If you have felt a painful burning feeling in your chest or throat after eating a heavy meal or while you were laying down, then you know what heartburn feels like. It is a common condition that can be addressed with dietary changes. If you have frequent heartburn, you need to change your diet or you may damage your esophagus and develop other problems such as GERD.
What Is Heartburn?
Heartburn is a condition where your stomach acid backs up into your esophagus and causes a painful burn below or behind your breastbone. Some heartburn symptoms can radiate to your neck or to your throat and mimic the symptoms of a heart attack. Heartburn can be caused by a hiatal hernia or a weakness in the muscle that closes the esophagus, which is called the lower esophageal sphincter according to PubMed Health. Heartburn can also be aggravated by medication usage, certain foods and pregnancy.
Heartburn Diet
The two key factors in a heartburn diet are the manner in which you eat and what types of foods you should avoid. PubMed Health lists three key eating tips for heartburn sufferers. The first is to avoid bending or exercising after meals because this can aggravate the lower esophageal sphincter and increase your symptoms. The second is to avoid lying down for at least two to three hours after eating. The third tip is to simply eat smaller meals to allow your body a better chance to digest the foods that you eat. In addition to changing how you eat, you should avoid foods such as caffeine, alcohol, carbonated beverages, chocolate, fruit juices, spicy foods, fatty foods, peppermint, spearmint and tomato products because these foods tend to trigger acid reflux.
GERD
According to MedlinePlus, if you have heartburn that occurs more than two times each week, you may have gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, the name given to frequent heartburn. It is generally treated with the heartburn diet and medications designed to decrease the irritation of your stomach acid. MedlinePlus states that if GERD is not treated, you may need further care such as surgery.
Considerations
The bottom line on heartburn and the heartburn diet, is that if you control your portions and slow down your eating, you can rein in your heartburn. Avoiding foods that trigger your heartburn is also important. These may be different for each person so you should pay attention to which foods cause your symptoms. If you have frequent heartburn that occurs multiple times per week, you should talk with your doctor about treatment for GERD.
