Cause of Heartburn

Many People Vote Food As Their Big Cause of Heartburn...

There are different causes associated with heartburn, from food and drink to stress. If the you are concerned enough to look for answers then you are on the right track. Rather than just ignoring the causes the best way is to address them is to look for a solution. Medication may help but an attitude of healthy living goes a long way. Know the causes and you can make the changes, perhaps without the reliance on meds.

How it all starts. Many of us suddenly get a burning sensation that starts in the chest, a condition that occurs sometimes just after we have eaten. One of the causes of heartburn can be from over eating or poor posture. When that happens the stomach juices can escape from the stomach and be forced into the esophagus. When that happens the esophagus lining gets irritated and a burning sensation can felt be especially near the heart. This is the main cause of heartburn for most people.

Where It Starts
From the area of discomfort you have a pretty good idea where the trouble lies. Specifically the part of the body that is responsible for heartburn occurring is the Lower Esophageal Sphincter, or LES as it is sometimes called.

This valve is responsible for keeping the stomach juices within the stomach. Only the stomach is capable of dealing with these high acid levels.If for any reason the LES relaxes then the stomach juices can flow into the esophagus and begin causing heartburn.

The walls or the skin of the esophagus are very thin - This tissue layer is unable to cope with high acid, in fact there isn't any part of the body, outside of the stomach that can cope with such high acid levels. Therefore it is wise to keep it where it belongs.

Foods That Can Cause Problems
Coffee, tea, and other drinks that contain caffeine can relax the Lower Esophageal Sphincter, thus allowing the stomach juices to flow into the esophagus.

Chocolate contains certain amounts of a substance called theobromine. This compound is found naturally in many caffeine bearing plants. The theobromine relaxes the LES muscle and causes the stomach acid to shoot up into the esophagus leading to heartburn.

Fried and fatty foods have a tendency to slow down the digestion process. This leads to the food being kept in the stomach for a long time. This results in increased pressure to the stomach. This pressure build-up weakens the LES allowing stomach acid to pass into the esophagus.

Drinking and eating lots of citrus fruits and juices also causes the LES to become relaxed. This is another cause of heartburn.

Tomatoes and tomato-based products, and alcohol also cause the LES to relax. These foods lead to an increase in the production of more stomach acid. This is another heartburn factor.

Other Things to Avoid
The tobacco chemicals in cigarettes weaken the LES, as the chemicals pass from the lungs into your blood and it is a process that happens very fast. Which means an after dinner smoke can be a risky move.

Eating large amounts of food any time of the day puts extra pressure on your lower esophageal sphincter. Therefore there is a chance that some of this digested food will end up in the esophagus. This is especially true in the night as having a large dinner just before you go to sleep leads to the digesting food to press harder against your LES.

Another cause of heartburn is clothing that restricts your stomach. As tight clothes press against the stomach walls they force the food up against the LES. The same effect takes place when someone is overweight by causing internal constriction.

There are many things that can cause heartburn and the resulting acid reflux. Take the time to examine your own way of living to see if there is some pattern that is causing heartburn. The best way to deal with heartburn is to prevent it from happening. Try not to let over indulgence or poor habits mar your future.