When the fluid from the stomach gets into the esophagus—and sometimes the throat—it irritates the lining. Being exposed to acids can cause intense discomfort … and over time, worse problems.
What are the risks of heartburn?
If you only have occasional heartburn, it’s generally nothing more than a nuisance. But if it’s ongoing, it could mean you have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). GERD has some significant risks—including inflammation of the esophagus, dental issues, worsening of asthma, and even cancer of the esophagus.
If you have chronic heartburn, it’s important to get it under control to reduce these risks. The good news is that heartburn is largely preventable—if you understand what triggers it and how to avoid it.
What food causes heartburn?
Certain foods are notorious for triggering heartburn. Here are some of the more common triggers:
- Tomatoes
- Citrus foods
- Coffee
- Carbonated drinks
- Alcohol
- Spicy foods
- Fried foods
To figure out what your food triggers are, you might want to keep a food diary. Jot down what you eat and after a couple of hours rate your heartburn on a scale of 0 to 10. Once you identify triggering foods, eliminate them from your diet.
How to relieve heartburn
In many cases, heartburn can be prevented with simple diet and lifestyle changes. Here are some of the top ways to relieve heartburn without medication:
Eat smaller meals, and eat slowly
Instead of gulping down three large meals, try eating several smaller meals—and more slowly—throughout the day. This will give your body time to digest each meal and prevent the fullness in the stomach that can cause stomach contents to escape into the esophagus.
Control your stress
Perhaps you’ve heard of the mind-gut connection. It’s real. Chronic stress—as well as stressful life events—can make heartburn symptoms worse. (2) Try meditation or yoga to control your stress, or check out these seven supplements to manage different types of stress.
Cut out triggering foods
Once you’ve identified the foods or ingredients that trigger your heartburn, be careful to avoid them. Remember integrative healthcare professionals can help identify what foods might be triggers for you – always ask questions.
Don’t eat close to bedtime
Ever notice that heartburn gets worse when you lie down? That’s because gravity is working against you when you’re horizontal, and stomach contents have a better chance of breaching that lower esophageal sphincter. Give yourself two to three hours to digest your food before hitting the hay.