Heartburn is an occasional burning sensation that arises in the chest area. Have you ever felt bile rising up your chest almost choking you up with a strong burning sensation? That is heartburn. It is more of a symptom than a condition by itself. There are many reasons why heartburn may occur. Not everyone faces heartburn all the time. If you are going through this symptom, it is time to go see a doctor.
There are broadly two methods by which you can treat heartburn. One way is to opt for drugs and medicines. You can ask your doctor to prescribe certain medicines that will relieve you of your burning sensation. Or you can turn towards natural remedies to cure you of the same.
Watch your weight
If you are obese, try and lose as much weight as you can. Under ideal circumstances, you shouldn’t be facing heartburn, but obesity puts you at risk of it. Shed a few kilos and you will see your condition improving for the better. Try including more fiber in your diet so that it sets your bowel in motion. Eat 4-5 smaller meals in a day instead of 2-3 heavy ones. Try not to overload your stomach and keep your weight in check. Keep a tab on what foods you consume and what effects they have on your health each day. You will then know which ones to avoid and which ones to increase in your diet according to the results you come up with.
Give up smoking
A muscle that keeps stomach acids inside the stomach loses its effectiveness with continuous smoking. Also, the smoke burns your esophagus putting you at risk of heartburn too. Quitting smoking is beneficial in many aspects, one of them is reduced chances of heartburn.
Monitor your eating habits
Eat well before your bedtime. Stay away from oily foods which will do nothing but worsen your situation further. Keep spicy foods at bay. Use fresh veggies and cool fruit juices in your diet to ease your pain and burn. Coffee, alcohol, and chocolate are among the plenty others that you need to cut down if you are a victim of heartburn. Drink more water to help regulate your metabolism. Don’t binge eat. Take smaller bites with little food in each morsel. Don’t gulp down your food since it may become the reason for your heartburn.
Alter your sleeping habits
Try not to sleep immediately after a meal. When sleeping, use a pillow to keep your head upright a little above the ground level. This will make sure that your stomach acids don’t rise up your esophagus. Gravity will keep them down and you will face no more heartburns.
Change your clothing
Till your heartburn is not completely cured, prefer wearing loose and breezy dresses over the tight and cramped ones. Let your body relax and breathe. Tight clothes put more undue pressure on the abdomen causing a higher risk of heartburn.
The above ways of addressing heartburn are not all. There are plenty more. You can also consider chewing gum. Chewing gum stimulates the production of saliva which is best for neutralizing the acid in your throat. Consult your dietician regarding which method will work best for you, according to your health condition. Before carrying out the above-mentioned practices, make sure you carry them out properly. Doing otherwise may trigger your situation rather than improve it. Also, ensure that you keep up with these remedies and practices on a regular basis, if complete cure is what you are aiming for.
