Health tips: 10 ways to prevent heartburn

Anyone who has ever suffered through a bout of heartburn knows how miserable it can make you feel. Gastroesophogeal Reflux Disease (GERD), more commonly known as acid indigestion or heartburn, has nagged most everyone at one time or another. For some, however, it is not just an occasional thing. It is more like an every day event that makes you feel downright miserable and even takes the joy out of eating all together.

GERD happens when the valve between the esophagus and the stomach, the Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES), is weak and allows the contents of the stomach to flow back up into the esophagus.

It feels like burning, pressure or pain behind the breastbone, and often can be felt as high as the neck and throat. Some even say it feels as though they are going to vomit, or that their meal is coming up their throat. It can last up to two hours.

Many people have experienced it at some point in their lives. However, it seems to be slightly more common in pregnant women because hormonal changes weaken the LES during pregnancy. Of course, pregnant women and other adults are not the only people to experience this disorder. Surprisingly enough, research is showing that even some children suffer from heartburn.

Fortunately, there are several things that you can do to get some relief.

1. Eat small frequent meals instead of three large ones.

2. When you eat, be sure to include plenty of complex carbohydrates, such as rice, breads, or pastas. They absorb excess stomach acids and are easier on the stomach.

3. Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables.

4. Drink milk or include other dairy products in your diet. Dairy products do help some people, but avoid eating or drinking right before bed.

5. Avoid lying down or bending over for at least 45 minutes to an hour after meals. If you need something to do, try taking a walk after dinner.

6. Avoid fatty or fried foods, coffee, alcohol, and chocolate. These may weaken the LES. In fact, one beer doubles your stomach acid within one hour.

7. Raise the head of your bed a few inches so that the acid in your stomach does not flow up into the esophagus when you are resting. One thing you could do is place a brick under each leg at the head of your bed.

8. Quit smoking. The chemicals in cigarettes weaken the LES and make it more difficult to get rid of heartburn.

9. For some people, exercise can aggravate the symptoms of heartburn, so try to avoid heavy exertion for at least an hour after eating. However, this is not to say to avoid exercise completely. Exercise has plenty of health benefits—one of which is reducing stress in your life. As mentioned above, reducing stress may help lessen the symptoms of heartburn.

10. Do not wear clothes that are too tight around the abdomen, as they tend to aggravate the symptoms.

If none of these suggestions help, then talk to your doctor about prescribing an acid blocker, which inhibits the release of acid in the stomach. It can take up to an hour to take effect, but will usually be effective for nine to twelve hours.