Heartburn / GERD - What Are the Triggers?

Heartburn or GERD (gastroesophageal reflex disease) - What are the Triggers?
For more than thirty years, I have had to deal with the intolerable discomfort of heartburn and GERD. I have found that almost everyone gets heartburn at one time or another and in most cases at least once a month. Usually the cause is obvious like eating spicy or rich foods - a Thanksgiving dinner, French fries, chili or devil food cake, however there are several less obvious heartburn or GERD (gastroesophageal reflex disease) triggers. As an alternative to expensive prescription medications, I found that from the food you eat, to the clothes you wear, there are lifestyle changes that you should consider implementing if you want to reduce the recurrence of heartburn or GERD.Be Aware of the Triggers... Smoking
Everyone knows that smoking is bad for your health but here is just one more reason to quit. Smoking can weaken the one-way valve between the stomach and esophagus called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). When the LES is weakened stomach acid or gastric and duodenal juice flows back into the esophagus causing fat-digesting bile salts to travel up from the small intestine to the stomach. The bile cuts down on saliva that contains bicarbonate which is a natural acid-fighter which is required to flush stomach acid out of the esophagus.Being overweight
The more your body mass index (BMI) and the higher your weight, the greater your risk of acid reflux issues. Women, especially premenopausal, seem to have more issue than men. Why? Excess abdominal fat that places pressure on the stomach, chemical make-up, hormonal changes, poor diet and eating habits have all been identified as heartburn offenders.What are you wearing?
In order to avoid stomach acid from being pushed back into the esophagus you need to watch what you wear. Stay away from belts, waistbands, tight fitting clothes, hosiery and underwear.Trim the Fat
Certain foods including but not limited to spicy foods, fatty red meat, fried foods, citrus fruit, raw onion, tomatoes, butter, oil, fat, peppermint, chocolate, and caffeine are all known for aggravating the signs of heartburn.Eating Large Meals
Eating large meals or over eating creating a very full stomach can cause the lower aesophageal sphincter valve (LES) between your stomach and esophagus to relax. When the LES valve relaxes, the stomach acids are pushed back up into the esophagus.
Instead of eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner, it is more beneficial to eat several (5 or 6) small meals throughout the day. Eating late at night or laying down right after meals can trigger GERD symptoms too.


Drinking Alcohol
Alcohol relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter allowing the stomach acid to move up into the esophagus.Drinking more than seven drinks of alcohol per week or on a regular basis means you are very likely to develop heartburn.Heads up - Eat well
Eating late at night or laying down right after meals can trigger heartburn. In order to alleviate this issue and allow the stomach acid to better drain out of the esophagus, elevate your head and upper body six to eight inches while you sleep.
Unless you have a hospital style bed that you can adjust, get a foam wedge or use specially designed blocks. Simply using pillows won't work since this just raises your head up instead of your body from the waist up.Medication
Several medications can trigger heartburn. If you considered that the medication you are taking could be causing your heartburn, check with your doctor before you choose to stop taking a drug on your own. Certain prescription drugs can trigger heartburn and GERD including antibiotics, osteoporosis drugs, high blood pressure medication - calcium channel blockers, albuterol which is a bronchodilator taken by asthma sufferers, some sedatives as well as ibuprofen or naproxen when used regularly.Fish oil supplements
Omega-3 fatty acids are a wonderful, natural supplement for overall health management and specifically for depression and heart disease however, they can also cause heartburn.
The fish is an excellent food for heartburn sufferers since it is low in fat and high in protein. Nevertheless, the oil is responsible for gastrointestinal issues.Peppermint
If you would like to settle an upset stomach, many people turn to peppermint tea, peppermint-oil capsules, and even peppermint candies. Peppermint can be good for you but the effects fail someone that suffers from GERD because the soothing, numbing effect of menthol relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) valve between the stomach and esophagus causing stomach acids to travel up the esophagus provoking heartburn.Your genetic make-up
Studies have shown that genetic factors count for 30% to 45% toward your risk of GERD. Genectic factors include stomach function or a hypersensitivity to stomach acids. The other 55% to 70% depends on: whether you smoke, what you eat, your weight or how much you exercise.