An Overview Of Heartburn Remedies & Diets

It is estimated that more than 60 million Americans experience acid reflux at least once a month and 15 million experience it on a regular basis. Globally, acid reflux affects about 7% of the population including men, women, and children.

These figures represent a need to study and understand the nature of heartburn in more detail. Because it is a very common symptom, proper measures to its management need to be learned.

What is Heartburn?

Heartburn is the series of symptoms associated when an acid reflux occurs. It is a sensation of tightness, pain or discomfort in the middle of the chest that can follow after an acid reflux.

Many conditions cause acid reflux. Because of these things, heartburn is usually experienced. One such cause is overproduction of acid. Some heartburn sufferers simply produce abnormal amounts of acid in their body, making their stomach liquid more acid concentrated and thus can inflict more damage when it comes into contact with the esophagus. Several sources of increased acidity, other than genetic predisposition, are not having enough saliva and high acidity foods.

Having too little stomach acid predisposes to acid reflux as well. During healthy digestion your stomach uses and acid cocktail made up of hydrochloric acid and the powerful digestive enzyme pepsin, to break down food into the vital nutrients your body needs. Pepsin requires a highly acidic environment to do its job, and when hydrochloric acid is low, which can happen for many reasons, including age, poor diet, infection, and overusing antacids and medications, it becomes increasingly difficult for your stomach to fully process your food.

Having a weakened muscle tone is another reason for acid reflux. When the pressure is not enough to keep food inside the stomach, regurgitation happens, and heartburn occurs. A weak esophageal tone can be caused by obesity, slow digestions, and age.

What are other factors that cause Heartburn?

Hiatal Hernia

A hiatal hernia occurs when the upper part of the stomach pushes through an opening in the diaphragm called the hiatus, and up into the chest.

Normally, the hiatus and the LES rely on each other to keep stomach contents from backing up into the esophagus. It is believed that a hiatal hernia can weaken the LES, and make it easier for the stomach acid to back up into the esophagus.

Difficulty in Swallowing

Sometimes, the problem is not found in the stomach or the laxity of esophageal muscles. Some reflux sufferers experience difficulty swallowing and pushing it from the top of the esophagus through the stomach. This causes build-up of acid that damages the esophagus.

Dietary choices and Sluggish digestion

A diet that is high in refined carbohydrates, processed, and toxic food and low in fresh fruits and vegetables affects biochemical processes within the cells, worsens digestion, and interferes with the natural toxic elimination process.

Apart from this, it also feeds Candida, a bacteria that thrives on refined carbohydrates such as sugar, white flour, and white rice can lead to acid reflux since its overgrowth causes fermentation in the colon.

Stress

Many people report that their symptoms of heartburn increase when they are stressed. Stress can impact the body in multiple ways. First, the digestive and immune systems can be compromised and may contribute to acid reflux.

When stress happens, the production of cortisol inhibits digestion. Plus, your immune system isn’t as strong during times of stress either. This will leave your body to become less equipped to fend off infectious agents that come in regular contact with in your food and drink. Both of these can increase the likelihood of acid reflux.

What are symptoms of Heartburn?

This is the primary symptom of acid reflux. It is a burning sensation that radiates up from the stomach to the chest and throat. It is most likely to occur after a heavy meal, bending over, or lifting or lying down particularly on your back. This burning can last for several hours and often becomes worse after meals. Usually, having heartburn every now and then isn’t necessarily acid reflux or a health problem. But when it occurs frequently, two or three times a week and accompanied by other symptoms such as food sticking in the throat, blood loss or weight loss, that’s when acid reflux becomes a diagnosis.

Here signs to know whether your heartburn may mean something more serious:

• Having heartburn at least twice a week.
• Heartburn doesn’t get better with antacids or over-the-counter medicine.
• Heartburn is associated food sticking, weight loss, or low blood count.

What Heartburn Treatment & Remedies Can I Use?

Use of Medications

Medications can relieve the pain of heartburn by reducing stomach acid levels, and in turn, reducing the chance of it refluxing through the malfunctioning lower esophageal sphincter.

Heartburn Diets – Eat the right kinds of food

There exists a list of standard food choices that heartburn sufferers should either take very little of, or avoid completely. Although each heartburn sufferer may have different food triggers, this list is generally applicable to anyone with the condition.

These foods include:

• Milk
• Cheese
• Yogurt
• Liquor
• Pork
• All vegetables that have a skin on them
• Citrus fruits
• Fruit drinks
• Carbonated soft drinks
• Apricot
• Blackberry
• Blueberry
• Cherry
• Clementine
• Coconut
• Cranberry
• Fig
• Grape
• Lemon
• Lime
• Strawberry
• Beet

• Broccoli
• Brussels sprout
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Celery
• Chard
• Chicory
• Collards
• Corn
• Cress
• Kales
• Peas
• Raddichio
• Radish
• Spinach
• Turnips
• Watercress
• Doughnuts
• Ice cream
• Pizza
• Processed cold cuts

These food choices should be included in your everyday meals as they consume large quantities of acid in your stomach and not cause debilitating effects.

• Chicken
• Turkey
• Pasta
• Rice
• Potatoes
• Duck
• Mushrooms
• Sushi
• Soups

Eat smaller, but more frequent meals. More pressure is needed to keep the food down inside the stomach when big meals are taken in. This can lead to eventual acid reflux and heartburn.

Don’t eat within two or three hours before bedtime. This gives your stomach time to properly digest food and prevent back-up of acid contents.

Elevate your head a few inches before you sleep. Again, this will help you prevent regurgitation.