Still in the spirit of the "Fire Prevention Month", another common condition that I encounter in my practice is "HeartBurn". Literally, you might think that this disease is brought about by something that 'burns' the heart. Close, but not quite.
Read on and know how to avoid 'burning your heart"
Despite the name, heartburn has nothing to do with the heart. Heartburn is a digestive problem that occurs when stomach acid comes into contact with the lining of the esophagus, causing irritation. Most people suffer from heartburn occasionally, usually after a meal.
Some people who suffer from heartburn report to others that they are suffering from a case of indigestion. Though they both have similar triggers, and treatment may be the same in many instances, indigestion isn't the same thing as heartburn. For example, indigestion is the condition, and heartburn occasionally is a symptom of indigestion. Indigestion is a vague feeling of discomfort and pain in the upper abdomen and chest, including a feeling of fullness and bloating, accompanied by belching and nausea. Occasionally, heartburn is one of the symptoms. It is a common problem, and can be triggered by several things.
Causes of heartburn / acid reflux include:
Coffee, tea, and other drinks that contain caffeine
Caffeine can relax the LES, allowing stomach contents to reflux into the esophagus.
Chocolate
Chocolate contains concentrations of theobromine (a compound that occurs naturally in many plants such as cocoa, tea and coffee plants), which relaxes the esophageal sphincter muscle, letting stomach acid squirt up into the esophagus.
Fried and fatty foods
These foods tend to slow down digestion, keeping the food in your stomach longer. This can result in increases pressure in the stomach, which in turn puts more pressure on a weakened LES, allowing reflux of stomach contents.
Tomatoes and tomato-based products
These foods relax the lower esophageal sphincter (LES).
Alcohol
Alcohol relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter, allowing the reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus.It also increases the production of stomach acid.
Tobacco
The chemicals in cigarette smoke weaken the LES as they pass from the lungs into the blood. Smoking has been shown to have harmful effects on all parts of the digestive system, contributing to such common disorders as heartburn and peptic ulcers. It also increases the risk of Crohn's disease and possibly gallstones. Smoking seems to affect the liver, too, by changing the way it handles drugs and alcohol. In fact, there seems to be enough evidence to stop smoking solely on the basis of digestive distress.
Large meals
A full stomach can put extra pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), which will increase the chance that some of this food will reflux into the esophagus.
Citrus fruits and juices
These foods relax the lower esophageal sphincter (LES).
Eating within 2 to 3 hours prior to bedtime
Lying down with a full stomach can cause stomach contents to press harder against the LES, increasing the chances of refluxed food.
Wearing tight fitting clothing
Clothing that fits tightly around the abdomen will squeeze the stomach, forcing food up against the LES, and cause food to reflux into the esophagus. Clothing that can cause problems include tight-fitting belts and slenderizing undergarments.
If you suffer from frequent heartburn,try the following tips.
Avoid Foods That Can Trigger Heartburn
One way to lessen heartburn episodes is to change your diet. There are certain foods that can worsen heartburn symptoms, and it's best for chronic heartburn sufferers to limit or completely avoid these foods and beverages. These foods include:
High-fat foods
Fried foods
Citrus fruits
Tomatoes or tomato products
Caffeine
Alcoholic beverages
Citrus fruit drinks
Chocolate
Peppermint
Pepper
Don't Overeat
A full stomach can put extra pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), which will increase the chance that some of this food will reflux into the esophagus.
Avoid Lying Down After Eating
Avoid lying down for at least three hours after eating. Lying down with a full stomach can cause stomach contents to press harder against the LES, which tends to relax when a person lays down, causing an increased chance of refluxed food.
Watch Your Alcohol Consumption
Alcohol increases the amount of acid the stomach produces, and relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). If you do want to have some alcohol during your festivities, try the following tips:
Dilute alcoholic beverages with water or club soda.
Drink moderate amounts of alcoholic beverages -- the suggested amounts are 1-2 mixed drinks, 12-16 ounces of wine, or 2-3 beers.
When having wine, drink white wine instead of red.
Choose non-alcoholic beer or wine.
Keep track of which alcoholic drinks aggravate your heartburn, and avoid them as much as possible.
Relax
Stress increases the production of stomach acid, so holiday meals can increase episodes of heartburn. To reduce the chances of heartburn, make meals a pleasant, relaxing experience with the following tips:
Sit down while eating. Eat slowly.Chew completely.
Play soothing music
The time between meals and festivities can be used to relax also. Try to take some time out each day to reduce stress by meditating for a few minutes to calm your mind and your body. You can also indulge in a favorite hobby each day to help yourself relax.
Chew Gum
Chewing gum or sucking on a lozenge for 30 minutes after meals increases the production of saliva. This saliva can relieve heartburn by bathing the esophagus and lessening the effects of acid refluxed into the esophagus by washing it back down to the stomach.
Take an Antacid or H2 Receptor Blocker
Taking an antacid can neutralize existing acid to provide short-term relief. A H2 receptor blocker reduce acid production, which can provide relief from heartburn symptoms for a long time.
Read on and know how to avoid 'burning your heart"
Despite the name, heartburn has nothing to do with the heart. Heartburn is a digestive problem that occurs when stomach acid comes into contact with the lining of the esophagus, causing irritation. Most people suffer from heartburn occasionally, usually after a meal.
Some people who suffer from heartburn report to others that they are suffering from a case of indigestion. Though they both have similar triggers, and treatment may be the same in many instances, indigestion isn't the same thing as heartburn. For example, indigestion is the condition, and heartburn occasionally is a symptom of indigestion. Indigestion is a vague feeling of discomfort and pain in the upper abdomen and chest, including a feeling of fullness and bloating, accompanied by belching and nausea. Occasionally, heartburn is one of the symptoms. It is a common problem, and can be triggered by several things.
Causes of heartburn / acid reflux include:
Coffee, tea, and other drinks that contain caffeine
Caffeine can relax the LES, allowing stomach contents to reflux into the esophagus.
Chocolate
Chocolate contains concentrations of theobromine (a compound that occurs naturally in many plants such as cocoa, tea and coffee plants), which relaxes the esophageal sphincter muscle, letting stomach acid squirt up into the esophagus.
Fried and fatty foods
These foods tend to slow down digestion, keeping the food in your stomach longer. This can result in increases pressure in the stomach, which in turn puts more pressure on a weakened LES, allowing reflux of stomach contents.
Tomatoes and tomato-based products
These foods relax the lower esophageal sphincter (LES).
Alcohol
Alcohol relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter, allowing the reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus.It also increases the production of stomach acid.
Tobacco
The chemicals in cigarette smoke weaken the LES as they pass from the lungs into the blood. Smoking has been shown to have harmful effects on all parts of the digestive system, contributing to such common disorders as heartburn and peptic ulcers. It also increases the risk of Crohn's disease and possibly gallstones. Smoking seems to affect the liver, too, by changing the way it handles drugs and alcohol. In fact, there seems to be enough evidence to stop smoking solely on the basis of digestive distress.
Large meals
A full stomach can put extra pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), which will increase the chance that some of this food will reflux into the esophagus.
Citrus fruits and juices
These foods relax the lower esophageal sphincter (LES).
Eating within 2 to 3 hours prior to bedtime
Lying down with a full stomach can cause stomach contents to press harder against the LES, increasing the chances of refluxed food.
Wearing tight fitting clothing
Clothing that fits tightly around the abdomen will squeeze the stomach, forcing food up against the LES, and cause food to reflux into the esophagus. Clothing that can cause problems include tight-fitting belts and slenderizing undergarments.
If you suffer from frequent heartburn,try the following tips.
Avoid Foods That Can Trigger Heartburn
One way to lessen heartburn episodes is to change your diet. There are certain foods that can worsen heartburn symptoms, and it's best for chronic heartburn sufferers to limit or completely avoid these foods and beverages. These foods include:
High-fat foods
Fried foods
Citrus fruits
Tomatoes or tomato products
Caffeine
Alcoholic beverages
Citrus fruit drinks
Chocolate
Peppermint
Pepper
Don't Overeat
A full stomach can put extra pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), which will increase the chance that some of this food will reflux into the esophagus.
Avoid Lying Down After Eating
Avoid lying down for at least three hours after eating. Lying down with a full stomach can cause stomach contents to press harder against the LES, which tends to relax when a person lays down, causing an increased chance of refluxed food.
Watch Your Alcohol Consumption
Alcohol increases the amount of acid the stomach produces, and relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). If you do want to have some alcohol during your festivities, try the following tips:
Dilute alcoholic beverages with water or club soda.
Drink moderate amounts of alcoholic beverages -- the suggested amounts are 1-2 mixed drinks, 12-16 ounces of wine, or 2-3 beers.
When having wine, drink white wine instead of red.
Choose non-alcoholic beer or wine.
Keep track of which alcoholic drinks aggravate your heartburn, and avoid them as much as possible.
Relax
Stress increases the production of stomach acid, so holiday meals can increase episodes of heartburn. To reduce the chances of heartburn, make meals a pleasant, relaxing experience with the following tips:
Sit down while eating. Eat slowly.Chew completely.
Play soothing music
The time between meals and festivities can be used to relax also. Try to take some time out each day to reduce stress by meditating for a few minutes to calm your mind and your body. You can also indulge in a favorite hobby each day to help yourself relax.
Chew Gum
Chewing gum or sucking on a lozenge for 30 minutes after meals increases the production of saliva. This saliva can relieve heartburn by bathing the esophagus and lessening the effects of acid refluxed into the esophagus by washing it back down to the stomach.
Take an Antacid or H2 Receptor Blocker
Taking an antacid can neutralize existing acid to provide short-term relief. A H2 receptor blocker reduce acid production, which can provide relief from heartburn symptoms for a long time.
Comments