Lifestyle Changes To Manage Heartburn

There are, however, ways to deal with heartburn quite effectively! Medical treatments, such as an acid reflux antacid for heartburn, work. Some even say antacids are the best heartburn relief! In addition to options like these, though, women can make several lifestyle changes to manage heartburn.

Consume More Fiber

Women can effectively manage their heartburn by making a point to consume more fiber. Fiber-rich foods help women stay fuller for longer, which can help women lose weight. This is discussed in detail later, but weight plays a role in heartburn. Besides this, foods that are high in fiber also don’t irritate the stomach or esophagus. They can be soothing in certain instances, lessening the severity of heartburn.

Great choices include beans and legume, broccoli, and dark, leafy greens such as kale. Many kinds of cereal are also fortified with fiber, and there are fiber supplements out there as well. In addition to treating existing heartburn, if women make their increased fiber consumption a permanent lifestyle change, they can also effectively prevent future episodes of heartburn.

Wear Loose Clothing

Tight clothing can really make women feel confident in their appearance. The saying, after all, is if you got it, flaunt it! When dealing with heartburn, though, wearing loose clothing can make a significant difference. This is because tight clothing, particularly when it is tight around the stomach, causes more stomach acid to flow back into the esophagus when it presses on the stomach. The most common pieces include tight tank tops, form-fitting t-shirts, high-waisted and tight pants, and even belts to tighten clothes. Loose clothing gives the stomach space to breathe and expand, letting stomach acid stay where it should be.

Maintain A Healthy Weight

Excess weight can trigger or even worsen heartburn. This is because excess fat, particularly around the abdomen, pushes the stomach up, causing acid to flow back into the esophagus. Thus, an important lifestyle change to manage heartburn is to maintain a healthy weight. This allows the stomach to remain where it should be, preventing acid from flowing into the esophagus as much.

Women should first make dietary changes like eating more fiber and other heartburn-friendly foods, including vegetables, egg whites, healthy fats, and lean meats. The amount of food eaten should also be looked at. Besides dietary choices, women should also get regular exercise. This will not only help with maintaining a healthy weight, but will increase their overall energy too!

Eat Slower

Many studies have indicated eating faster increases the risk and intensity of heartburn. The reason for this is linked to saliva! Saliva has the capability to neutralize acid, and those who eat too fast won’t produce enough saliva. Eating slower gives the body time to produce more saliva, lessening the impact of acid. This means it helps get rid of heartburn! Eating slower regularly, especially when dealing with heartburn, also helps prevent GERD, which causes more issues as it is a chronic condition.

Eating slower also allows the body to really digest food before a woman is finished eating. Eating fast increases the potential for overeating since the body has no time to realize it’s already full. Eating slower lets it catch up, leading to eating smaller amounts of food. This helps with maintaining a healthy weight, another great lifestyle change to manage heartburn!

Eat Smaller Portions

Eating smaller portions does two things when it comes to managing heartburn. Smaller portions of food make it easier for women to maintain a healthy weight, as it reduces the potential for overeating. The stomach, it’s important to know, can expand a certain amount when a woman is eating. The larger a portion is, the more it will need to expand. This increases the pressure on the stomach and particularly both ends of it where the food comes in and where it comes out!

The increased pressure causes more stomach acid to flow back into the esophagus, which is what triggers heartburn. Thus, eating smaller meals, but eating more of them, helps greatly. This makes sure women are still getting the nutrients they need, but without the risk of the added pressure on their stomach.

Reduce Consumption Of Fried Or Fatty Food

Fatty and fried foods taste good. They do! They also spend longer in the stomach since they take longer to digest. Women also tend to eat more fatty and fried food than they would of other foods. These facts mean the stomach will expand more with these foods than with others. Additionally, fatty and fried food make the stomach produce more acid, which can then flow up into the esophagus.

Women should thus reduce how much fatty and fried food they eat. This means choosing low-fat cheese instead, not eating bacon or pork sausage, and choosing skim milk rather than whole milk. Ice cream, popcorn with butter, pizza, and french fries are also high in fat and should be avoided.

Don’t Eat Too Much Acidic Food

Stomach acid moving back into the esophagus, we know, results in the burning sensation known as heartburn. This alone makes it clear women must not eat too much acidic food. Acidic foods introduce even more acid into the stomach than what it already produces! Citrus fruits like oranges, limes, lemons, and grapefruit, are acidic foods. Tomatoes are also quite acidic! This means tomato-based sauces and soups are also considered fairly acidic. Spicy foods also irritate the stomach and increase acid. Women should monitor how much acidic food they eat. They should space out when they eat acid food and not eat as much each time, allowing the stomach a chance to adapt better. Remember, everything in moderation!