Learn The Truth And The Real Cause Of Heartburn

Many people think heartburn is caused by having too much acid in the stomach. This excess of acid is supposedly going to spill over into the esophagus (the food pipe that connects the throat with the stomach) causing the heartburn. By this logic reducing the amount of acid in the stomach should cure heartburn. This is what all commercial heartburn medications do. They either stop the stomach producing acid or they neutralize the acid in the stomach. Now for a little wake up call, the stomach is supposed to be full of acid! The stomach acid helps in the absorption of calcium which is a very important mineral. Lack of calcium can lead to serious health problems like osteoporosis. The stomach acid also helps in killing dangerous bacteria and fungi.

So if stomach acid is good for the body, one might wonder why it causes heartburn? The reason you get heartburn is not because of too much acid in your stomach, but rather that your stomach fails to keep the acid in. To understand how it can leak out you have to understand how the stomach works. Between the stomach and the esophagus, there is something called LES(lower esophageal sphincter). The LES works as a gate between the esophagus and the stomach. Basically it opens up to let food pass through from the esophagus and then it closes again to contain the food and acid in the stomach. Now when you experience heartburn it is because that for some reason the LES relaxes and opens up to let acid sip out in the esophagus. Another reason is because of pressure on the stomach. When you put pressure on the stomach it gets smaller and the acid has to go somewhere or the stomach will break. Think of it as a balloon full of water. If you put pressure on the balloon it either explodes spraying water all over the place. Or the water can leak out of the opening keeping the balloon whole.

So why does the LES get relaxed? The main reason is because of what you eat. Certain foods causes the LES to relax and let stomach acid flood into the esophagus. Removing these food can greatly reduce the occasions you get heartburn. Below is a short list of the most common things that relax the LES.

1. Alcohol.
2. Citrus fruits, like lemons and oranges.
3. Tomatoes and anything with tomatoes in it.
4. Coffee, tea and other drinks with caffeine.
5. Chocolate.
6. Cigarettes, even second-hand smoking weakens the LES.

Pressure on the stomach often occurs because of overweight. One thing you can do if you are overweight is to avoid laying down after you have eaten. When you lay down, gravity pulls your excess weight down on the stomach putting great pressure on it. Tight-fitting clothes should of course also be avoided. Lastly, pregnancy can also put pressure on the stomach as the baby grows. There is unfortunately not much you can do to reduce the pressure from the baby. For pregnant women they just have to wait the nine months out.

If you are looking for ways to get rid of heartburn, a good option is natural remedies. Especially if you are pregnant taking lots of medications is not a good idea. There are many types of foods like apple cider vinegar which strengthens the LES and reduces heartburn. Please visit my website for a more comprehensive list of remedies and natural cures.

By: Adam P Johnson

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Want to learn more about the cause for heartburn? Visit my site Avoid Heartburn for more information and free helpful tips on curing heartburn.