Heartburn: The Uninvited Guest

It’s that time of year again when the holidays bring us together with friends, family and plenty of delicious and rich foods. For some of us this may mean a visit from the uninvited guest --heartburn. Don’t let heartburn spoil your holiday celebrations – read on for more information and tips on preventing it from occurring.

What is heartburn?
For some, heartburn may hang around longer than the holidays. Heartburn feels like a burning sensation in the chest, behind the breastbone. This occurs when the valve between the stomach and esophagus is weakened and stomach acid backs up into the esophagus. The acid backup, or heartburn, can become worse if a person is bent over or lying down. Certain foods and drinks can trigger heartburn in some people, which is not uncommon. However, when heartburn becomes chronic and interrupts normal routines it is considered Gastro-esophageal Reflux Disease, or GERD for short. GERD may require treatment with prescription medication.

Talk to a doctor if your heartburn happens two or more times a week, wakes you from your sleep, has persisted for several years, makes swallowing difficult or interferes with your daily activities, since you may be experiencing GERD. 1

Simple Steps to Prevent Heartburn:

Meal Size. If you have “eyes bigger than your stomach,” there’s a chance your meals are too large and can be the cause of your heartburn. Larger meals place pressure on the valve that connects the stomach to your esophagus.
- Try eating smaller meals at breakfast, lunch and dinner with small snacks in between.
- Try eating your largest meal in the middle of the day instead of at night giving your body the time to completely digest the food before you lay down to sleep.

Position. Digestion can take up to 3 hours after a meal is finished, so it’s important to keep your body in a position where your esophagus is above your stomach during this time.
- Wait 3 hours after a meal before lying down.
- Elevate the head of your bed by raising it 6-8 inches of the floor with blocks or bed risers, instead of adding more pillows.2

Foods. Certain foods can trigger heartburn because they either relax or aggravate the valve between your stomach and esophagus, reducing or avoiding these foods may help alleviate the heartburn. Trigger foods are different for every individual, so be a detective and avoid the ones that seem to cause your symptoms.
- Foods to reduce/avoid: high-fat foods (fried foods, full-fat cheese, whole milk, butter, high-fat bakery items, spicy foods, chocolate, onions, alcohol, caffeine, cola, peppermint, spearmint, citrus, tomato juice, and tomato-based foods like pizza, pasta sauce, chili and salsa.2

Smoking and alcohol. Avoid smoking or drinking alcohol before, during and after meals that typically give you heartburn. Nicotine and alcohol relax the valve between your stomach and esophagus which can trigger heartburn.

1. International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders (IFFGD) at: www.aboutgerd.org/site/about-gerd/characteristics/
2. National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse NIDDC: Heartburn, Gastroesophageal Reflux (GER), and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/gerd/