How to Cure Heartburn
Loosen your clothing after meals., Do not lie down immediately after a meal., Drink a mix of baking soda and water., Take over-the-counter (OTC) drugs for heartburn., Elevate your mattress., Go for a walk., Eat modest portions at mealtime., Avoid...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Loosen your clothing after meals.
While loosening your belt after a meal seems like a silly cliche, it can help in this case.
Increased pressure on your abdomen and lower esophageal sphincter help push up the stomach acids that cause heartburn.Looser clothing, especially after big meals, will help relieve heartburn. -
Step 2: Do not lie down immediately after a meal.
Sometimes heartburn symptoms are caused by plain old gravity.
By lying down after a meal — when those stomach acids are most active — they can flow more easily toward your esophagus and get past your esophageal sphincter.Avoid lying down for 30 – 60 minutes after a meal.
Generally avoid late meals as well since you should wait at least three hours after a meal before going to bed., If you prefer not to take medications, then you can often alleviate your heartburn with simple baking soda (sodium bicarbonate).
Mix one teaspoon in a glass of water, and drink it after your meal or when signs of heartburn begin.Do not exceed five teaspoons of baking soda in a day without first talking to your doctor., You can choose from a wide array of OTC products that target heartburn.
The three most common classes of these drugs are antacids, H2 blockers, and proton pump inhibitors.Antacids (products such as Tums) provide quick, short-term relief for heartburn by neutralizing your stomach acid.H2 blockers—ranitidine (Zantac) and famotidine (Pepcid)—slow the production of stomach acid.
These products take up to an hour to work, but they work for a longer period of time.Proton pump inhibitors—omeprazole (Prilosec) and lansoprazole (Prevacid 24HR)—slow your body’s production of stomach acid even more.
These products are generally used for heartburn that isn’t controlled by antacids or H2 blockers and that occurs more frequently than two days a week., Sometimes people experience heartburn when they go to bed even after waiting several hours after dinner.
If heartburn disrupts your ability to sleep, try slightly angling the head of your bed.
By lying at a gentle slope instead of parallel to the ground, you can help alleviate heartburn symptoms.You can elevate the head of your bed by elevating the entire frame on one end, or you can simply put a wedge-like object between the boxspring and mattress.People report this method being more effective than just adding more pillows behind your head alone.By only using more pillows, you can strain your neck or simply roll off them in the night, defeating the purpose. , While vigorous exercise after a meal can increase your risks of heartburn, some gentle physical activity can help alleviate symptoms.Try going for a walk or a calm bike ride when your symptoms start to see if the physical activity helps eliminate heartburn symptoms.
Stress and anxiety can both make heartburn symptoms worse as well.Daily physical activity is a great way to combat stress, making it effective against heartburn for multiple reasons. , Choosing large meals instead of moderate portions increases the risk of heartburn.With more and more food in your stomach, your stomach acids have a higher chance of passing into your esophagus.
Opt for smaller servings to see if it decreases your occurrences of heartburn. , Though heartburn has mostly to do with your esophageal sphincter, many people do experience an increased occurrence of heartburn from eating certain foods.
One of the easiest ways to stop getting heartburn is to cut out foods that trigger it for you.
Some common foods associated with heartburn include:
Spicy foods Onions Tomatoes (or tomato products such as ketchup and pizza sauce) Acidic foods such as those containing citrus Chocolate Alcohol Peppermint Fried or overly fatty foods Coffee, soda, and other beverages containing acids. , Carrying around excess weight puts additional pressure on your stomach that can help force stomach acid into your esophagus.Even losing a few pounds can begin aiding to alleviate that pressure.
Diet and exercise are the two best ways to help yourself shed extra pounds.
A healthier diet will also mean cutting out fried and fatty foods, which often worsen heartburn symptoms.A healthy exercise routine includes thirty minutes of moderate cardio activity (such as jogging, cycling, swimming, etc.) five days a week.
Note that pregnancy is a common cause of GERD in women.
Always check with your doctor before attempting any weight-loss routine if you are pregnant.
Those more than 100 pounds overweight may be candidates for bariatric surgery to help improve GERD symptoms., Smoke from tobacco products damages your lower esophageal sphincter, impairing its ability to function normally.This makes it easier for the stomach acid that causes heartburn to get passed and into your esophagus.
You should quit smoking to decrease your risks of many smoking-related illnesses but especially after meals to help decrease the chances of heartburn. -
Step 3: Drink a mix of baking soda and water.
-
Step 4: Take over-the-counter (OTC) drugs for heartburn.
-
Step 5: Elevate your mattress.
-
Step 6: Go for a walk.
-
Step 7: Eat modest portions at mealtime.
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Step 8: Avoid foods that trigger your heartburn.
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Step 9: Maintain a healthy weight.
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Step 10: Quit smoking.
Detailed Guide
While loosening your belt after a meal seems like a silly cliche, it can help in this case.
Increased pressure on your abdomen and lower esophageal sphincter help push up the stomach acids that cause heartburn.Looser clothing, especially after big meals, will help relieve heartburn.
Sometimes heartburn symptoms are caused by plain old gravity.
By lying down after a meal — when those stomach acids are most active — they can flow more easily toward your esophagus and get past your esophageal sphincter.Avoid lying down for 30 – 60 minutes after a meal.
Generally avoid late meals as well since you should wait at least three hours after a meal before going to bed., If you prefer not to take medications, then you can often alleviate your heartburn with simple baking soda (sodium bicarbonate).
Mix one teaspoon in a glass of water, and drink it after your meal or when signs of heartburn begin.Do not exceed five teaspoons of baking soda in a day without first talking to your doctor., You can choose from a wide array of OTC products that target heartburn.
The three most common classes of these drugs are antacids, H2 blockers, and proton pump inhibitors.Antacids (products such as Tums) provide quick, short-term relief for heartburn by neutralizing your stomach acid.H2 blockers—ranitidine (Zantac) and famotidine (Pepcid)—slow the production of stomach acid.
These products take up to an hour to work, but they work for a longer period of time.Proton pump inhibitors—omeprazole (Prilosec) and lansoprazole (Prevacid 24HR)—slow your body’s production of stomach acid even more.
These products are generally used for heartburn that isn’t controlled by antacids or H2 blockers and that occurs more frequently than two days a week., Sometimes people experience heartburn when they go to bed even after waiting several hours after dinner.
If heartburn disrupts your ability to sleep, try slightly angling the head of your bed.
By lying at a gentle slope instead of parallel to the ground, you can help alleviate heartburn symptoms.You can elevate the head of your bed by elevating the entire frame on one end, or you can simply put a wedge-like object between the boxspring and mattress.People report this method being more effective than just adding more pillows behind your head alone.By only using more pillows, you can strain your neck or simply roll off them in the night, defeating the purpose. , While vigorous exercise after a meal can increase your risks of heartburn, some gentle physical activity can help alleviate symptoms.Try going for a walk or a calm bike ride when your symptoms start to see if the physical activity helps eliminate heartburn symptoms.
Stress and anxiety can both make heartburn symptoms worse as well.Daily physical activity is a great way to combat stress, making it effective against heartburn for multiple reasons. , Choosing large meals instead of moderate portions increases the risk of heartburn.With more and more food in your stomach, your stomach acids have a higher chance of passing into your esophagus.
Opt for smaller servings to see if it decreases your occurrences of heartburn. , Though heartburn has mostly to do with your esophageal sphincter, many people do experience an increased occurrence of heartburn from eating certain foods.
One of the easiest ways to stop getting heartburn is to cut out foods that trigger it for you.
Some common foods associated with heartburn include:
Spicy foods Onions Tomatoes (or tomato products such as ketchup and pizza sauce) Acidic foods such as those containing citrus Chocolate Alcohol Peppermint Fried or overly fatty foods Coffee, soda, and other beverages containing acids. , Carrying around excess weight puts additional pressure on your stomach that can help force stomach acid into your esophagus.Even losing a few pounds can begin aiding to alleviate that pressure.
Diet and exercise are the two best ways to help yourself shed extra pounds.
A healthier diet will also mean cutting out fried and fatty foods, which often worsen heartburn symptoms.A healthy exercise routine includes thirty minutes of moderate cardio activity (such as jogging, cycling, swimming, etc.) five days a week.
Note that pregnancy is a common cause of GERD in women.
Always check with your doctor before attempting any weight-loss routine if you are pregnant.
Those more than 100 pounds overweight may be candidates for bariatric surgery to help improve GERD symptoms., Smoke from tobacco products damages your lower esophageal sphincter, impairing its ability to function normally.This makes it easier for the stomach acid that causes heartburn to get passed and into your esophagus.
You should quit smoking to decrease your risks of many smoking-related illnesses but especially after meals to help decrease the chances of heartburn.
About the Author
Larry Chapman
Brings years of experience writing about crafts and related subjects.
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