People with heartburn commonly reach for antacids, over-the-counter medications that neutralize stomach acid. But eating certain foods may also offer relief from symptoms. Consider trying the following:. Does milk help with heartburn? The fat in milk can aggravate acid reflux. But nonfat milk can act as a temporary buffer between the stomach lining and acidic stomach contents and provide immediate relief of heartburn symptoms.
Ginger is one of the best digestive aids because of its medicinal properties. It's alkaline in nature and anti-inflammatory, which eases irritation in the digestive tract. Try sipping ginger tea when you feel heartburn coming on. While there isn't enough research to prove that drinking apple cider vinegar works for acid reflux, many people swear that it helps. However, you should never drink it at full concentration because it's a strong acid that can irritate the esophagus. Instead, put a small amount in warm water and drink it with meals.
Lemon juice is generally considered very acidic, but a small amount of lemon juice mixed with warm water and honey has an alkalizing effect that neutralizes stomach acid. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices.
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You will also receive emails from Mayo Clinic on the latest health news, research, and care. Acid reflux occurs when the sphincter muscle at the lower end of your esophagus relaxes at the wrong time, allowing stomach acid to back up into your esophagus. This can cause heartburn and other signs and symptoms.
Frequent or constant reflux can lead to gastroesophageal reflux disease GERD. Heartburn occurs when stomach acid backs up into the tube that carries food from your mouth to your stomach esophagus.
Normally when you swallow, a band of muscle around the bottom of your esophagus lower esophageal sphincter relaxes to allow food and liquid to flow down into your stomach. Then the muscle tightens again. If the lower esophageal sphincter relaxes abnormally or weakens, stomach acid can flow back up into your esophagus acid reflux and cause heartburn. The acid backup may be worse when you're bent over or lying down. Heartburn that occurs frequently and interferes with your routine is considered gastroesophageal reflux disease GERD.
GERD treatment may require prescription medications and, occasionally, surgery or other procedures. GERD can seriously damage your esophagus or lead to precancerous changes in the esophagus called Barrett's esophagus. Anyone with frequent or prolonged heartburn symptoms should see a doctor. GERD symptoms may be similar to those of heartburn, but people can also experience hoarseness, vomiting, or weight loss.
As everyone may react differently to foods, a person should try monitoring their symptoms after eating different foods to determine which may be causing heartburn. Spicy foods can irritate the stomach and may cause heartburn. Chili peppers contain capsaicin, which research suggests causes delayed gastric emptying and may promote reflux. Spicy foods from takeaways or restaurants often also contain onions and fats that can cause heartburn.
It may be preferable to prepare curries and chili dishes at home from scratch and use milder spices or fresh herbs instead. People can also try adding coconut milk to curry to make it less spicy. Experts advise that fatty and fried foods take longer to digest, increasing the pressure on the esophageal sphincter. The sphincter then opens, and acid flows into the throat. According to the American College of Gastroenterology ACG , acidic foods such as tomatoes and citrus fruits can irritate the lining of a damaged esophagus.
People can try avoiding lemons, oranges, and grapefruits, opting for other fruits, such as berries, melons, and strawberries, instead. People should also limit their consumption of orange juice and other citrus juices. Either a pesto sauce or olive oil and fresh herbs can replace a tomato-based sauce to make a pasta dish less acidic. Alternatively, adding a little baking soda to tomato-based sauces can help neutralize some of the acids.
Sodas contain gas that can force open the lower esophageal sphincter and cause a person to burp. The sugar in sodas can ferment in the stomach and cause more gas and bloating. In a pilot study , participants who ate vegetable protein had less acid reflux an hour after the meal than those who ate meat. According to the study, saturated fats and animal protein may negatively affect digestive acid and hormones, as well as the constriction of the esophageal sphincter.
People may experience more symptoms when eating fatty meat or meat fried in fats. However, they may be able to eat lean meats, such as turkey and chicken, as part of their diet. Research in indicated that alcoholic beverages relax the lower esophageal sphincter and stimulate gastric acid secretion.
In the study, beer, red wine, and white wine all caused reflux. Some people may experience symptoms after one alcoholic drink, but others may tolerate moderate amounts.
Lastly, excessive alcohol intake may directly damage the lining of the esophagus. Over time, this can make the esophagus more sensitive to stomach acid Coffee has been shown to relax the lower esophageal sphincter, which can increase the risk of acid reflux and heartburn Some studies suggest that caffeine is the culprit.
However, other studies have looked at the effects of caffeine alone and discovered that it may not trigger reflux symptoms.
If this is the case, then other compounds found in coffee may be responsible 30 , Nevertheless, other studies have found no link between coffee and reflux symptoms Though the research remains inconclusive, if you tolerate coffee , then there is no need to avoid it. Yet if coffee gives you reflux and heartburn, it is best to avoid it or limit your intake. Sodas and carbonated beverages are also common culprits of heartburn.
Research suggests that these beverages may relax the esophageal sphincter and increase the acidity of stomach acid — two risk factors for heartburn 33 , After further investigation, the researchers found that nighttime heartburn was strongly linked to several factors, including drinking carbonated soft drinks People commonly consume milk to treat heartburn. However, drinking whole milk may actually cause symptoms, not relieve them In fact, research suggests that whole milk may increase stomach acid production, which is a risk factor for heartburn Researchers from the study suggested that the link between whole milk and heartburn was related to the fat content of whole milk While many foods can make your heartburn worse, there are several foods that may help relieve symptoms.
Many foods can cause heartburn by relaxing the lower esophageal sphincter, a ring-like muscle that acts as a barrier between the esophagus and stomach. If you experience heartburn frequently, try removing some of the foods in this list from your diet to see if your symptoms improve. You can also try adding foods to your diet that help relieve heartburn, such as bananas, melons, oatmeal, grains, potatoes, ginger and green veggies.
Heartburn is often treated with medication, but simple dietary and lifestyle changes can help, too. Here are 14 home remedies for heartburn and acid…. The terms heartburn, acid reflux, and GERD are often used interchangeably. They actually have very different meanings. Heartburn is a burning sensation in your chest that often occurs with a bitter taste in your throat or mouth.
The symptoms of heartburn may get worse…. Are you tired of using over-the-counter medications to treat your heartburn? Essential oils may be the alternative treatment you're looking for. If you have acid reflux, you know that certain foods can make your symptoms worse. There is concern that coffee and tea can cause heartburn and aggravate acid reflux. Learn more about the effects of these favorite beverages on GERD….
Acid reflux happens when stomach acid backs up into your esophagus. Learn how to prevent and treat it with lifestyle changes, medications, or surgery….
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