Everyone has experienced heartburn at least once in their life. This attack can be unbearable, especially at night. According to statistics, on a regular basis, about a third of the entire population of the planet is faced with this problem. There are many reasons for this condition, including gastrointestinal diseases, spicy food, overeating, snacks on the go, stress. But most often this is due to high acidity and heartburn occurs literally 30-60 minutes after eating. To get rid of seizures, you will have to adjust the diet. If heartburn appears more than once during the week, then it is best to seek medical help.
General rules
To get rid of the unpleasant sensation of heartburn, you should follow a number of simple rules:
- in no case immediately after a meal do not go to bed;
- portions should be small;
- no late meals;
- chew thoroughly;
- it is best to completely abandon alcoholic beverages, especially those containing gas;
- no need to eat too hot or cold food, drinks;
- do not season your dishes too much with all kinds of spices.
It is recommended to reduce the amount of fat in the diet, especially for animals. It is best to steam or boil food.
Causes and consequences of heartburn
There are many reasons that provoke the appearance of heartburn. But the most common is the wrong diet. In this case, nutrients are not absorbed, and discomfort occurs. This occurs against the background of the fact that the sphincter does not close tightly, as a result, stomach juice is constantly “splashing out”, burns the esophagus. It is against this background that heartburn appears. If the situation is not corrected, then sooner or later gastritis will appear, and then a stomach ulcer, other dangerous gastric diseases, including cancer.
Causes of heartburn on an empty stomach
One of the causes of morning heartburn is intermittent or constant fasting. The alimentary tract constantly produces bile and juice, but if there is nothing to break down, that is, there is no food, then these substances begin to break down the walls of the sphincter, stomach, esophagus. As a result, there is discomfort, heartburn.
Another major cause of morning heartburn or heartburn throughout the day is gallbladder surgery, or rather its removal. Usually this condition is accompanied by sour belching.
If heartburn appears only occasionally, then you should not worry, but it is still worth adjusting the meal time.
What diseases is heartburn
If the diet is built according to all the rules, the person does not overeat, but heartburn is still present, then it is recommended to conduct a complete examination of the gastrointestinal tract. There are many diseases that can provoke such a condition:
- gastritis;
- ulcer;
- cholecystitis;
- pancreatitis;
- GERD;
- absence of a gallbladder;
- problems with the motor activity of the stomach;
- neoplasms in the gastrointestinal tract.
Oddly enough, heartburn can appear even during pregnancy. Some medications cause this discomfort, as well as smoking.
Heartburn during pregnancy
Alas, many women in an interesting position are faced with such a problem. Often the problem appears in the first trimester. It is during this period that a cardinal hormonal restructuring of the body begins. Acid very often enters the esophagus and heartburn begins. Over time, the fetus becomes larger and the internal organs have less and less space. The stomach is in a constricted state. Overeating is especially dangerous.
Pregnant women are definitely advised to give up soda, coffee, strong broths. You should eat only in small portions and several times throughout the day. You can also keep a woman diary and write down what she eats during the day. Thus, it is very easy to analyze the diet and isolate foods that cause heartburn.
In no case should the problem be left to chance. Be sure to share it with the doctor who observes the pregnant woman.
Allowed Products
Some foods not only do not provoke heartburn, but even prevent its occurrence. Permitted products include:
- dried fruits;
- greens;
- boiled meat dishes;
- stewed vegetables;
- fruits with a high sugar content;
- boiled fish;
- stale bread, even slightly dried;
- olive a little.
It is useful to eat vegetables, in particular, beets, zucchini. Juice from potatoes and cucumbers will help eliminate discomfort, especially if you drink them before meals in just 30 minutes.
In the presence of heartburn, it is recommended to use cereals, oatmeal, buckwheat, millet and rice. Boiled eggs will not cause discomfort, but only if you do not get too carried away with them. Better to give preference to yesterday’s bread, corn or whole grain flour.
As a preventive measure against the appearance of heartburn, it is recommended to use grated bananas and apples, but not sour ones. To quickly cope with an attack, it is recommended to slowly dissolve one teaspoon of honey in your mouth. Raw almonds also do this job well.
Fully or partially limited products
Do not lean on beans and peas, pasta, cabbage and scrambled eggs, sauerkraut. Such dishes very often provoke heartburn. They also include:
- cottage cheese;
- baking;
- vinegar;
- citrus fruits, especially their use on an empty stomach;
- mushrooms, soups from them;
- foods high in sugar;
- tomatoes and dishes from them, including sauces;
- sour cream;
- sour berries;
- dishes with a high salt content;
- fresh baked goods;
- hot spices;
- chocolate, especially milk chocolate;
- sauces, especially of industrial production.
If you have a problem, it is recommended to completely abandon fast food and sausages. Don’t fry even the healthiest foods. We’ll have to give up carbonated sugary drinks. Coffee should be present in limited quantities. It is worth limiting the use of pickles, garlic, mint, pickled and smoked foods.
Despite the enormous benefits of fermented milk and dairy products, it causes an increased production of stomach acid. For this reason, only low-fat milk is permissible. You should not use, in any case, get carried away with ice cream.
Alcohol is also the strongest heartburn provocateur. It causes an increased production of hydrochloric acid, which damages the mucous membranes, and as a result, heartburn appears. The most dangerous alcoholic drinks in this regard are wine and champagne.
The amount of fat entering the body should be monitored on an ongoing basis. The minimum amount of animal fat should be supplied.
In any case, before adjusting the diet, it is recommended to consult a doctor, since the organisms of all people are different, therefore, different products may be required for proper nutrition. If it was not possible to get rid of heartburn with a diet, then you will have to undergo gastrointestinal examinations.
Menu, power mode
Despite the serious list of prohibited foods, it is still not so difficult to create a tasty and healthy diet.
In the morning, an hour after waking up – the first breakfast, which can consist of the following dishes to choose from:
- oatmeal;
- omelet;
- carrot juice;
- green tea;
- low-fat milk.
For lunch or a snack, you can:
- low-fat kefir;
- sweet fruits or berries.
The lunch menu can consist of the following dishes to choose from:
- vegetable soup;
- steam cutlets;
- pumpkin porridge;
- Vegetable Salad;
- yesterday’s bread;
- meatballs;
- boiled chicken fillet;
- unsweetened tea;
- a decoction of rose hips.
Snack or afternoon tea:
- low-fat yogurt;
- two bananas;
- pears and apple;
- half a cup of sweet berries.
Dinner:
- boiled potatoes;
- baked fish;
- boiled beef;
- rice porridge, can be cooked in milk;
- buckwheat porridge;
- lazy dumplings;
- vegetable salad;
- a cup of tea.
It is recommended to eat often, and always in small portions. Breaks between meals should not exceed 2-3 hours. The first courses should be present in the diet every day. Drink juice or tea, water should not be consumed during meals, only before or after. If you are taking medications, it is best to take them after a meal.
In no case should you go to bed immediately after eating, it is better to walk a little or do a leisurely activity.
As a rule, if the problem is not neglected, then the corrected nutrition will give a positive result in just 3 days. Do not forget to be outdoors more often, play sports and try to give up bad habits.
Don’t go overboard on baking soda, which really helps you deal with the problem. After interacting with hydrochloric acid, soda becomes the cause of the appearance of carbon dioxide, so belching appears. And if in the beginning soda really helps, then its regular use only worsens the whole situation. An excess of soda disrupts the acid-base balance, edema appears, pressure can rise, which is extremely dangerous in the presence of hypertension.
But you should always remember that all nutritional rules cannot be equally useful for absolutely all people. Each person has an individual organism, and someone can consume peppery dishes without any problems, and even one tomato causes heartburn in someone. For this reason, if it is not possible to establish clearly what provokes discomfort, you should keep a diary and clearly prescribe what goes into the stomach throughout the day. By analyzing the records, it will already be much easier to identify the provocative products.