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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 2
to 3 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 4-5 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.
Other approaches you can take:
- Avoid the foods and beverages that trigger your
heartburn symptoms or relax the sphincter muscle (for example, 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. You will 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 three to four
hours before you go to sleep.
If your heartburn worsens after exercise:
- Time your meals. Wait at least two 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.
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