Heartburn Triggers to Avoid

It’s estimated that at least 60 million American adults suffer from heartburn and acid reflux symptoms at least once a month, and about 25 million of those are affected almost daily. While daily heartburn is considered severe and generally less common, even once a month may feel too frequent for people dealing with the burning sensation caused by stomach acids refluxing back into the esophagus. Learn more about popular heartburn triggers you can avoid.

3 Heartburn Triggers to Avoid

• Eating too much: Many people think that what they eat causes heartburn, but in many cases it’s actually a result of how much you’ve eaten. Large portions can increase the pressure in your stomach and take longer to digest, which makes it more likely that stomach juices will flow back into your esophagus. Use smaller plates to help you practice portion control.
• Eating too quickly: In addition to how much you eat, how quickly you eat can also affect your risk for heartburn. Insufficient chewing prevents your food from being properly digested, which often leads to acid reflux.
• Fatty foods: This is one instance where what you eat does matter. Foods that are high in fat take longer to digest, which means you’ll have acid sitting in your stomach for longer periods of time. The longer you have food in your stomach, the more likely you are to suffer from heartburn.

Avoiding these three triggers can help you prevent painful heartburn. In addition, you can regularly chew gum, quit smoking, and lose weight to significantly decrease your risk for frequent heartburn.