How to ease heartburn with the right foods

The burning discomfort of heartburn, or acid reflux, is familiar to more than one-third of Canadians, some on a daily basis. Heartburn is usually triggered by ­eating and occurs when stomach acid washes up into the digestive tube (esophagus), burning the back of the throat. The fiery pain may radiate across the chest, travelling from behind the breastbone to the neck. Fortunately, consuming healing foods and altering eating habits can help quell fiery heartburn and here are some tips on how you can do it.

Belching, flatulence or nausea may accompany acid reflux, and the burning distress may last from one to four hours.

Recurring indigestion (occurring at least twice a week) is medically termed gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, and may be quite severe.

Symptoms include painful heartburn, increased salivation, a chronic hoarse voice and regurgitation.

Left untreated, corrosive stomach acid may gradually erode the delicate lining of the esophagus, a process that is linked to esophageal cancer.

A muscular valve at the bottom of the esophagus, the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), serves as a gatekeeper to the stomach and seals off its contents, blocking backwash into the esophagus. Numerous factors, however, may weaken the LES or cause it to relax, resulting in heartburn. (Hiatal hernia is another cause of GERD.)

• Smoking and excess abdominal pressure from pregnancy or obesity may weaken the LES, preventing this valve from closing tightly.
• Certain foods and medications may relax and open the LES, allowing stomach acid to splash into the esophagus.
• Additional heartburn triggers include acidic foods (tomatoes and citrus fruits and juices), which may promote excess stomach acid and irritate a damaged esophageal lining; and overeating, tight-fitting clothes and lying down or bending over after eating may push stomach contents upward.

• Eliminating trigger foods may prevent reflux.
• Common heartburn triggers include coffee (both decaffeinated and regular), alcohol, peppermint, chocolate, onions and tomato products.
• In general, spicy, fatty or acidic foods frequently lead to heartburn.
• Drink beverages between meals, instead of with them, to suppress reflux.
• Remain upright for up to an hour after eating and don't eat for two to three hours before going to bed.
• Many experts recommend eating small, low-fat meals each day.
• Smaller portions, consumed more frequently throughout the day, may be easier to digest, preventing heartburn distress.
• Eating slowly is important as well, because eating too fast (and too much) can overload the LES muscle, pressuring the valve to open and propel acidic juices into the esophagus.
• A low-fat diet is thought to prevent heartburn, since high-fat foods may exacerbate acid reflux by prolonging digestion and weakening the LES valve.
• Mild ginger tea may help protect against heartburn. Though quite spicy on its own, ginger is thought to strengthen the LES valve, preventing acid backwash into the esophagus.
• Maintaining a healthy weight is important for heartburn prevention. Too much weight around the abdomen appears to stress the LES valve, allowing stomach contents to seep out.
• Fibre-rich foods may assist weight loss by improving feelings of fullness without encouraging overindulgence in extra calories.
• Eating a diet rich in high-fibre complex carbohydrates may ease digestion and help prevent heartburn.
• Experts suggest planning meals around such low-fat complex carbohydrates as beans, vegetables and whole grains.

Chewing gum, preferably sugarless, after meals may ease heartburn.

• Some research suggests that the saliva produced by gum chewing may help neutralize and sweep away acidic stomach juices. (However, excessive gum chewing is not recommended since it increases swallowed air and belching, which can lead to reflux.)

• Beans
• Potatoes
• Rice
• Whole grains
• Beets
• Lentils
• Pomegranates