(12-04-12) The Eight Heartburn Trigger Foods You Must Avoid

by Victor Marchione, MD

Do you sometimes wish you could run to the fridge and make two ham sandwiches
with lots of mayonnaise, hot peppers, and tomatoes? Maybe you would like to
follow this with a beer. Or how about a slice of pizza? Or maybe what you
really want is some ice cream with chocolate sauce. And there's always coffee
with extra cream to wash it all down.

In an ideal world, you might be able to get away with a diet like this. But
chances are these types of foods are likely to give you a serious case of acid
reflux disease. Heartburn -- as this condition is commonly known -- is no
laughing matter. Heartburn can make you feel very uncomfortable and put a
damper on your day.

Have you ever wondered what causes heartburn? Is it really just the result of
eating the wrong foods? When you get heartburn, some of the stomach's juices
make their way up out of your stomach and into your esophagus. One substance in
particular can cause you a lot of suffering. Hydrochloric acid helps your
stomach digest food, but it is a very powerful substance. Hydrochloric acid is
a corrosive substance used in industry to clean metal! Fortunately, your
stomach has a protective lining that makes it immune to the acid.
Unfortunately, your esophagus does not. That's why you can experience a burning
sensation in your throat, stomach pains, chest pains, nausea, and even
shortness of breath when you suffer from heartburn.

So what causes heartburn? There are a lot of different reasons. In some cases,
the esophageal sphincter muscle isn't functioning. Normally this muscle pinches
itself shut and prevents stomach acid from surging upward. Sometimes heartburn
can be caused by a hiatal hernia. But by far the most common reason for
heartburn is a trigger food. Which foods should you stay away from to avoid an
attack of heartburn? Here is a list of the top eight foods that can cause
heartburn in certain people:

1. Alcohol
2. Caffeine
3. Chocolate
4. Citrus fruits
5. Fried foods
6. Peppermint
7. Spicy foods
8. Tomatoes

If you don't want to give up all of these foods, but are having trouble with
heartburn, here are some strategies for minimizing acid attacks:

Don't overeat
Eat ginger, pineapple and papaya to help with better digestion
Try caraway oil; it could reduce heartburn symptoms
Drink lots of water to aid proper digestion

Source: doctorhealthpress

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