Effective Ways to Relieve Heartburn: Causes & Solutions

About 33 percent of Americans experience heartburn weekly, with increasing numbers of people suffering daily. Fortunately, knowing what causes heartburn can make it easier to avoid the triggers. Making some simple lifestyle changes can help by lowering acid production. Here's how to cool down heartburn.

Instructions

• 1

  Drink plenty of water, but don’t drink it with your meals, as it dilutes the acid needed for proper digestion. Instead sip water throughout the day.

• 2

  Eat a healthy diet, which means avoiding any foods that might irritate the esophagus and stomach lining. Stay away from spicy and highly seasoned foods, carbonated drinks, chocolate, alcohol, coffee, tea, citrus fruits and juices, fast foods and foods that are difficult to digest. Treat your stomach gently and eat more slowly.

• 3

  Lose those extra pounds. Too many inches around the waistline can push up acid into the esophagus. Try eating smaller meals throughout the day, and don’t wear clothing that fits too tightly around the waist.

• 4

  Avoid heavy lifting after meals, as the pressure and weight that you put on your stomach can cause acids to back up into the esophagus, triggering heartburn. Don't bend over for long periods either, especially after eating.

• 5

  Ask your doctor if any of the medications you take could be causing your heartburn. Certain heart medications, such as drugs used to treat or prevent osteoporosis, aspirin, antihistamines, steroids, antibiotics, chemo drugs and narcotics used to treat pain can cause heartburn. Your health-care provider may have to change the dose, time of day that you take your medicine or type of delivery. While some medications must be taken on an empty stomach, others should be taken with food.