Almost everyone experiences occasional episodes of heartburn. The symptoms of heartburn include painful esophageal burning below or behind the breastbone that can also radiate to your neck or throat. It occurs when stomach acids escape back into your esophagus due to a weakened muscle called the lower esophageal sphincter muscle. This muscle is like a door between your esophagus and stomach that opens to let food into the stomach and then closes behind it. If this muscle becomes weak, it does not close all the way and allows stomach acids to flow back into your esophagus. In most cases, eliminating problematic foods from your diet can relieve heartburn, but if you experience frequent persistent episodes, contact your doctor.
Beverages
Avoid consuming alcohol completely or save it for a special occasion. You might get away with an occasional glass of wine, but not all people are able to do this. The same goes for caffeinated beverages. Avoid drinking coffee, tea, hot chocolate and colas if they cause you to experience esophageal pain or burning. In addition, refrain from drinking all carbonated beverages.
Spicy and Fatty Foods
Do not eat spicy foods such as onions, garlic and hot peppers or eat spicy seasonings including chili powder and black pepper. Refrain from eating all fried foods, including french fries and potato chips, and do not eat fatty meats such as bacon, ham or sausage. In addition, when consuming dairy products choose low-fat or fat-free options and skip the full-fat versions.
Acidic Foods
Do not consume acidic foods, including potatoes, onions and cranberries. Do not eat citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruit, lemons, limes or tangerines, and avoid eating tomatoes and tomato-based products such as tomato sauce, pizza, chili and spaghetti. Also, do not drink any citrus juices or tomato juice.
Miscellaneous Foods
If you love chocolate, this is one of the most common heartburn triggers. Do not eat any foods containing chocolate, including sweet treats such as ice cream, cake or pie. In addition, avoid all food items containing spearmint or peppermint, which also cause heartburn.
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