Lifestyle changes can help you to avoid heartburn and get relief in case you have one. The changes in your lifestyle will ensure that you avoid the possible triggers that cause heartburn and live a better life.

Eating and drinking

Avoid food triggers

Foods, which cause heartburn, are known as food triggers for heartburn. Some of the most common heartburn food triggers are tomatoes, citrus fruits, alcohol, fatty foods, spicy foods and so on. It is always better to avoid such foods so that you do not suffer from heartburn.

Avoid alcohol

If possible, you should eliminate alcohol from your lifestyle. Besides causing heartburn, alcohol also results in several other medical problems. Too much of alcohol results in heartburn. It should also avoid having alcohol after some foods like tomatoes, oranges and other acidic foods and beverages. Also avoid having alcohol after a large meal.

Reduce caffeine

If your lifestyle includes drinking lots of tea, coffee, soda and other foods and beverages that contain caffeine, you will need to change your lifestyle. It should reduce the amount of caffeine you intake every day because caffeine causes heartburn in many people.

Watch portion size

It is for your best interest to avoid having larger meals and meals with high fat content. These types of meals stay for a longer duration in the stomach and as a result the esophagus remains exposed to the stomach acids for a longer duration. If you are having frequent or even occasional heartburn, you need to reduce the portion size so that food does not stay in your stomach for a longer duration.

Reduce your soda intake

Carbonated beverages cause heartburn in many people. They cause people to belch, which may put pressure on the stomach and may result in acid reflux. Avoiding carbonated beverages will definitely help you to reduce the possibility of heartburn.

A heartburn and food diary

Keep a food diary and lists the foods you eat. It will help you to find out which are the foods that trigger heartburn in your case. Once you find out the trigger foods, you can make sure to avoid them in the future and avoid the possibility of heartburn.

Stop smoking

Nicotine, the active ingredient in cigarettes, causes weakness in the esophageal sphincter and allows contents that contain acids to enter the esophagus, which causes heartburn. So, it is better for you to stop smoking right now to avoid heartburn in the future.

Chew gums or eat lozenges

Chewing gum or putting a lozenge in your mouth will stimulate saliva in your mouth. Saliva can eliminate the effects of stomach acids by neutralising them.

Bedtime habits

With a little bit before sleeping

Do not go to bed immediately after your meal. Wait for at least two hours before going to bed after your meal. Some experts believe that it is better to eat your last meal 4-6 hours before sleeping.

Adjust your bed

If your upper body is raised compared to the lower body, the stomach acids will not be able to enter the esophagus again. If you raise the head of your bed a little bit, it will help you to avoid heartburn. To do that, you can buy a foam wedge. You can also use a pillow to avoid night time reflux if you had your dinner late.

Sleep on your left side

Your sleeping position can also decide whether you will suffer from heartburn or not. Sleep on your left side for having a better digestion which will help in eliminating acids from your stomach and reduce the possibility of them entering the esophagus.