Heartburn Remedy Tips

If you have a tendency to get heartburn, you may need to keep a food diary or a “heartburn” diary in order to determine exactly what foods trigger your symptoms. Physicians and other experts do suggest certain foods not to eat with heartburn and things to eat with heartburn. Food is not the only factor that can bring on heartburn. Stress, smoking, alcoholic, caffeinated and carbonated beverages may all lead to heartburn. Large meals, eating too quickly, exercising or going to bed too soon after eating may all lead to heartburn. If avoiding certain foods does not help to prevent heartburn, you may need to look at the other causes.

Most of the foods not to eat with heartburn are fatty, fried, spicy or highly acidic. Oranges and tomatoes are examples of highly acidic foods. Choosing things to eat with heartburn tendencies is not that complicated, if you can avoid fatty, fried, spicy and acidic foods.

Meats that may bring on heartburn are those that are fried, have a lot of visible fat or that have been flavored with garlic or onion. Pork and bacon are examples of foods not to eat with heartburn tendencies. Grilled or baked white meat chicken or fish are examples of things to eat with heartburn problems.

When it comes to vegetables, most are safe, unless you add butter or other oils. Broccoli, cauliflower, peas, green beans, carrots and spinach are just some examples of things to eat with heartburn tendencies. Vegetables that have a tendency to bring on heartburn include tomatoes, onions and peppers. These are commonly accepted as foods not to eat with heartburn. Rhubarb has even been known to relieve symptoms of heartburn. Chewing on a chunk of rhubarb is a folk remedy for treating heartburn and indigestion.

How about fruits? Fruits are important in the diet and most can be things to eat with heartburn tendencies, except citrus fruits. Apples and bananas are better choices than oranges and tangerines.

Most dairy products are safe, unless they are high in fat. Whole fat cheeses are foods not to eat with heartburn tendencies. Low fat cottage cheese, low fat milk and yogurt are examples of things to eat with heartburn problems.

When planning a menu, it is important to look at spices as well as foods not eat with heartburn and things to eat with heartburn. Garlic may bring on heartburn, while gingerroot has a tendency to relieve heartburn, so it stands to reason that adding ginger for flavor will not bring on heartburn.

None of this is meant to take the place of your physician’s advice. Chronic heartburn symptoms should be evaluated by your doctor. Changing diet alone may not be enough to relieve or prevent heartburn. Foods that cause heartburn in some people do not cause heartburn in everyone. Neither are the foods mentioned a complete list of foods not to eat with heartburn or things to eat with heartburn, this article is simply an accumulation of personal experience and experts recommendations.

For more information about heartburn, visit www.digestive-disorders-guide.com.

Understanding the Different Types of Heartburn

Before you start looking for a solution for heartburn, it is better to understand which type of heartburn you are suffering from. This might sound surprising but the fact is that heartburns are classified under different types, depending upon the cause and severity. If you want to learn more about the various kinds of heartburn, read on.

The Most Common Types of Heartburn

Summer Heartburn:

Summer is the time for outings, for enjoying the yummy fries and cheese sandwiches and also the time of increased heartburn. The sultry heat combined with fatty foods can make you more susceptible to heartburn attacks. If you first experienced heartburn in a similar way, then in all probability you suffer from summer heartburn.

A good rule of thumb is to avoid acidic foods while you are out in the sun and eat light meals that are easy to digest. There are some good natural remedies that can offer instant relief from summer heartburn.

Pregnancy Heartburn:

Pregnancy can bring with it a lot of health problems, heartburn being one of them. But the good news is such heartburn problems go away as soon as the baby is born. Toward the third trimester of your pregnancy, the pressure against your stomach increases. This slows down the digestive process and causes the digestive acids to remain in the stomach for a longer time. This increases the risk of flow-back of acid from your stomach into your esophagus, resulting in heartburn.While there are various natural remedies and other medicines that can treat heartburn, it is important to consult your doctor before taking them.

Nighttime Heartburn:

One of the worst and most painful forms of heartburn attacks is Nighttime heartburn. While other heartburns happen in the daytime and can be dealt with by resting and taking medicines, nighttime heartburn attacks you at a time when you entire body is relaxed and unprepared to handle the pain and discomfort.Why does nighttime heartburn happen? Well the answer is very simple – at night we usually lie in one position for a long time, which causes our esophageal sphincter to relax making it easier for the acid to flow into our esophagus. Another reason is the lack of saliva. For those who don’t know, saliva is your body’s best natural defense against heartburn and at night the secretion of saliva is reduced. This makes us more susceptible to heartburn at night.

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD):

A lot of people are well aware of GERD or Acid Reflux or Gastroesophageal reflux disease, which is another form of heartburn, the only difference being that it is more serious and more painful. GERD is much more than heartburn and is an indication of a more serious underlying problem. If you suffer from heartburn more than once a week, and the episodes lasts for hours or days, chances are that you are suffering from GERD and not simple heartburn.

The longer you leave GERD untreated, the higher are your chances of suffering from other serious health problems such as gingivitis, halitosis, laryngitis, interstitial fibrosis, asthma and wheezing. Increased amount of intestinal acids that flow into the esophagus can cause inflammation in the lining of the esophagus, making it a more complex and painful condition.Thus it is advisable to get yourself treated at the earliest. Your doctor can suggest various ways that can help determine the severity of your condition and prescribe medications accordingly.

Chronic Heartburn:

Chronic heartburn is a general term that is used to refer to heartburn attacks that occur 2-3 times a week and are more severe in nature. Before finding the best remedy for treating chronic heartburn, it is a wise idea to consult your doctor. Since frequent heartburn attacks can be an indication of other diseases like GERD. It is best to get all your tests done and know the real reason behind the frequent heartburn attacks. As with all other types of heartburn, there are some highly effective natural remedies that can help you treat chronic heartburn and also provide relief from the pain and burning sensation. Knowing the type of heartburn you suffer from can make it easier to determine the cause for your heartburn. This helps in avoiding the triggers and finding the best remedies for treating those painful heartburn episodes.