Remedies for Heartburn

Heartburn is a very painful condition from which many people suffer. You may feel pain and discomfort in your chest, neck and stomach. According to a WebMD, it happens when the acid of your stomach goes back up into your esophagus. Of course, many people take over-the-counter and prescription medications to help with this condition. There are a variety of other measures that can help you get relief from heartburn.
First, you can make a big difference in your heartburn by being careful with your diet. Everyone’s heartburn is a little different, and specific foods may trigger yours. Make sure to stay away from foods that you know trigger yours or eat them in very small amounts. If you have difficulty figuring out which foods these are then you can keep a food diary. Common foods that can cause problems include caffeine, citrus fruits, onions, tomatoes, peppermint, chocolate, sodas, and foods that have a lot of fat. You might also be able to help it with an increase in fiber.
You should also think about how often and how much food you eat. If you eat a lot of food at one time, you may be more likely to suffer from heartburn. You might want to instead reduce your portion sizes so that you eat six smaller meals instead of three large meals. No matter how much you eat, you should try not to “inhale” your food. Eat slowly so that all of the food does not get down there at once.
Many people suffer from heartburn particularly when it is late at night or when they go to lie down. You may be able to help this if you give more time in between when you last eat and when you go to sleep. You can also incline your bed so that the part by your head is a little higher. WebMD suggests raising the entire mattress and not just the pillows.
Excessive weight can also make heartburn worse because the fat in the stomach may push your stomach and increase the likelihood of the acid backing up. When you lose weight, you may find that the heartburn gets better.
There are other things that may help against heartburn. Cigarettes can exacerbate it, so try to avoid them. Wearing tight clothing can also put more pressure on your stomach and increase the likelihood of heartburn. Exercise may help. Even saliva-causing gum can be effective, but use sugarless gum to protect your teeth.
There are a wide variety of measures that can help provide relief from heartburn. Try the different remedies to see what works best for you.