Although most people associate heartburn with acidic foods, everyone has their own set of triggers. For some, dairy -- including many cheeses, like Swiss, cheddar and even mozzarella -- can cause flareups. The problem with these products lies largely in their fat content. Fatty foods tend to affect the rate of digestion, increasing your likelihood of suffering heartburn.
Cheese
Cheese and many other dairy products can be relatively high in fat. Fat is known to slow the emptying of stomach contents, which can increase the pressure placed on the lower esophageal sphincter that separates the esophagus from the stomach. The added pressure can cause these muscles to open, allowing stomach contents to flow back into your esophagus. This irritates the esophageal wall, causing the symptoms associated with heartburn.
Symptoms
If cheese and other dairy products trigger heartburn, you'll experience a burning pain right along the breastbone soon after eating. This pain may also radiate down into your abdomen and usually worsens when lying down or bending over.
Self-care
Most people find that self-care measures can improve the symptoms associated with heartburn. One of the more beneficial is to avoid foods that trigger the burning pain. In this situation, steer clear of Swiss cheese and other dairy products. You may also notice an improvement in your symptoms by losing weight. According to the Mayo Clinic, excess weight can increase abdominal pressure, making heartburn more likely. Besides avoiding your trigger and losing weight, you many decrease the occurrence of heartburn by not lying down for at least three hours after eating, elevating your head if you do lie down and eating smaller meals.
Medicinal
If self-care measures fail to improve your condition, many over-the-counter medications are available to reduce symptoms. Antacids are probably one of the more popular, but you can also take H-2 receptors or proton pump inhibitors. These medications tend to reduce or block acid production. The more acids in your stomach, the greater the irritation to the esophageal wall when stomach contents flow back into the food pipe. Choose from cimetidine, ranitidine, famotidine, lansoprazole or omeprazole. You can also talk to your doctor for a prescription for most of these medications, which are generally stronger.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Heartburn; May 2011
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; Heartburn, Gastroesophageal Reflux (GER) and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease; May 2007
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease and Heartburn -- Prevention; June 2009
- NotMilk.com; Got Heartburn? Digest This; Robert Cohen
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