Preventing and managing your heartburn
You can get relief and prevent heartburn by making changes in your
diet and lifestyle. The first things to try are the following:
- Don't go to bed with a full stomach. Eat meals at least 3 to 4 hours
before lying down — the added time will give acid levels a chance to
decrease before putting your body in a position where heartburn is more
likely to occur.
- Don't overeat. Decrease the size of portions at meal times, or try
eating 4 to 5 small meals instead of 3 large ones.
- Eat slowly. Take time to eat – don’t rush. Try putting your fork down
between bites.
- Wear looser-fitting clothes.
You may want to try other approaches, in which you:
- Avoid the foods and beverages that trigger your heartburn symptoms or
relax the sphincter muscle. (These may include onions, peppermint,
chocolate, caffeine-containing beverages and foods, citrus fruits or juices,
tomatoes, or high-fat foods). A good way to figure out what foods cause your
symptoms is to keep a heartburn diary.
- Shed some pounds. If you are overweight, losing weight by
following a healthy weight loss plan can help relieve your symptoms.
- Stop smoking. Nicotine can weaken the lower esophageal sphincter, the
muscle that controls the opening between the esophagus and stomach and
prevents the acid-containing contents of the stomach from entering the
esophagus.
- Avoid alcohol. If your aim is to unwind after a stressful day,
try exercise, walking, meditation, stretching, or deep breathing instead of
drinking.
- Drink warm liquids, such as herbal tea.
- Keep track of when heartburn hits and the specific activities that seem
to trigger the incidents.
If your heartburn is worse when lying down:
- Try sleeping on the left side, if your heartburn comes on when you lie
down. This may help digestion and the removal of acid from the stomach more
quickly.
- Raise the head of your bed so that your head and chest are higher than
your feet. You can do this by placing 6-inch blocks under the bed posts at
the head of the bed. Don't use piles of pillows to achieve the same goal;
this may only put your head at an angle that can increase pressure on your
stomach and make your heartburn worse.
- Eat earlier.Try not to eat within 3 to 4 hours before you go to
sleep.
If your heartburn worsens after exercise:
- Time your meals. Wait at least 2 hours after a meal before exercising.
If you work out any sooner, you may trigger heartburn.
- Drink more water. Drink plenty of water before and during exercise.
Water aids digestion and also prevents dehydration.