Heartburn Safe Foods

Heartburn is a burning sensation and pain in the stomach and chest that occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter or LES weakens and fails to close during digestion.  Heartburn is also known as acid reflux.

There are several causes of heartburn.  The food you eat is the most common factor.  Drinking coffee, tea, soda and other drinks that contain caffeine will weaken the LES (lower esophageal sphincter) and cause the stomach acid to reflux.

Eating spicy, fatty, fried and greasy foods put pressure on the LES (lower esophageal sphincter) because they slow down the digestion process and stays in the stomach longer.

Tomatoes and tomato-based products like sauces and juices relax the LES (lower esophageal sphincter.  It may be hard to do away with spaghetti and meatballs but there are other pasta dishes that you can enjoy without the red sauce.

Citrus fruits and juices like orange, lemon, lime and grapefruit relaxes the LES (lower esophageal sphincter).

Milk and dairy products take more time to digest and stays longer in the stomach which stimulates acid production.

Beverages with alcohol content also relax the LES (lower esophageal sphincter) and increase production of acid in the stomach.  You might want to get rid of the stock beer and liquor in your fridge to avoid temptation.

Chocolate is a comfort food that might be the hardest to resist but it relaxes the LES (lower esophageal sphincter), so you should stay away from it.

Food may be the biggest contributor in causing heartburn but there are other factors such as cigarette or cigar smoking.  The chemicals in the cigarette smoke weaken the LES (lower esophageal sphincter).

Eating a large meal slows down the digestion, produces more acid in the stomach and weakens the LES (lower esophageal sphincter).  It is advisable to just eat in smaller amounts five to six times a day, instead of eating three large meals.

Eating within 2 to 3 hours before bed time can also cause heartburn.  When you are lying down with a full stomach, the stomach contents are pushed to the LES (lower esophageal sphincter).

Wearing tight fitting clothes like girdles, corsets and belts squeezes the stomach and causes the food to reflux into the esophagus.

Doing sit-ups, crunches and other strenuous exercises strain the stomach and the LES (lower esophageal sphincter).  But don’t avoid exercise, just choose a suitable time between meals.

Some medicines also trigger heartburn.  If you are under any medication for a specific illness, you should check with your doctor if the medicine you are taking causes heartburn.

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