, try to go for foods that are low in fats. Include foods such as rice and bread which are complex carbohydrates. They absorb stomach acid and are thus friendlier to the stomach. The best way to determine which food can cause harm and which one doesn’t is by making notes.
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Eat slowly and in small portions.
Eating big servings of foods delays its transfer into the small intestine. Because of this, the chances of food going back to the esophagus and exposing it to acid for a longer period of time will be enough for a person to experience heartburn. Eating faster than you should overworks the stomach, triggering it to produce more acid, thus, irritation and reflux will be experienced. Chewing food properly and not eating faster than you should help attain better digestion.
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Know your limits.
Avoid overeating. Overeating gears up the stomach to produce acid more than it should which results to gas formation. This will only make you feel overstuffed and bloated. When these things happen, acid tends to accumulate and is pushed back to the esophagus. To prevent this, it is optimal to stop eating when you are almost two-thirds full. In this way, the stomach won’t be overloaded and there will be no delay in the transit of food going to the small intestine.
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Let your stomach experience the optimal healthy diet.
The stomach has a way of digesting different food types. For it to effectively digest the foods, know which food type shouldn’t be eaten with another food type and which food types are best to combine. It is recommended that (a) high protein diet should not be taken together with carbohydrates, (b) acid-producing diets shouldn’t be eaten with carbohydrates, (c) avoid taking two high protein diets in the same meal, (d) fats and proteins are not good combinations, (e) proteins and fats are not to be mixed, and (f) fruits are best eaten separate from the rest.
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Have a diet and heartburn record.
Knowing what to eat and not to eat is a big factor that can help minimize heartburn problems. It helps to determine what kind of diet can help a person attain good health. At the same time, having a record of the frequency of the heartburn episode, the triggering factors, the intensity of every occurrence and the cause of relief can help your doctor determine what changes should be done and what treatment can best free you from experiencing heartburn again.
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Avoid having meals near bedtime.
When you eat before bedtime, the stomach is still going through the process of digestion. Lying down after eating while the stomach is still full will push the food back to the esophagus along with the acid. It is recommended that dinner or meals should be eaten three hours before going to sleep.
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Stop smoking.
Nicotine stimulates acid production in the stomach and triggers the relaxation of the esophageal sphincter making food easier to go back to the esophagus. Smoking also dries saliva. Saliva evens out the effect of acid in the esophagus and helps acid to be brought back to the stomach. Smoking also slows down digestive processes and prevents the proper timing of transport of food from the stomach to the small intestine.
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Wear loose and comfortable clothing instead of constricting ones.
Constricting clothing can build up pressure on the stomach and can possibly push back food contents back to the esophagus. It can cause heartburn to worsen. Refrain from wearing very tight belts and underwear that is too snug and body-hugging.
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Avoid lying completely down right after eating.
Just like constricting clothes, lying down creates pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter. Having your head elevated can help the food remain in the stomach for proper digestion with the aid of gravity. There are ways with which this can be done. You can either raise the head of the bed by putting blocks or bricks under the head of the bed or you can use multiple stacked pillows.
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Relax and minimize exerting too much effort.
Stress hasn’t been proven to be directly involved in causing heartburn but it can trigger several habits in dealing with it. Some people cope by eating too much or won’t eat at all. Some people with heartburn tend to exercise too much or lift heavy things. Exerting too much effort especially after eating meals can exacerbate the symptoms. This is not to say that the person should completely avoid exercise since exercise can relieve stress. What is being suggested is to do it in moderation.
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Maintain your ideal weight.
Just like the effects of overeating, being overweight causes more pressure in the stomach as well as in other internal organs situated near the stomach. In a recent study, about 35% of obese people are suffering from heartburn. Losing weight or maintaining your ideal body weight can help relieve heartburn symptoms.
