What Causes Heartburn?
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Heartburn can be a daunting, painful part of any person’s day. Whether you are a lifelong sufferer or have an occasional flare up after an exotic meal, there are many different causes of heartburn. While some cases of heartburn may be more severe than others, every heartburn sufferer deserves to find a cure! Jeff Martin’s Heartburn No More system is a safe, holistic way to treat any case of heartburn or acid reflux problems. As a former sufferer himself, Jeff understands and relates to the causes of heartburn and has created an effective system to help combat these issues (For more information, visit HEARTBURN NO MORE).
But before heartburn can be treated, a person needs to fully understand what causes heartburn and why the problem is occurring.
Next time you have a heartburn flare up or are experiencing pain, think about what you have eaten recently or if any changes have been made in your diet. Try to keep a log for a few weeks on what foods you are eating and their quantities. Also, make sure to explain if any pain or heartburn resulted after to meal. After a few weeks, you should have a much clearer idea of what causes your heartburn. Check out some of the main causes of heartburn below.
Caffeine & Chocolate
Because caffeine is known to weaken the lower esophageal sphincter, also known as LES, caffeine is one of the main liquids that causes heartburn. When the LES is relaxed, stomach contents can be pushed into the esophagus. And when these contents contain caffeine, this reflux can be very painful. For the most severe heartburn cases, caffeinated soda drinks and coffee are surefire ways to bring on heartburn symptoms so make sure to steer away from caffeine.
Like caffeine, chocolate has a similar effect in relaxing the esophageal sphincter muscle. Because chocolate contains a large amount of theobromine, which is known to relax this muscle, heartburn is a common side effect of consuming chocolate or chocolate-related products such as cocoa or teas.
Alcohol & Tobacco
You may start rethinking those long nights at the bar or the late nights out on the town. You may be surprised that alcohol causes heartburn for many people. Not only does alcohol cause the LES to relax, but it also creates excessive amounts of stomach acid. So as the LES begins to relax, the stomach acid produces from the alcohol is pushed into your esophagus. Sounds like fun, huh? You may be rethinking that extra cocktail or glass of wine at the end of the night now.
And with tobacco, as the chemicals from cigarettes or other tobacco-related products moves from your lungs to your blood, the LES is further weakened. But don’t think you have to be a smoker to notice the effects. While it may be minimal, inhaling the smoke causes heartburn or acid reflux as well, especially for those prone to having severe heartburn.
Amount of Food
While eating large amounts of food in general isn’t a healthy option that is good for your body, it also causes heartburn and acid reflux. When the stomach is full, it puts added pressure and weight onto the LES. This in turn makes the LES push some of this food into the esophagus. So if you just ate a large Mexican meal or just chowed down on one too many wings, you could be feeling the repercussions almost immediately. While cutting these types of food out of your diet is best to battle heartburn as well as live a healthier lifestyle, sometimes that isn’t possible. So if you know that you are about to sit down at a large meal, think what you can do to cut down on your food intake. Drinking a few glasses of water before the meal can help curve your appetite. Or try eating five smaller meals each day instead of three larger ones. It’ll definitely help your body and heartburn in the long run.
Type of Food
Another food to steer away from if you suffer from heartburn or acid reflux is citrus. Whether it a citrus juice, such as orange juice, or a fruit, like a grapefruit, citrus can be a killer on the esophagus. As the LES is relaxed, the citrus is then projected into the esophagus which can cause excessive and painful heartburn. While the citrus may come from some healthy fruits that are essential to a healthy, everyday diet, it’s important to notice when they are causing pain. Citrus causes heartburn most often on an empty stomach because there is nothing else to coat the acidity. With your morning grapefruit or orange juice, try eating some oatmeal or almonds. This will definitely minimizes the effects of citrus as one of the many causes of heartburn. Now heartburn after a mimosa (citrus from the orange juice and alcohol from the champagne) make sense, right?
Well what about heartburn after a Bloody Mary? Yep, tomatoes can cause heartburn, too! Tomatoes or tomato related products, like marinara sauces or ketchup, have the same relaxing effects on the LES as many other foods. While they may be filled with healthy nutrients like lycopene, tomatoes are highly acidic, and many people experience heartburn. So the heartburn you experienced the other night after you ate those fried chicken nuggets with ketchup now seems to be explained.
Does That Really Give Me Heartburn?
There are also some surprising things that may be giving you heartburn to. Because heartburn is ultimately caused either from overeating or putting too much pressure on the stomach, merely a person’s weight can have a major effect on severe heartburn. Obesity is a common factor associated with heartburn as well as pregnancy because of the pressure put on the stomach as they baby grows. Also, hormones during the pregnancy have also been cited as one of the causes of heartburn.
Also, every thing about what you’re wearing? Tight clothes have also been noted as a factor in causing heartburn. Because it puts more pressure on the stomach by pushing in the waist, the LES is relaxed and food is forced into the esophagus. These tight fitting clothes can be anything from slenderizing undergarments, tank tops, belts or pants that fit too snug around the hips or stomach.
Finally, lying down after a meal causes heartburn. As the food in your stomach is moved, more pressure is put onto it and heartburn will most likely result. So make sure not to eat large amounts of food before a nap or bedtime to stay away from this problem.
While it may seem like almost everything you eat or do will give you heartburn, steering away from these foods or lifestyle choices will be a surefire way to lessen the problem. Also, some of the factors will result in more severe heartburn than others so it’s important to keep a food log as I mentioned earlier. And if you are seeking more information on what causes heartburn or you want to find a solution to cure your own heartburn, check out HEARTBURN NO MORE for a healthy, effective and proven solution to combat even the toughest cases of heartburn or acid reflux. Ultimately, staying clear of large amounts of spicy, acidic or fried foods will be a lifesaver when it comes to curing what causes heartburn!
