Heartburns sometimes occur shortly after one consumes fatty or acidic meals.
It results from the production of acid in the stomach.
Here are four ways to relieve heartburn.
1. Elevate the head of your bed
Elevating the head of your bed can help in relieving heartburn especially if you experience heartburn when sleeping. Raising your head with pillows is not enough, you can opt to insert a wedge pillow between your mattress and bed to ensure your body is raised from your waist up.
2. Chewing of gum
Chewing gum after meals for around 30 minutes can help reduce heartburn. This is because swallowing of the saliva will dilute the acidity in the gastrointestinal tract.
3. Avoid tight clothes
Tight clothes put pressure on your abdomen and the lower esophageal sphincter which in turn pushes up the acid produced in your gastrointestinal tract. Make sure you loosen your belt or wear loose clothes.
4. Stop smoking
The tobacco in cigarettes contains chemicals that destroy the lower esophageal sphincter, a muscle that keeps the stomach contents out of the oesophagus. These chemicals make the muscles weak enabling stomach contents to enter the oesophagus leading to heartburn.