12 Reasons Why You Have Heartburn

Have you ever felt a burning sensation right behind your breastbone that sometimes travels up to your throat? You’re probably experiencing heartburn.

Also known as acid reflux, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or peptic ulcer disease, heartburn occurs when your lower esophageal sphincter (LES) relaxes inappropriately, allowing stomach acid to reflux backward into your esophagus and burn tissue that cannot withstand the acid’s low pH. Most of the factors that trigger heartburn stem from your diet or lifestyle — here are 12 of them:

1. Extreme stress — Stress can intensify stomach acid production. This can happen because your brain and your gut are connected by the vagus nerve, which can affect the way you feel.
2. Exercise — Activities like high-impact running or certain yoga poses may put pressure on your esophageal sphincter. Having a high body mass index (BMI), which adds pressure on your esophageal sphincter and causes stomach acid flare-ups, may be a factor too.
3. Pregnancy — Stomach acid is more likely to enter your esophagus because of increasing progesterone levels usually prevalent during a pregnancy.
4. Rushing your meals — If you eat while on-the-go or if you’re distracted during mealtimes, you tend to eat quickly, which can lead to improper digestion and poor gut health.
5. Eating too much at a time — Large meals can interrupt gastric emptying, increase internal pressure in the stomach and cause stomach acid to move back to your esophagus.
6. Eating your dinner too close to bedtime — Your stomach may be tilted if you immediately lie down, causing acid to flow back to your esophagus. Wait for at least three hours after dinner before hitting the sack.
7. Spicy foods — Eating spicy food containing chilies and peppers can raise gastric secretion and irritate your esophageal mucosa, and trigger heartburn.
8. Fruit juice — Refreshing as it may be, a freshly squeezed glass of orange juice can trigger heartburn because of its acidity.
9. Coffee — Although it’s not confirmed whether it’s caffeine or another substance that’s responsible for this health issue, your cup of joe can cause the LES to relax and allow stomach acid to move into your esophagus.
10. Alcohol — Alcohol consumption can raise your heartburn risk in a similar way that coffee does. Drinking alcoholic beverages can also slow down gut motility, cause gastric emptying and raise acid secretion in your stomach.
11. Chocolate — Theobromine found in chocolate can cause the LES to relax and allow stomach acid to move toward your esophagus.
12. Fried foods — Eating fried foods may contribute to delayed gastric emptying and intensified internal pressure in your stomach, causing stomach acid to move toward your esophagus.

In many cases your doctor may advise you to take proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), which are the most popular anti-reflux medications on the market. However, PPIs have been linked to health problems  like heart attacks, bacterial infections, chronic kidney disease and even an increased risk of stomach cancer.

If you want to alleviate heartburn or some of its symptoms, using natural remedies or making changes to your diet may get the job done safely and more effectively instead.