Heartburn pregnancy is one of the most common pregnancy symptoms women experience in the early trimester of the pregnancy. According to medical experts, this heartburn symptom, though, seemingly quite uncomfortable, is considered most common and harmless. Still, if you find this heartburn quite unbearable at times, then get some tips from this article to alleviate its discomforts.

What Causes This Heartburn

The heartburn pregnancy starts stinging from the bottom end of the breastbone to the lower throat. Mainly the drastic hormonal changes that take place in body during pregnancy are to be blamed for this discomforting heartburn symptom. The physical changes in response to the changes in hormonal flow in the body also cause your heart to tingle. There is more than one cause of heartburn in early stage of pregnancy. The placenta or the connecting tissue between mother and the fetus generates progesterone hormone to smoothen the muscle of the uterus. This hormone is secreted also to relax the valve, the organ to separate esophagus from uterus, with gastric acids. The presence of this gastric acid causes pregnant women to experience uncomfortable heartburn.

There is one more function of progesterone hormone that causes heartburn pregnancy. Due to this hormone, the digestion process slows down and the wave of contractions between esophagus and intestine slow down to create a burning sensation in your chest area. The fetus plants itself in your abdominal cavity by shoving the stomach acid towards the esophagus, which is why, pregnant women feel a bit upsetting heartburn. Now that you know what acts as the culprit behind your hurting heartburn sensation, let us find out the ways to reduce the pain.

How To Reduce Intensity Of Heartburn

As slow down of the digestion process leads to expecting mothers to experience heartburn pregnancy, hence they are advised to take care of their diet habits. Reduce consumption of foods that are enriched with spices and are over fried. Cut down on big meals. Divide big meals into several small ones and take them throughout the day. Spend more time eating, make sure you chew your food thoroughly to digest it properly. Stop drinking water during mealtime. Yes, drinking at least eight to ten glasses of water during pregnancy is mandatory to minimize heartburn pregnancy symptom, but at the intervals of meals, not during the meals itself.

There is another way you can try to stabilize your digestion process: that is by chewing gum. Take a chewing gum after eating, as it will spur the salivary glands to defuse the gastric acid that causes heartburn.

Pregnant women are advised not to eat close to their bedtime. Eat two to three hours prior to your bedtime. You may also sleep by elevating your upper body with the support of two pillows. Choose loose clothes to relieve your waist and tummy. Also join a smoking cessation program if you have a habit of smoking. According to doctors, smoking is strictly prohibited for the wellbeing of both baby and mother. Finally take care of your diet by consulting with your physician for advice on diet schedule to keep heartburn pregnancy at bay.

Heartburn is a medical condition manifested in an uncomfortable sensation in the chest. This happens when acid goes back up into a person’s esophagus. Heartburn is often related to gastroesophageal reflux disease. There are a number of medical studies to pinpoint the causes and possible treatments for heartburn, but there is still no single solution for this ailment. As such, there have been a number of myths and fallacies behind this condition.

Most people believed that particular food or drinks could cause heartburn. This is not the case. Heartburn is caused by biological dysfunction. Of course having a good diet is always a good thing, but do not expect that heartburn will be gone in a snap if you change your lifestyle or the food you eat.

Excess acid is the main cause of heartburn. This statement is somehow incorrect. Studies show that individuals with heartburn have normal counts of acid in their stomach. Heartburn actually happens if acid has gone in the wrong direction as, it goes to the esophagus instead of into the stomach.

It is common knowledge that heartburn causes harm in one’s esophagus. Actually, heartburn caused by acid reflux could also increase the risk of asthma and chronic cough. It could also cause sore throat and discomfort in your throat and vocal cords.

Heartburn is not caused by stress. A lot of people blame stress for every ailment. Although there may some amount of truth to this, it is rare that stress is the main cause of heartburn. But it is advised not to go through a lot of physical stress that can cause ulcers that may in turn lead to heartburn.

Most people sit up during sleep to prevent heartburn attacks at night. There is no need as medical experts suggest that sleeping on one’s left side is the recommended position during sleeping time. This will allow acid to clear out faster in your esophagus. You can also sleep on a slightly high pillow as it allows the acid to stay in your stomach rather than being reverted back to the esophagus, which would consequently cause heartburn.

There is a solution to heartburn. When you drop by your doctor for advice, he would prescribe medication. There is also over the counter drugs that you can purchase to relieve the symptoms of heartburn. Medication coupled with proper diet and clean lifestyle would surely help you in dealing with heartburn.

Many of us suddenly get a burning sensation that starts in the chest. This condition occurs sometimes just after we have eaten. After our stomachs have digested the food, the stomach juices can sometimes flow into the gullet, or as it is correctly called the esophagus. When that happens the esophagus lining gets irritated and a burning sensation can felt be especially near the heart. This is the main cause of heartburn for most people.

The part of the body that is responsible for heartburn occurring is the Lower Esophageal Sphincter, or LES as it is sometimes called. This valve is responsible for keeping the stomach juices within our stomachs. The intestines of the stomach are capable of dealing with the stomach acids. However if for any reason the LES relaxes then the stomach juices can flow into the esophagus and begin causing heartburn.

The walls or the skin of the esophagus are very thin, therefore the esophagus can get irritated by the acidity of the stomach juices. There are a few factors for the cause of heartburn to occur. Here is a list of what is considered to be some of the top reasons for heartburn.

Coffee, tea, and other drinks that contain caffeine can relax the Lower Esophageal Sphincter, thus allowing the stomach juices to flow into the esophagus. Chocolate contains certain amounts of a substance called theobromine.

This compound is found naturally in many caffeine bearing plants. The theobromine relaxes the LES muscle and causes the stomach acid to shoot up into the esophagus leading to heartburn.

Fried and fatty foods have a tendency to slow down the digestion process. This leads to the food being kept in the stomach for a long time. This results in increased pressure to the stomach. This pressure build-up weakens the LES allowing stomach acid to pass into the esophagus.

Tomatoes and tomato-based products, and alcohol also cause the LES to relax. These foods lead to an increase in the production of more stomach acid. This is another heartburn factor.

The tobacco chemicals in cigarettes weaken the LES, as the chemicals pass from the lungs into your blood.

Eating large amounts of food any time of the day puts extra pressure on your lower esophageal sphincter. Therefore there is a chance that some of this digested food will end up in the esophagus. This is especially true in the night as having a large dinner just before you go to sleep leads to the digesting food to press harder against your LES.

Drinking and eating lots of citrus fruits and juices also causes the LES to become relaxed. This is another cause of heartburn.

The last cause of heartburn, is clothing that restricts your stomach. As the clothes press against the stomach walls they force the food up against the LES.

In short, and keeping it nice and simple, the best way to prevent heartburn is to realize that by changing your lifestyle to avoid many of the factors that are the cause of heartburn, you can have a healthy happy life stretching out ahead of you.

When you eat at a buffet, do you consume just about all the food you can and worry about acid reflux or heartburn later? I see it all of the time, just about every one I see at a buffet or even a company potluck, loads their plate with more food than they stomach can handle at one time.

The medical industry has brainwashed most people to believe that if you have heartburn or acid reflux, you have too much stomach acid and that this is the cause of heartburn. Then, then they use Tums or some other over the counter remedy to quench their upset stomach. Or if they are seeing a doctor, the doctor will prescribe a acid blocker drug.

The drugs – acid reducers or blockers – that doctors prescribe usually have a negative impact on your health. Your stomach must have an acid pH of 1.5 to 2.5. With acid blockers or reducers, your stomach pH can move to 3.0 and higher – this means less acidic. A pH of 3.0 or higher can lead to many health problems that you won’t relate to your use to these blockers.

Heartburn, acid reflux or GED occurs when the Lower Esophageal Valve, LEV, opens when it shouldn’t. When this happens some stomach acid and digested food slips back into the esophagus. This will give you a burning sensation, since the esophagus lining is not design to be exposed to acidic stomach contents

If you ever get acid reflux or heartburn, the burning sensation, stomach pain, bleaching, and discomfort will make you look for a heartburn treatment. Here is a list of eating patterns that you should follow, if you want to be free of heartburn. Or, if, you just want not to have stomach digestive problems.

Heartburn treatment with digestive enzymes

Just before you eat, take 2 – 3 digestive enzymes to help you digest your food. You don’t want undigested food to stay in your stomach to long or it will decompose, create gas and turn into an acid source. And, if this undigested food gets into your colon, it can create colon cancer, if it occurs over many years.

Heartburn treatment with water

Limit the amount of liquid you drink when you eat. Drinking excess water dilutes your stomach acid and you need its low pH to digest your food. If you do drink liquid, use room temperature water, since cold water slows down your digestive process.

Heartburn treatment – eat less sugar

Limit your consumption of sugar when you eat. Sugar has no nutritional value and causes calcium to go out your urine. In addition, other minerals are used up during its digestion. For sure don’t drink soda or other sweet drinks during your meals.

Heartburn treatment – watch how you eat fruit

After you eat, don’t eat any fruit. Your stomach is busy digesting the food you just ate. Eating fruit will cause the fruit to remain in your stomach to long, waiting to be digested and will start decaying create gas, and will become acidic.

Heartburn treatment by using a good diet

Don’t stuff yourself at the dinner table. When you eat to much food where you combine meat, carbohydrates, sugar, sodas, fats, and processed foods, the food your stomach cannot digest turns into acid. This acid creates gas and can put pressure on a weak LEV causing it to open.

A weak LEV can be cause by eating too much acid food. It can be caused by mixing to many different foods during a meal. A balanced diet, which contains alkaline and acid food keeps your LEV strong and will not open when you occasionally eat more food than you should.

These are just a few heartburn treatments that can help you keep heartburn free. Your stomach needs strong acid to digest your food. Using acid reducers or blockers like Tums or other medication goes against the nature of your stomach. Without an acid stomach, you will become susceptible to a numerous diseases and a weak LEV valve.

Although taking the right herbs can limit the cause of heartburn, some will need more than herbal remedies to control acid reflux, especially if a person leads a hectic lifestyle. This is because there are often many elements to a busy persons lifestyle that encourages acid reflux and heartburn.

What aspects can be the cause of heartburn in a hectic lifestyle?

Poor eating habits – There are different elements that contribute to poor eating habits. The first is eating a diet rich in foods that have a direct link to acid reflux (I.E. fatty foods, pre-packaged foods high in additives and preservatives, alcohol, coffee, tea. Etc.). Unfortunately, many of these foods make up the regular diet of those leading a hectic lifestyle.

To make matters worse, those that are controlled by their busy schedule tend to -

- Skip meals

- Eat at irregular times

- Ingest larger portions when they do eat

- Rush down their food

- Are physically active after eating

Each of these poor eating habits can be hard on your stomach. For instance, eating large portions creates a distended stomach that is full of food. This places pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). This pressure can result in stomach acid traveling back into the esophagus creating acid reflux, which can be the cause of heartburn.

Tobacco use – Tobacco can make acid reflux a more prominent problem. Nicotine is deposited in the back of the throat and can corrode the esophageal lining. Furthermore, tobacco also inhibits saliva production. Saliva is one of the body’s natural defenses against damage to the esophageal lining.

Poor sleeping habits – Lack of sleep can increase stress, and leads to the use of more caffeine stimulants such as tea, coffee and soda, which can increase the risk of acid reflux. In addition, eating before bed slows digestion. Other sleeping habits that can be the cause of heartburn includes sleeping without the proper elevation of your head (less than 6 inches) and lying on your back or stomach.

Stress – Although stress does not directly cause acid reflux it encourages the condition. The reason is because stress triggers bad habits such as eating fatty “comfort foods”, smoking, drinking alcohol, and eating late at night. Moreover, stress has been known to increase pain sensitivity.

Medications – There are a number of medications that can affect the LES and be the direct cause of heartburn. Some of these medications include -

- Tricyclic antidepressants – I.E. amitriptvlline

- NSAIDs (Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) – I.E. aspirin, ibuprofen

- Sedatives and muscle relaxants

To add insult to injury, not only can these drugs aggravate the esophageal lining, many people ingest them without drinking a full glass of water or lie down directly after. These actions can increase acid reflux risk. Additionally, repeatedly taking antacids to cure your heartburn can lead to negative side effects including headaches and stomach distress (I.E. nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and constipation).

Here are three ways you can effectively reduce the recurrence of acid reflux in your hectic lifestyle -

1. Control your diet and don’t rush through meals – Instead of skipping meals, eating out, or making pre-packaged dinners, consider eating small portions throughout the day. Make the time to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner and don’t rush through your food. Also, give yourself 20 minutes after you eat to digest. Drinking water can also help aid in digestion.

2. Give up bad habits – If you smoke, regularly drink alcohol, drink excessive amounts of carbonated beverages or those that contain caffeine, it’s time to cut back or avoid these practices completely.

3. Reduce stress – Engage in regular low impact exercise such as walking, swimming and bike riding. Make sure you get a goodnight sleep and take the time to enjoy activities you like.

Despite how hectic your life may be, it is imperative that you make an effort to reduce the elements in your lifestyle that can be the cause of heartburn.

The relief and treatment of heartburn, acid reflux, and GERD is a huge billion-dollar-a-year market, according to Tamas Bartfai, director of the Harold L. Dorris Neurological Research Center. Bartfai has had decades of experience as a consultant and executive in the Pharmaceutical industry, and has consulted with companies that are developing costly treatments for this common ailment.

With so much money being spent on medications to relieve heartburn and its companions, you would think at least one medication would be a cure. Sadly, this does not appear to be so. Heartburn medications seem to do nothing more than relieve symptoms. Some attempt to neutralize stomach acids. Others “turn off the pumps” that manufacture stomach acids.

The pharmaceutical community seems to offer nothing that will cure heartburn.

Glutamine for Heartburn

Glutamine for heartburn may be the answer. More specifically, L-glutamine for heartburn. L-glutamine for heartburn may not only be a cure, but be far less costly than other medications.

For example, In the U.S., L-glutamine can be purchased for about 5 cents per capsule. The prescription medication that “turns off the pumps” costs about $5.44 per capsule – at discount prices.

Why might glutamine be good for heartburn?

Cause of Heartburn

Heartburn appears to be a muscular problem.

Despite the pharmaceutical community’s emphasis on acids, the real cause of heartburn is a weakness in the lower esophageal sphincter (LES).

A sphincter is a circular band of muscle like a ring around a body passageway or opening. If you were teaching children about a sphincter, you might place a ring around one finger to illustrate.

The task of every sphincter is to relax or tighten as needed to open or close a natural body opening or passageway. If you made your illustrative ring of elastic, you would tighten and relax the elastic to show sphincter action.

1. A cow’s teat has a sphincter at the lower end. It relaxes to allow milk to flow, and tightens to stop the flow.

2. The human bladder has an involuntary sphincter at its neck. It relaxes to allow urine to flow, and tightens to stop the flow. A voluntary sphincter at the end of the urethra does the same.



3. An anal sphincter tightens to hold back waste, and relaxes to pass waste.



4. The lower esophageal sphincter (LES) relaxes to allow food to enter the stomach, and tightens to keep food and acid from flowing backward into the esophagus. It should prevent heartburn.

Weak Sphincter Problems

If the sphincter in any of the above becomes weak, problems can occur.

1. A milking machine can make a cow’s sphincter remain relaxed for two hours. This allows bacteria to enter the teat, and can result in mastitis.

2. A weakness in the bladder sphincter can cause urine to leak against your will.

3. When the anal sphincter weakens, fecal incontinence can occur.

4. A weakness in the LES allows stomach acids to reflux, flow backward into the esophagus. This causes heartburn.

When sphincters other than the LES weaken and cause problems, attention is turned to strengthening the weak sphincter. The cow’s sphincter is often subjected to cold after milking to tighten the muscle band. Exercise can tighten both weak bladder sphincters and weak anal sphincters. Biofeedback, electrical stimulation, and certain drugs also can be used to tighten these two sphincters.

Interestingly, none of these approaches seems to be used for the LES. Heartburn treatments address the symptoms, but neglect the weakened sphincter, which is the real problem.

Can Glutamine for Heartburn Help?



Glutamine for heartburn may be a solution.

Glutamine is an amino acid. Just as other amino acids are important constituents of proteins, so is glutamine. Glutamine occurs naturally in foods that are high in protein: beans, dairy products, fish, and red meat.

Glutamine as a supplement is used by weight lifters, body builders, and other athletes who want strong muscles. Glutamine as a supplement is also used to alleviate muscle cramps and pain, especially in older people. By replenishing the amino acids in the body, muscles are strengthened and pain relieved.

Glutamine has been shown to increase the body’s ability to dispose of damaged cells, and produce new cells. Glutamine is a powerful antioxidant, too. As such, it helps protect body cells from free radicals. Glutamine heals mucous membranes, including the lining of the esophagus that is being damaged by heartburn.

It is thought by some that glutamine for heartburn might strengthen the LES, improving its ability to tighten properly. This might completely prevent heartburn, acid reflux, and even GERD.

Glutamine for heartburn could possibly be a partial, if not a total cure.

Until heartburn, acid reflux, and GERD are understood and treated as the muscular problems they seem to be, physicians will continue to prescribe relief and treatments that address only the symptoms.

Disclaimer: The author does not sell glutamine in any form, nor will she profit from sales of glutamine for heartburn. The author is not a medical professional and offers this information for educational purposes only.

All food we eat passes through the gullet and into the stomach through a pipe and lodged in the stomach. So the basic cause of heartburn is that the food particles and the acid from the stomach leak back into the gullet or the esophagus. This condition also leads to severe pain in the stomach and chest. Most people have stomach acid reflux at some time in their lives, either as heartburn or acid regurgitation.

Americans and other westerners suffer from heartburn symptoms more often than people from asian and eastern countries. The other symptoms include burping and a feeling of bloating. If these symptoms occur more than two days a week for several months, a person may have Acid Reflux Disease, otherwise known as Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). Most of us experience heartburn occasionally but if it persists then a visit to the doctor may be necessary.

Your diet and lifestyle have been pinpointed as some factors which may cause heartburn and acid reflux. Most people believe that particular food or drinks could cause heartburn and they are right, excess acid is the main cause of heartburn.

In some rare cases, though, the damage can be enough to cause cancerous cells to develop in this area. If you know what the cause of your heartburn is, you cab stop it from hurting and destroying your quality of life. Chronic heartburn is also dangerous on its own since the frequent contact with the acidic stomach contents will harm the lining of the esophagus and cause inflammation.

Late meals can also cause heartburn by stimulating the stomach’s production of digestive fluids. When you go to bed and do not have an upright position the acid come up more easily.

There are several remedies, also natural one’s that really works. Herbal remedies typically contain fennel, ginger or mint oil, alone or in combination. Depending on the heartburn causes, the remedies should differ. There are many natural remedies that you can add to your pantry for use when the symptoms flare up. Home remedies and over the counter products and prescription drugs are available to relieve heartburn.

If your condition is severe your doctor will probably inform you that you would most likely need medications indefinitely. To find out what works you will often have to try several remedies. Regretfully, one single doctor visit may not take care of the problem, but don’t give up.

A holistic treatment for heartburn includes treatment plans and hollistic cures for heartburn may be more time consuming than taking a little pill. On the other hand this treatment can be more effective in the long run and the holistic treatment has no side effects.

Most treatment plans or recommended ways to reduce heartburn include lifestyle changes along with dietary changes. But as always, the leading causes of heartburn vary and the best treatment for heartburn varies depending on the individual. Most common is an antacid that can be purchased over the counter from your local pharmacy.

Keep in mind that stress, smoking, alcohol, caffeinated and carbonated beverages may all lead to heartburn. Lifestyle changes like not lying down immediately after a meal and not lying down in a flat position can be a great relief. Also remember to avoid spicy foods, drinking beverages with caffeine, taking alcohol and smoking. Exercising regularly and reducing weight can also help control heartburn to a large extent.

Going through the final part of this article, we will see just how important the subject can be to many people.

Heartburn occurs when stomach acids back up into the throat, causing throbbing in the interior of your chest. There is a muscle located at the basis of the throat, called the sphincter, which routinely will prohibit acids from entrance back up. If that sphincter does not meaning correctly, the acids will certainly back up into the throat. The cause of a malmeaninging sphincter is chiefly nameless.

However, there are many gear in your diet and lifestyle that can contribute to the conundrum, causing unending heartburn issues. The good newscast is that because diet and lifestyle are a slice of the conundrum, modifications to both can cause relief from heartburn symptoms.

promise groundss of Heartburn

One of the first lifestyle choices that can be a contributing cause of heartburn is smoking. The element in cigarette smoke actually weakens the sphincter, making it easier for acids to toss through. If you are a smoker, you may see relief from your heartburn if your stop smoking. Another cause of heartburn is intake large meals. If you endure from standard or unending heartburn, try intake lesser meals more frequently to alleviate the bursting emotion in your stomach.

wearisome tough correct clothing, especially around the waist, can be a contributing cause of heartburn as well. alter to ample correct clothing and see if you sight an improvement. lastly, intake too close to bedtime can cause conundrums while you are catnaping. Try to eat your last meal of the day more than three hours before retiring. If you still find you are waking up with heartburn throbbing, you can produce the president of your bed about six inches, so that you are not insincere completely even while you catnap. If nothing of these lifestyle changes look to help relieve the heartburn you are experiencing, it may be time to move on to food changes.

food groundss of Heartburn

There are some public causes of heartburn in our diet that you can try eliminating first to see if that causes relief. For example, oily and fried foods, caffeine, chocolate and alcohol are all known to be contributing causes of returning heartburn, because they can cause the sphincter muscle to relax and allocate acids back up. Other diet choices to refrain from are citrus fruits and juices, and tomato crop. If escapeing these foods and beverages don’t help, you can try care a food diary for numerous being to see if you can isolate which explicit foods are causing your heartburn.

recurring heartburn is seldom crucial, but it can be testing to manage with the endless throbbing. By identifying the cause of your heartburn, you can escape those gear in your diet or lifestyle that are contributing to your throbbing and discomfort.

If you thoroughly examine each part that we have discussed, you will see a common thread of which to explore.

Believe it or not heartburn, also called acid reflux, is caused by hydrochloric acid backing up into your esophagus or gullet. If you remember that stuff from your schooldays you’ll understand why it results in a really painful burning sensation in the middle of your chest.

It works like this; at the base of your esophagus, which is the tube your food goes down, there is a circular muscle called a sphincter. Its job is to open up for food to enter the stomach, but then close tightly again to prevent it from coming back up. If it fails to function properly, digestive acids can seep into the esophagus causing discomfort and, sometimes, severe pain.

No-one really knows what causes the sphincter to malfunction in this way. However, there are many things in your diet and lifestyle that can contribute to the problem, causing chronic heartburn issues. The good news is that because diet and lifestyle are involved, modifications to both can bring relief from heartburn symptoms.

Lifestyle Causes of Heartburn

You may be surprised to learn that a major cause of heartburn is smoking. The chemicals found in cigarette smoke are known to weaken the sphincter, making it easier for acids to pass through. If you smoke and you also suffer from heartburn, now is the time to stop.

Another contributing factor to heartburn can be eating large meals. If you suffer from regular or chronic heartburn, try eating less food more frequently to alleviate that full feeling in your stomach. It is often after meals that heartburn will strike, particularly when you lean forward or engage in some other activity that involves stooping.

Wearing tight fitting clothing, especially around the waist, is also not a good idea for known sufferers of heartburn. If you are affected, try wearing looser fitting clothing and see if you notice an improvement.

Another problem for many people, especially those who work long hours, is eating substantial meals shortly before bedtime. This can cause problems while you are sleeping. Whenever possible, try to eat your last meal of the day at least three hours before retiring and take a walk around the block afterwards to help digestion. If you still find you are waking up with heartburn pain, you can raise the head of your bed around 15 centimeters, so that you are not lying completely flat while you sleep. There are also pillows available which raise your head and shoulders and thus help to prevent the back-flow of acid.

Even if these lifestyle changes do seem to help relieve the heartburn you experience, it is also important to consider dietary changes.

Dietary Causes of Heartburn

Fatty and fried foods, caffeine, chocolate and alcohol are all known to be contributing causes of recurring heartburn, mainly because they can cause the esophageal sphincter muscle to relax. Other foods to eliminate until you are certain of the cause are citrus fruits and juices, including tomato products.

If avoiding these foods and beverages don’t help, try keeping a diary of the food you eat on a daily basis to see if you can pinpoint eating which specific food is invariably followed by heartburn.

While recurrent heartburn is rarely serious on its own, it can lead to much more serious conditions such as ulcers and it can be very difficult to cope with the constant pain. You should also be aware at there are times when it may be symptomatic of something else. This is especialy true if you get attacks some time after having eaten or that are associated with being in an upright positon, whether sitting or standing.

In many cases, however, by identifying the cause of your heartburn, you can avoid those things in your diet or lifestyle that are contributing to your pain and discomfort.

Believe it or not heartburn, also called acid reflux, is caused by hydrochloric acid backing up into your esophagus or gullet. If you remember that stuff from your schooldays you’ll understand why it results in a really painful burning sensation in the middle of your chest.

It works like this; at the base of your esophagus, which is the tube your food goes down, there is a circular muscle called a sphincter. Its job is to open up for food to enter the stomach, but then close tightly again to prevent it from coming back up. If it fails to function properly, digestive acids can seep into the esophagus causing discomfort and, sometimes, severe pain.

No-one really knows what causes the sphincter to malfunction in this way. However, there are many things in your diet and lifestyle that can contribute to the problem, causing chronic heartburn issues. The good news is that because diet and lifestyle are involved, modifications to both can bring relief from heartburn symptoms.

Lifestyle Causes of Heartburn

You may be surprised to learn that a major cause of heartburn is smoking. The chemicals found in cigarette smoke are known to weaken the sphincter, making it easier for acids to pass through. If you smoke and you also suffer from heartburn, now is the time to stop.

Another contributing factor to heartburn can be eating large meals. If you suffer from regular or chronic heartburn, try eating less food more frequently to alleviate that full feeling in your stomach. It is often after meals that heartburn will strike, particularly when you lean forward or engage in some other activity that involves stooping.

Wearing tight fitting clothing, especially around the waist, is also not a good idea for known sufferers of heartburn. If you are affected, try wearing looser fitting clothing and see if you notice an improvement.

Another problem for many people, especially those who work long hours, is eating substantial meals shortly before bedtime. This can cause problems while you are sleeping. Whenever possible, try to eat your last meal of the day at least three hours before retiring and take a walk around the block afterwards to help digestion. If you still find you are waking up with heartburn pain, you can raise the head of your bed around 15 centimeters, so that you are not lying completely flat while you sleep. There are also pillows available which raise your head and shoulders and thus help to prevent the back-flow of acid.

Even if these lifestyle changes do seem to help relieve the heartburn you experience, it is also important to consider dietary changes.

Dietary Causes of Heartburn

Fatty and fried foods, caffeine, chocolate and alcohol are all known to be contributing causes of recurring heartburn, mainly because they can cause the esophageal sphincter muscle to relax. Other foods to eliminate until you are certain of the cause are citrus fruits and juices, including tomato products.

If avoiding these foods and beverages don’t help, try keeping a diary of the food you eat on a daily basis to see if you can pinpoint eating which specific food is invariably followed by heartburn.

While recurrent heartburn is rarely serious on its own, it can lead to much more serious conditions such as ulcers and it can be very difficult to cope with the constant pain. You should also be aware at there are times when it may be symptomatic of something else. This is especialy true if you get attacks some time after having eaten or that are associated with being in an upright positon, whether sitting or standing.

In many cases, however, by identifying the cause of your heartburn, you can avoid those things in your diet or lifestyle that are contributing to your pain and discomfort.