Factors Responsible For Causing Heartburn - Food Glorious Food!

By Eddie Lamb

These days there are several causes of heartburn. This is largely so because of the fast paced way we live and the type of foods we consume. Most of these foods contain substances that are responsible for this condition. Their effect on the muscle that controls food entry into the stomach is more or less negative since it causes the muscle to relax thereby allowing stomach content to flow outwards thus causing a burning sensation.

One of the food substances confirmed to have a relaxation effect on the gate-keeping muscle of the stomach is caffeine. It is found in food substances like coffee, tea, and other drinks or beverages that have caffeine in them. The caffeine causes the muscle to relax, causing the content of the stomach to spill out of it. This brings about a burning sensation in the chest area.

Another food substance identified as a cause of heartburn is chocolate. This food substance that is widely consumed across the world today is partly made up of a substance known as theobromine. Theobromine is also found naturally in some plants like tea, cocoa, and coffee plants. This also has the same effect like caffeine on the esophageal sphincter, which causes the same results.

Another cause of this uncomfortable condition is the effect of fatty foods. This class of foods naturally causes the process of digestion to be slow. As a result of the lengthened stay of food in the stomach, pressure builds in it. This leads to increased pressure on sphincter which is most times already weakened causing a reflux of acidic stomach content into the esophagus.

Alcohol is also confirmed to be responsible for heartburn. It makes the esophageal sphincter to be relaxed leading to reflux of gastric contents into the esophagus. This is said to be quite common in consumers of alcohol, especially people who take alcohol in addition to any of the other food substances with similar a similar effect.

One other factor responsible for heartburn can be wearing clothing that is tight around the abdomen. This mounts pressure on the abdomen, causing it to weaken the esophageal sphincter. When this happens, the stomach contents leak out causing that uncomfortable burning feeling that is experience by people having this disorder.

There are several other factors responsible for this condition. Such factors can be related to the body structure or body function. But knowing some of these factors will help to reduce heartburn in no small way. - 32390

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