Food habits that cause heartburn:
Heartburn may be due to some poor dietary habits. Each one of us has unique food habits, but a majority of us prefer junk foods. This is because they are tastier than regular foods. However, most of them are loaded with preservatives and additives that are bad for our health. Junk foods rich in oil and spices are also triggers for heartburn. These food varieties increase pressure in the stomach. The hot, spicy foods are not easy to digest and it takes a lot of gastric juice for the digestive system to process them. The increase in gastric secretions cannot be handled by the esophageal sphincter and the pressure in the stomach pushes the secretions back to the esophagus. This backflow of gastric juices wreaks havoc on the walls of the esophagus and this causes the burning sensation in heartburn.
Lifestyle habits as causes:
Undesirable food habits are not the only causes of heartburn. Poor lifestyle habits are also known to cause this disorder in many people. These refer to smoking, drinking alcohol, and taking drugs. The digestive system struggles to digest such products. Smoking can increase the risk of asthma and wheezing, which are just a couple of the symptoms of heartburn. Even habits such as wearing tight-fitting clothes can trigger heartburn. Moreover, highly stressful situations should also be avoided as they can increase tension in the digestive system.
Medication as a trigger:
Medication is also considered an important cause of heartburn as the drugs we consume can induce the digestive system to secrete more acid. This happens often in pregnant women who have fluctuating hormonal levels and who also take several medications and supplements. The hormone secretions and the gastric secretions alter the acid and alkaline levels in the stomach, thereby disturbing the balance in the digestive system. This then triggers heartburn. Usually, the use of anti-inflammatory drugs can increase the chances of getting heartburn. Hiatal hernia can also become a factor as it causes the stomach to bulge into the chest region.
Other causes:
Bending or lying down immediately after having a heavy lunch can also push the gastric secretions to backflow into the esophagus, causing heartburn and pain. You have to eat only to fill your stomach and not to eat beyond your capacity. Otherwise, if you eat more than what your stomach can hold, regurgitation may occur. In addition, if you are obese, the chances are greater that you would get digestive troubles.
