2 Min Read
We have all witnessed heartburn at some point in our life. It is experienced as a burning sensation that you feel in your chest with a bitter taste in your mouth. Heartburn is generally caused by the acid reflux that your body faces due to consumption of spicy and fatty foods.
Although it is true that every one of us witnesses this condition in some point of our lives, it occurs often in some people. According to medical researchers, heartburn occurs frequently in those who have bad food habits and an unhealthy lifestyle.
Here are five things that are making your heartburn worse:
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Morning Cup of Caffeine:
The acid reflux which causes heartburn can be triggered by the relaxation of sphincter muscles present in the oesophagus that prevent the stomach acids from emerging to the throat. One should be careful about the food triggers that relax the sphincter muscles thus causing heartburn. Tea, coffee or even chocolate that you consume in a day can worsen heartburn for you.
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Gum:
Like caffeine, the peppermint present in chewing gums also triggers the relaxation of sphincter muscles thus causing backflow of acids from the stomach to your mouth. Therefore, if you experience heartburns too often then avoid the usage of anything that contains peppermint oil in it.
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Heavy feasts:
When we start eating more, our body starts the digestion process by producing more stomach acids. The more you eat, the more the time is required to flush the food and acids to your intestines. Thus, it increases the chance of backflow of excess acid from the stomach to the oesophagus thereby causing heartburn.
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Late night delicacies:
Late night food causes heartburn because when you lie down after a heavy meal, the body position causes the stomach acids to flush out into the oesophagus.
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Alcohol:
You should avoid drinking if you are prone to the heartburns. Alcohol has a dehydrating nature thus it decreases the level of saliva in your mouth. Saliva plays a big part in clearing your mouth of the acids produced. With the decrease in the amount of saliva in your mouth, the chances of acid buildup also increase which in turn increase the risk of severe heartburn.
Heartburn can be an irritating and discomfiting experience that may lead to other complications. Perhaps the best way to reduce heartburn incidence is leading a healthy life with appropriate lifestyle choices.
