Heartburn is a painful condition involving the upper digestive system. It is the result of stomach acid reflux when the LES (lower esophageal sphincter) weakens.

One of the usual reasons you suffer from heartburn is the food you eat. You should be aware that caffeinated drinks causes acid reflux and weakens the LES (lower esophageal sphincter).

You should stay away from foods that are spicy, fatty and greasy. It takes longer for these foods to be digested and pressures the LES (lower esophageal sphincter).

Eating spaghetti can also trigger heartburn. Tomatoes, tomato juices and sauces calm the LES (lower esophageal sphincter). You can still eat pasta dishes, just make sure it doesn’t have the red sauce.

Drinking orange, lime or lemon juice also triggers heartburn. These citrus fruits relax the LES (lower esophageal sphincter).

Milk and dairy products take more time to digest and stays longer in the stomach which stimulates acid production.

Drinking beer or any alcoholic beverages intensifies acid production in the stomach and relaxes the LES (lower esophageal sphincter). It is recommended not to fill your fridge with beer or liquor.

Chocolate is a comfort food that might be the hardest to resist but it relaxes the LES (lower esophageal sphincter), so you should stay away from it.

Aside from food, smoking a cigarette or cigar can also trigger heartburn because it weakens the LES (lower esophageal sphincter).

Eating a midnight snack can also trigger heartburn. Since you are lying down, food in your stomach will be forced up to the LES (lower esophageal sphincter).

It is not advisable to wear tight clothes because when your stomach gets squeezed, the food will reflux into the esophagus.

Doing sit-ups, crunches and other strenuous exercises strain the stomach and the LES (lower esophageal sphincter).

If you are suffering from other illnesses, ask your doctor if the medicines you are taking can trigger heartburn.

Learn more about Heartburn. Stop by Andrew Benford’s site where you can find out all about Heartburn Safe Foods.

There are lots of women who begin to undergo painful heartburn symptoms when they are pregnant. One of the reasons for this is the raised hormonal levels that are a result of being pregnant. This results in softening of the ligaments that are responsible for regulating the passageway that leads from the stomach to the esophagus. Therefore, gastric acid is able to make its way up the esophagus and throat more easily. Another reason why women who are pregnant are afflicted with heartburn is because of added pressure in the stomach region caused by the growth of the baby. Often this can force the contents of the stomach up to the esophagus.

There are lots of alternatives when it comes to alleviating the pain of heartburn during pregnancy. Here are some strategies that should give some relief.

* Keep your head elevated at least six to eight inches when sleeping. You might find a specially made acid reflux wedge pillow to be useful in these circumstances. This will assist gravity to prevent the acids in your stomach from making their way up the esophagus.

* Avoid alcoholic beverages, which you ought to in any case for the well being of your baby.

* Keep away from foods that lead to heartburn. This means chocolate, highly spiced foods, citrus, tomato based foods, as well as fatty and fried foods.

* Don’t bend from the waist; use your knees instead. This puts less pressure on your stomach.

* Don’t slump when sitting. Sit erect in a comfortable chair.

* Avoid tight clothes. Tightness around the waist and stomach will bring about heartburn.

* Do not go to sleep for at least three hours after eating. This will help prevent nighttime heartburn.

* Drink plenty of water, at least 8 to 10 glasses on a daily basis. However don’t drink too much while you’re eating. This results in overexpansion of the abdomen, thus pushing out the gastric acids in your tummy.

* Eat your food in a leisurely manner.

* Eat smaller portions of food. Eating mini meals spaced throughout the day will lessen the pressure on the abdomen.

* Keep weight gain to healthy levels. All that surplus fat puts extra pressure on the stomach.

* Quit smoking. This isn’t just bad for the baby, it is a frequent trigger for heartburn.

* Do not drink beverages that are high in caffeine such as tea, coffee and cola.

Almost everyone gets a bad case of heartburn at one time or another. Some people, however, never seem to be able to get rid of it. Learn more about the symptoms, prevention and treatment of this painful condition at Heartburn Relief.

categories: pregnancy heartburn,heartburn,acid reflux,health

There will always be people who suffer from acid reflux for years. It won’t matter what medications they take or what they try. The pain they have will not go away easily. For many people acid reflux can not be cured from medication. In fact, some people will find that the medication may make things worse!

Now is a good time for you try some home treatments. Many of these work and they cost allot less to experiment with. Some of these remedies may even offer you long term results. Here are 5 of the best home remedies that you can try out for yourself.

#1: Probably, the best remedy that anyone can try from home is apple cider vinegar. It can offer you some very fast and effective relief. However, as a cure it’s not really permanent. It is something that you can take when you feel the burning or before you eat. Give it a try. I think you will be surprised by the results.

#2: Having a more healthy lifestyle is a crucial part of curing acid reflux. Two important parts of this is having less caffeine in your diet and quite smoking. If your the type who likes a smoke and have a coffee at the same time, your going to have to work that out of your daily routine.

#3: Some people like to take 1 or 2 teaspoons of honey to help relieve the pain with acid reflux. This shouldn’t be too much of a surprise. Honey is a very good natural way of healing many illnesses. The honey you take should be all natural organic honey.

#4: Aloe Vera juice is another way to relieve the burning sensation you get with heartburn. You can drink the juice whenever the symptoms start or you could drink it with a meal. Another option would be to take it in capsule form with a meal or whenever you feel the symptoms starting.

#5 Many people could avoid acid reflux by eating smaller meals. When you eat larger meals your stomach has to produce more acid and work hard to digest the foods. So keep your meals small and eat more frequently if you need too.

There are lots and lots other remedies that you could try, but those 5 should give you a good start.

Are you interested in learning more about acid reflux natural treatments, then visit Billy Brown’s site on how to choose the best home acid reflux cure for your needs.

categories: acid reflux,heartburn,gerd,health,home remedies