Tips to help ease heartburn
Many people live with chronic heartburn. Their stomach medicine is rarely far from hand and they always carry an emergency supply of antacid tablets with them. The following tips may help.
Heartburn is the commonest symptom of gastro-oesophageal reflux. It is estimated that 50 per cent of the population experience it at some time, but some people have it after every meal. It is caused by acid being squirted back up the oesophagus from the stomach, thereby producing inflammation and burning pain.
The body normally has ways of protecting itself from the effects of reflux and acid in the gullet. Gravity is the main protection during the day, because we are upright. Reflux acid will simply trickle back. Swallowing is the next main protective mechanism, because the process of swallowing will send a muscular contraction down the oesophagus to carry refluxed substance back into the stomach. Finally, saliva is rich in bicarbonate, which will tend to neutralise the acid in the oesophagus.
Recent research looked at whether chewing sugar free gum could help people with chronic reflux problems. In their study the researchers looked at 12 people with chronic heartburn and 24 healthy volunteers over a three-day period. They measured baseline levels of oesophageal acid for all 36. They were then given breakfast and had their acid levels checked over a four hour period.
The next day after breakfast they were given breakfast, then asked to walk for an hour, and then sit for the next three hours. On the next day, they were all asked to chew gum for an hour after breakfast, then sit for three hours.
In comparing acid levels it was found that walking did reduce reflux, but the effect was short-lived. Chewing gum, however, had an effect lasting three hours. The acid level was reduced in all 36 people.
This little study suggests that the increased alkaline saliva and the increased swallowing mechanism that accompany chewing gum may make a difference.
Recently I came across an interesting little traffic light classification of foods rating their tendency to cause heartburn. Basically, the red coded foods are high risk for triggering heartburn, yellow can be consumed with discretion and greens are low risk. The following are some examples in each category, which you might find useful: Red: ice cream, macaroni and cheese, fries, raw onions, cranberry juice, wine, chocolate. Yellow: garlic, yogurt, strawberries, skimmed milk, peanut butter, ketchup, beer. Green: Baked potato, broccoli, chicken breast, low-fat cream cheese, water, bananas.
Smoking is one of the major culprits for heartburn, but so too is food that is too hot. Just remember, if it is hot in the mouth it will be hot in the stomach.
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Friday 10 February 2012
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