You can rid your life of heartburn

Heartburn can be a thorn in someone’s flesh, especially if it becomes a constant occurrence in one’s life.
According to Ivy-Marie Komutambo, a nutritionist at St Francis Hospital Nsambya, heartburn is a burning sensation that happens in the esophagus (the pipe that connects the mouth to the stomach) due to the back flow of acid from the stomach.
“When food is eaten, it is worked on by the hydrochloric acid during its breakdown and the mixture is what causes the burning feeling when it flows back,” she says.

What happens
There is a muscle that covers the food after it has entered the stomach called the esophageal sphincter. But if the body is tilted to one side, this muscle opens hence the back flow of food. Heartburn is a common disorder among the obese, pregnant mothers, and alcoholics.

Causes
Dr Komutambo says people whose stomachs are full and heavy are prone to heartburn. She adds that pregnant mothers fall prey to the disorder because of the pressure exerted by the fetus on the stomach, especially after eating food.
“Sleeping immediately after eating is another cause because the stomach will be tilted and the backflow may easily take place. Obese people will occasionally suffer from heart burn because of their size,” the nutritionist states.
People are also cautioned about late meals and putting the body at a certain angle such as bending, sleeping or jumping which may cause the back flow of food. Some foods also cause heartburn depending on the amount of acids they contain. Legumes such as beans, sweet potatoes, groundnuts, among others have been said to cause heartburn among many people. “Very spiced, fatty and fried foods also cause heartburn among some people. But these may occur differently from person to person,” Dr Komutambo reveals.

Put it in check
To some people, heartburn occurs constantly and these, according to Dr Komutambo need to seek medical attention.
But to some, it happens occasionally and they need to just take note of a few things such as reducing on acidic foods. Eat food two or three hours before you go to sleep, this allows the process of digestion to take place and so there won’t be back flows when you lie down. Wearing very tight clothes when you are full and if drinking too much alcohol brings you heart burn, there is need to reduce.
It is advisable to take a glass of water in case you wake up to a very burning sensation, stay in an upright position for some time before you go back to sleep. But if it becomes a constant problem, then you should seek medical attention.

Prevention
Reduce on acidic foods that one realises cause them heartburn whenever they eat them.
Eat food two or three hours before you go to sleep because this allows the process of digestion to take place and so there won’t be back flows when you lie down.
Do not wearing very tight clothes when you are full.