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Heartburn is the body's way of telling you that you need to change aspects of your lifestyle.
Risk factors
There are a number of risk factors for heartburn and peptic ulcers. These include:
• Overweight
• Smoking
• Taking of large quantities of over-the-counter painkillers
• Heavy drinking
• High stress levels
• Advanced age
• Eating of spicy and fatty foods
• Pregnancy
Adopt new healthy habits
These steps will help you to get your heartburn under control:
• Smoking
• Don’t drink more than two drinks daily if you're a man; don't drink more than one drink a day if you're a woman
• Limit your intake of over-the-counter painkillers and, if you have to take these, do it after a meal
• Try to relax and de-stress more
• Change your eating habits
• Lose weight if you're overweight
Basic dietary guidelines
Diet plays a major role in managing functional heartburn (i.e. where heartburn isn't related to gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, or GORD).
A two-pronged approach is recommended:
1.) Avoid foods that stimulate the production of stomach acid.
2.) Avoid foods that will increase the relaxation of the lower oesophageal sphincter.
Here are some general tips for eating to avoid heartburn:
• Try grilling your food instead of frying it.
• Don’t eat too much at once: meals should be small, frequent and regular. The smaller meal size will help to prevent bloating, and more frequent meals act as a buffer against stomach acid.
• Avoid fast food, which is often high-fat. Plan your daily meals so that you don’t have to resort to food on the run.
• Don't snack late at night. Wait two or three hours to give your body time to digest.
• Eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. (Except for tomatoes, onions, citrus fruit and orange juice, as these can increase acid levels in the stomach.)
• Avoid spicy food and strong seasonings generally – e.g. curry, chilli, excess salt, black pepper, cured and smoked foods, pickles, mustard and vinegar.
• Cut out coffee, tea, chocolate, colas, cocoa and other caffeine-containing beverages, especially on an empty stomach. Opt for non-caffeinated drinks. Many herbal teas don't contain caffeine and are a pleasant alternative.
• Eat slowly and chew food thoroughly. Gobbling your food forces your stomach to work harder. Pause between mouthfuls! Meals should be eaten in a relaxed, peaceful atmosphere.
• Avoid drinking liquids with meals, or within half an hour of meals, to prevent bloating. Never drink large volumes of fluid all at once.
• Avoid any food that disagrees with your digestion. For example, many people experience discomfort after eating gas-forming foods like dried beans and peas, lentils, cabbage and onion.
• If possible, add a little protein to your meals (e.g. meat, chicken, fish, milk, cottage cheese or yoghurt). This will serve as a buffer to gastric acid production.
• Avoid eating peppermint, which affects the functioning of the sphincter.
• Stay away from carbonated drinks.
