Anyone that has experienced heartburn will tell you that it’s very irritating. This is because it causes you to have severe chest pains. In fact, it feels like the chest is being pricked with a needle. And maybe that’s why some people confuse it with a heart attack. Though the condition is called heartburn, it doesn’t affect the heart in any way. Whoever gave the ailment such a name must have run out of words.
Under normal circumstances, heartburn happens when acidic contents of the stomach reverse back into the esophagus. The condition tends to worsen when you lie down to sleep. When managing heartburn, you should be guided by its triggers. Here are some tips that can help you overcome heartburn once and for all.
1. Lose Weight
People who are overweight are more vulnerable to heartburn. The big belly puts a lot of pressure on the stomach which eventually causes some of its contents to spill back into the esophagus. The good news is that losing weight is not difficult as long as you are committed. For a start, you should eat less food. This will help in reducing the number of calories in the body. This should be complemented with regular exercises. Exercises help in burning the accumulated fats and converting them into energy that’s used during metabolic processes right away. You should make sure you exercise for at least 30 minutes.
2. Avoid Foods that Trigger Heartburn
If you experience heartburn after indulging in certain kinds of delicacies, you should replace them with other foods. If the pain comes moments after eating white bread or rice, you should opt to eat brown bread and whole grain rice. You should also ditch potatoes and some bean varieties because they induce heartburn. If you really crave for such foods, you should include small portions of garlic and ginger.
3. Avoid Stress
We all have issues that bother us. It could be broken relationships, financial hardships and diseases that refuse to go. If this describes you, it’s recommended you avoid stress because it might be the reason why you always suffer from heartburn. You can avoid stress by staying around positive people that inspire you. You should also avoid being lonely by mingling with other people at social gatherings. Even working out in the gym helps a lot because it helps you forget about your worries for some time. It’s also advisable you avoid foods that have too many spices.
4. Eat Early in the Evening
You can keep heartburn at bay by taking super early in the evening. This will give the stomach ample time to digest what you have eaten. If you go to bed immediately after having supper, you are likely to suffer from heartburn. This is because your digestive system will be busy breaking down the food substance. It’s also difficult to sleep when your stomach is still grinding. It’s therefore recommended you eat 3 hours in advance.
5. Use Pillows
As mentioned earlier heartburn accelerates when you are sleeping. Lying on the bed makes it easier for acidic contents of the stomach to crawl back into the esophagus. You should, therefore, use a pillow when sleeping because inclining your torso helps in containing the backflow.
