Heartburn-Foods to Eat, Foods to Avoid
First, here are a few basic
facts about heartburn, which has nothing to do with the heart. Heartburn is a
burning discomfort from the chest area up to the throat. It can happen when
stomach acid refluxes, or flows up, through a valve called the lower esophageal
sphincter and irritates the esophagus. Certain foods can trigger heartburn, but
you may have a little more food freedom than you think, if you consider the
pointers in this slideshow.
Too Much Food
The first thing to think
about, in terms of curbing heartburn, isn't this or that specific food. It's
the amount of food you eat at a time. When it comes to heartburn risk, the
sheer volume of what you eat matters. And this is one case where bigger isn't
better. No matter what the food is, how good it looks, or how much you like it,
eating too much food at once makes heartburn more likely. Tip: Try using
smaller plates to trim your portions.
Eating on the Go: Always eating in a hurry? Shoveling food
down is also a no-no, if you want to tame heartburn the three G's -- grab,
gulp, and go -- don't make for good digestion and can make GERD (gastro-esophageal
reflux disease) symptoms more likely. Heartburn is a GERD symptom. So slow down
when you eat if you're concerned about heartburn symptoms.
Fatty Foods: High-fat foods tend to stay in
the stomach longer, and the longer they're there, the more likely discomfort
can be, And if you're eating big servings of those high-fat foods -- like a lot
of fried chicken or chips, -- then you've got a double whammy of two potential
heartburn triggers -- too much food and too much fat. You may not have to give
up your favorite foods. Preparing them differently could help tame your
heartburn. You might be able to bake, broil, grill, or roast some foods instead
of frying them. And you could trim extra fat off meat and poultry, and cut the
skin off chicken. Little tweaks might trim enough fat to make a difference for
heartburn -- and your overall health.
Acidic Foods: Acidic foods -- which include
tomatoes and products that contain tomatoes (such as tomato sauce and salsa)
and citrus fruits (such as oranges, grapefruits, and lemons) -- can trigger
heartburn, especially if you eat them by themselves, on an empty stomach. Vinegar
is also highly acidic -- not that you're going to eat vinegar by itself, but
it's a common ingredient in salad dressings and other dishes. You've got lots
of other options for fresh produce besides tomatoes and citrus fruits. Try
choosing some other fruits and vegetables. If you do want to have acidic foods,
limit the portion size and have something else -- that isn't acidic -- with it.
For instance, have a little less tomato sauce and have it with spaghetti and a
little meat or vegetables at the same time. Everyone is different, so
experiment to find your comfort zone.
By...Belinda Yeboah
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