Home Health & Fitness Nutritionist explains how to avoid heartburn

Nutritionist explains how to avoid heartburn

Nutritionist explains how to avoid heartburn
Image Credit: Getty

A few simple tricks can prevent you from feeling the uncomfortable burning caused by heartburn. Today, we tell you what they are.

Heartburn or heartburn usually occurs when stomach contents return to the esophagus, the tube that carries food from our mouth to the stomach.

“Heartburn is the inappropriate movement of your stomach acid up into your esophagus. Your stomach is a “bag of acid” and needs to be so highly acidic in order for you to properly digest your food,” explained explained nutritionist Vikki Petersen.

The doctor stressed that caution should be exercised when taking medications to combat heartburn, as it is important to fully understand and treat the root cause of the problem.

“Long-term exposure to acid can inflame your esophagus, leading to ulcers and even cancer,” the nutritionist warned.

Heartburn, however, can occur as an isolated event, which can be avoided. According to Petersen, these are three simple tips you can follow to avoid heartburn.

Chew and eat slowly

According to the specialist, to avoid the uncomfortable burning sensation in the esophagus, it is important to take the time to chew your food well and not eat too quickly.

In this way, you avoid overeating. By overfilling the stomach, spasms may occur, thereby resulting in heartburn.

Not lying down after eating

It’s too tempting, but taking a nap makes you more likely to feel heartburn. Staying vertical allows gravity to aid digestion.

“Remember that your digestive tract moves up and down. If you lie down or hunch over, you can interfere with the efficient movement of food from the stomach to the small intestine,” Petersen explained.

Exercising with a full stomach

Doing vigorous physical activities after eating is also not recommended. According to the nutritionist, you should wait at least 30 to 60 minutes, or until you no longer have the feeling of being full, before starting to exercise.

“This does not include an easy stroll after a meal. Gentle movement like walking after eating actually assists digestion,” said the expert.

Image Credit: Getty

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