The holiday season has already begun and it is the time of the year eagerly awaited by one and all. It is the time for a family get-together and meeting friends. There are good times spent with the dear ones and food essentially becomes an important component during these times. But, for people suffering from heartburn, lack of attention can lead to unnecessary suffering. It becomes imperative for them to take precautionary measures with respect to the food they chose to eat during this holiday season to avoid discomfort.
How to Deal with Holiday HeartBurn
1. Some of the foods to avoid during feasts are:
- Fried Foods
- Citrus Foods
- High-fat Foods
- Chocolate
- Alcohol
- Caffeine
- Tomatoes
- Pepper
- Peppermint
2. Don’t Overeat: It is very difficult to resist ourselves from eating excess especially when we are in the company of the beloved ones. But, heartburn symptoms can be checked only when the stomach is not full. This allows the acids in the stomach remain well within the walls of the organ without raising along the food pipe.
3. Relaxation: Our hectic schedules of daily life do not allow us to catch up with our dear ones on a regular basis. We look forward to holidays for paying visits to all of them at once. This makes us physically and mentally stresses out of fatigue. This undesirable state increases the production of acids in the stomach.
4. Reducing Alcohol Consumption: Beer and wine are strong stimulants of gastric acid secretion. Unfortunately, not much is known about the effects of alcohol intake on gastric acid secretion in chronic alcoholic patients. On a precautionary basis, white wine should be preferred over red and beer should be consumed after diluting it with either water or soda.
5. Chewing Gum: This item in sugar-free form proves very handy and should be chewed for 30 minutes after a meal to prevent any discomfort. Researchers from King’s College London found that chewing gum helps in the increased rate of flow of saliva which washes any accumulated acid in the gut. Removal of acids from the gut does not allow the appearance of any symptoms of heartburn.
6. Baking Soda: Experts from the Harvard Medical School recommend the use of sodium bicarbonate base for neutralizing the acid in the stomach. 1 teaspoon of this base can be mixed in a glass of water and consumed as a home remedy. Relief can be experienced quickly.
7. Aloe Vera Juice: The plant has multiple medicinal benefits and one of them is the reduction of the inflammation caused in the food pipe due to acid reflux. Experts from the University of Texas Medical Branch, in Galveston recommend drinking half a cup of this juice after meals to reduce the signs of heartburns.
8. Ginger: A small piece of ginger can be chewed after the meal along with lukewarm water to naturally experience relief from acid discomfort in the chest.
9. Turmeric: This age-old spice has the ability to prevent the formation of acid in the stomach and stimulate the process of digestion. It is available in tablet form can be kept handy for intake after a meal.
10. Banana: It is a natural antacid and reduces the presence of acid in the stomach.
