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Causes for heartburn can be lumped into two main categories... dietary and lifestyle and for chronic sufferers, it means making some major changes. The problem for many is it will take many an episode of heartburn before the "penny finally drops" which is a little hard to understand.

Mild sufferers haven't got a lot to worry about because heartburn attacks are very infrequent. The cause may have simply been indulging in a little too much alcohol or spice laden food and a simple antacid treatment may be all that's required to relieve the symptoms.

Dietary Causes For Heartburn

There are many foods that can relax the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), slow down the digestive system, or produce additional stomach acid. The LES is the valve between the stomach and the esophagus which, when it malfunctions, causes the stomach acid to rise back into the esophagus, causing an uncomfortable burning sensation. Avoiding or limiting foods that have an effect in this area can lower or eliminate your bouts of heartburn.

Foods that relax the LES include peppermint, spearmint and chocolate. Fatty and greasy foods will slow down the digestive system, which can also be a contributing heartburn causes. Carbonated beverages and large meals can increase the acid production in your stomach, making it more likely that those acids will find their way back up into the esophagus. Spicy foods are usually a no go for people who suffer from chronic bouts of heartburn while acidic drinks can also play a major part in bringing on an episode.

Making Lifestyle Changes

If heartburn is chronic in your life then you will need to look at your lifestyle. Making note of certain areas of your lifestyle which contribute to the cause of your heartburn and then discussing these with your doctor is a good place to start. Here are some causes of heartburn you may not be aware of:

- smoking
- being overweight
- eating right before you go to bed
- wearing tight fitting clothing
- exercising shortly after eating

Look at each of these individual instances in your life and make the necessary changes. Giving up smoking is a good start while it's proven even a slight loss of weight can go a long way to cutting down the instance of symptoms.

In cases other than chronic heartburn, the instance of it occurring can be cut down dramatically just by making a few lifestyle adjustments. For more serious cases, there may be an underlying problem which means seeking proper medical opinion. The cause for heartburn can be pointed at several factors but you can eliminate many of these simply by performing some good heartburn prevention practices.

Persistent Heartburn