The first step in managing eczema involves locating the underlying reason for it. There are several things that could create grounds for heartburn, and understanding these typical triggers can help you prevent them. As most of us know, heartburn is basically a digestive disorder that’s why more often than not it’s triggered when you eat a heavy meal, or a certain food that’s not easily digestible. This list can allow you to pin-point the typical culprits behind your heartburn.
Common Heartburn Triggers
- Coffee & Caffeine – Caffeinated beverages are known to increase the quantity of acid in the stomach, and cause relaxation of the Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES) in some individuals.
- Tobacco – Smoking increases the quantity of acid in the stomach and inhibits the production of saliva, which is among body’s strongest defenses against heartburn.
- Clothing – As odd as it may seem, tight clothes may restrict your organs and not provide enough room for normal body functions like breathing, digestion etc..
- Alcohol – Alcohol particularly wine and beer may cause the LES to relax and make swallowing erratic, thus increasing the odds of heartburn.
- Mint – A fascinating thing about peppermint and Spearmint is when taken in highly concentrated form such as in candy, these may cause heartburn but when taken in diluted forms such as in tea, they could actually provide relief from heartburn symptoms.
- Spicy food – This is the most common and effective cause for eczema because too much of spices may irritate the esophageal lining, creating grounds for more serious heartburn episodes.
- Tomato-based meals – Tomatoes are high in acid content and eating these can increase the acidity levels in your stomach, making you more vulnerable to heartburn.
- Onions & garlic – Raw garlic and onions can trigger heartburn in lots of people, thus it’s ideal to consume them in a cooked form. You might also try different onion varieties like Texas Sweet onion, Walla Walla & Maui which don’t cause heartburn, and are easier on your stomach.
- Chocolate – Chocolates can cause heartburn in some people and the best way to stop this is either by preventing chocolates altogether or by finding an alternative that’s less likely to make acid reflux conditions.
- Fatty foods – Fatty, fried foods are harder to digest, which explains the reason why the acids remain in the stomach for a longer time. This increases the odds of some acid flowing into the esophagus and causing heartburn.
- Sugar – Refined sugar may lead to indigestion and irritate the lining of the gut in addition to the gut, creating optimum conditions for heartburn.
- Tension – Anxiety, Anger and other kinds of anxiety can cause your body to tense up especially if you’re stressed right after your meal. This can change your digestive process and improve your likelihood of experiencing heartburn.
- Meal times – Eating king-sized meals, going to bed right after dinner, improper ingestion of food etc can all contribute to indigestion. This results in the stomach acids to remain within for longer durations, thus increasing the chance of acid reflux or heartburn.
- Weight – Even smaller amounts of weight gain may increase the susceptibility to heartburn attacks, particularly in girls. Attempt to maintain an ideal weight According to the BMI Index.
- Acidic Food – Apart from sugar and berries, there are quite a few other highly acidic foods such as citrus fruit juices, meat, dairy products etc.. These can give rise to acid built-up on your stomach and can improve your odds of experiencing heartburn.
- Strenuous Exercise – Strenuous exercises such as rapid walking right after a meal may make it much easier for the stomach acids to get sloshed around and also get to the esophagus, causing heartburn.
Identifying the ‘triggers’ is essential once you’re dealing with heartburn. Simple changes in your lifestyle, eating habits and making smart food choices may radically decrease the frequency and seriousness of your heartburn attacks.
