heartburn

Heartburn has as much to do with your heart as chickenpox has to do with chickens. It is
actually a muscle in your esophagus that is not closing properly, allowing stomach acid to splash up creating that
dreaded burning sensation. Thank goodness there are ways to relieve this uncomfortable feeling.

1. To neutralize the acid, try eating a little bland food.

2. Drinking plenty of water with your meal will wash stomach acids from the surface of the esophagus
back into the stomach.

3. Suck on a hard candy, or anything non-acidic, to get the saliva flowing.

4. Eat less food at one time. Smaller meals more frequently are better than a couple of big meals.

5. Do not eat late in the evening. Heartburn occurs more frequently when you are in a vertical
position. Try sitting up or standing to put gravity to work, carrying acid back down to the stomach.

6. Be sure to avoid acidic foods like orange juice.

7. Avoid most raw onions. When eating a spicy meal, it is often the onions that are the cause
of your heartburn. Certain onions have been found to not cause this problem, such as; Texas sweet onions, Maui,
and the Walla Walla variety.

8. Over the counter antacids often work. Use them after you eat, but before the heartburn starts.
Food and drink will wash them away. It seems that the coating action is more responsible for relief rather than
the neutralizing affect.

9. See a doctor if you are also experiencing pain in swallowing, vomiting, bloody or black stool,
shortness of breath, dizziness, or chest pains.