Tips to reduce heartburn

The odds are that you or someone you know experiences heartburn. Around half of North American adults experience it at least once per month, and between 10-20 percent of them endure it at least once per week.

What is heartburn, and why does it occur?

Heartburn occurs when the strong acid in your stomach creeps up into your esophagus. It can feel like a burning sensation; hence the name “heartburn.” Other common symptoms include bloating, burping, difficulty swallowing, a bitter taste in the mouth, or a sore throat. If you only suffer from heartburn occasionally, there’s less to worry about, but chronic heartburn can lead to serious digestive problems down the road.

Don’t get me wrong, stomach acid, also known as hydrochloric acid, is good. It’s essential for good health and optimal digestion. And most of us err on the side of having too little hydrochloric acid rather than too much.

We need the acid in our stomach to protect us against harmful microbes (i.e. bacteria) that lurk in our food and drinks. Stomach acid also helps us break down our food and digest nutrients. But we need that acid to stay in the stomach, and not get up to our esophagus!

Stomach acid doesn’t usually burn the stomach itself because the stomach is protected by a layer of mucus. But your esophagus doesn’t have that same protection. It has a valve that is supposed to prevent things from going the wrong way; in other words, keep food, drink, and acid down and not allow it back up. And when your esophagus is exposed to stomach acid too often, you experience the infamous burning, inflammation, and other issues.

I’m going to share some tips that may help you overcome your heartburn symptoms naturally. Of course, if symptoms last for a long time or get worse, it’s probably a good idea to see your doctor.

Tip #1 – Food to avoid

You may notice that when you eat or drink certain items, you get heartburn soon afterward. These triggers differ by individual but often include onions, garlic, chocolate, citrus, tomato, mint, spicy foods, greasy foods, coffee, carbonated drinks, and alcohol. If any of these foods or drinks affect you, reduce them or even try cutting them out to see whether their absence makes a difference in the level of heartburn you feel.

Heartburn might also result from a sneaky food sensitivity. Try eliminating grains, dairy, and processed foods for a few weeks and see whether that helps.

Tip #2 – Food to consume

Now, you may be wondering: “If I eliminate these food and drink items, what can I consume in their place?”

First, try increasing your fiber intake. Yes, this means eating more whole, unprocessed foods, especially veggies. In fact, potatoes and other root vegetables may be a great addition to your meals if you suffer from heartburn. Try getting at least five servings of veggies every day, and be sure to include green veggies like broccoli, asparagus, celery, and green beans. They are all low in acid.

Other foods to maintain in your diet if you want to fight heartburn are lean poultry and meat, fish, egg whites, melons, bananas, complex carbs like rice, oatmeal, whole grain bread, and couscous.

You can’t tell how acidic a food is by looking at it, nor can you find information on its acidity on the nutrition label. But you can research a food’s power of hydrogen (pH) level, which is a score of its acid or alkaline content. The lower the pH number, the greater the amount of the acid; for example, lemon juice has a pH of 2.0.

If you aim to consume foods with a pH of 5 or above, you may have fewer heartburn symptoms. You can find the pH level of foods on some government sites and in low-acid-diet cookbooks.

Tip #3 – How and when to eat

Eat slowly, and genuinely enjoy the eating experience. By eating slowly, you create a lighter, more relaxed setting in which your body can effectively digest food. Savor the taste, smell, and texture of the food. And please chew your food thoroughly, as that helps your digestive system to break the food down properly. Some experts recommend chewing a mouthful of food up to 32 times. But I encourage clients to go for at least 15-20 chews for each mouthful. Chewing also helps to make the food more alkaline and digestible.

Another key move to resist heartburn is to monitor the size of your meals. The more food the stomach has to process, the more difficult it becomes to keep heartburn and acid reflux at bay. Smaller meals and portion sizes, spread out throughout the day, are normally easier on the digestive system.

And don’t eat too close to bedtime. You want to avoid going to bed on a full stomach. Try to end your eating for the day around 2-3 hours before lying down, so schedule your dinner or evening snack with that in mind.

Tip #4 – Lifestyle hacks

Sometimes strenuous exercise can make heartburn symptoms worse. If this happens to you, then focus on low-intensity exercises, such as walking and yoga.

If symptoms come on as you’re attempting to sleep, try adding a pillow or two so that your head is a bit higher than your stomach.

Another interesting tip is to try sleeping on your left side. Lying on your left side works because the valve that prevents the acid from “leaking” into your esophagus is located on the right side of the stomach. So, when you’re lying on your left, the acid is away from that valve.

Recipe: Not Too Greasy or Spicy Baked Potatoes

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 small bag of mini potatoes
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Scrub potatoes and boil them until they’re soft. How long that will take will depend on their size, so check them by determining how easily they’re penetrated with a fork or knife.
2. Drain the water and toss the potatoes with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Place in a roasting dish at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes.
4. Serve and enjoy!

Tip: Don’t have mini potatoes? Use large potatoes or sweet potatoes and chop them to the size of mini-potatoes.

Has heartburn been a health challenge for you? How have you kept it under control?