If you feel a burn or a boil that raises your chest or neck and this hurts, do not be afraid, because this is a normal reaction of the body to certain foods or drinks that we feel heavy. People need to know that this burn is due to stomach acid which increases the esophagus. This is called gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD.
If this burn occurs very often in your body, consider the following tactics, and change certain habits:
- Eat less and slow down. If you are among the people who eat very fast, do not do this because your stomach does not allow it to function normally, your stomach may react with acidity. Doctors recommend that you eat more slowly and try to eat smaller portions.
- Avoid certain drinks. In order not to suffer from heartburn, avoid alcohol, coffee and chocolate as much as possible, as they relax the valve between the esophagus and the stomach, facilitating the passage of stomach acids.
- Avoid certain foods. Some foods tend to cause heartburn. These are sour fruits, hot peppers, onions, and tomatoes. Keep in mind not to eat foods that will cause the reactions you have, to know which ones you should avoid.
- Stop smoking. Few people know that the effect of cigarette smoking on acidity is inevitable because the role of nicotine is to weaken the lower esophageal sphincter (valve) allowing easier entry of stomach acids.
- Dinner early. I recommend that you do not fall asleep immediately after eating dinner, because your body will not be able to digest properly, and because of this your acidity will increase and your stomach will be full. Dinner is consumed 2-3 hours before bedtime.
- Raise the head of the bed. If heartburn affects you especially when you sleep, you can help yourself by lifting the head of the bed with some bricks or blocks, making your head and chest higher than the rest of your body. Do not try to lift your head with more pillows, as the position increases the pressure on the stomach and aggravates the acidity.
- Lose weight. Thanks to extra pounds, your stomach will be pushing up, making acids make your esophagus go up easier. Proper diet is very important in people’s lives because, in addition to eliminating extra pounds, they will help reduce acidity.
- Avoid tight clothing in the waist area. If you wear clothes that put pressure on your stomach, that pressure increases your feeling of indigestion and can lead to heartburn.
- Relax. Specialists have conducted studies where they have shown that anxiety and stress can aggravate your heartburn. Relaxation techniques can be yoga, meditation, or massage. Low-intensity aerobic exercise can also help.