Choose Your Foods Wisely To Prevent Heartburn

By Keira Adams

A lot of people experience heartburn regularly. If you're one of them, you may find that your favorite foods are also your enemy. Not too long after an excellent meal, you may suddenly be subjected to a burning sensation in the chest area that's very painful. At times it's so terrible that your stomach contents threaten to come back up your throat. Still, for the majority of individuals with a heartburn condition, it's completely possible to make peace with food. The secret is to establish which foods are easy on your system and which of them will lead to distress.

Healthy eating by itself isn't a perfectly effective way to deal with heartburn. Eating in accordance with the food pyramid can have some effect on easing your symptoms. But those who are afflicted with heartburn will most likely have to make some other changes in their eating habits as well. The only way to alleviate the pain of your heartburn is to decrease your levels of stomach acids. You also have to calm and restore the esophageal lining, which protects your body from all kinds of toxic substances.

When you study the food pyramid, you'll observe that grains need to be the main focus of your eating habits. For heartburn relief, this is all the more essential to maintaining your health and easing your pain. Whole grains particularly are vital. Stay away from overly processed, starchy foods that have a lot of sugar and fat.

The next level of the pyramid suggests the consumption of plenty of fruits and vegetables. Yet if you suffer from heartburn, not all produce is created equal. Some of these products can actually make your condition worse. Fruits like pears, grapes and apples are full of nutrients and won't exacerbate your condition. But fruits that contain citric acid, for instance grapefruit, lemons, oranges and limes, can lead to an immediate occurrence of heartburn.

Most vegetables won't lead to heartburn problems and should be eaten in abundance. But don't forget to serve them up healthfully. Avoid using overly generous amounts of fat as a garnish, especially the kinds that are considered to be harmful. Heartburn is very often triggered by eating excessive quantities of fat.

When it relates to protein, keep in mind that low fat cuts are your best choice. For example, you can't go wrong with lean meat that's well trimmed. Stay away from cuts that are marbled with fat. But similar to vegetables, the preparation of the meat could make or break the situation. Bake, grill, or broil it and your heartburn symptoms are less likely to make an appearance. - 32390

About the Author:

Sign Up for our Free Newsletter

Enter email address here