The rise of heart disease and diabetes continues to rise in the Latino community and the types of food we eat are to blame. Unfortunately many Latinos living in the U.S. do not watch what they eat and more and more are suffering from heartburn. Now we are even seeing young people with heartburn, which can be a huge problem in the long run.
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Heartburn is the most common symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD, which is a form of indigestion that feels like a burning sensation in the chest, caused by acid regurgitation into the esophagus. Anyone that has experienced heartburn knows how horrible it can feel, especially at night, when heartburn can keep you from getting a goodnight’s sleep.
What Causes Heartburn?
Many times eating a large meal causes your belly to feel full and this causes your stomach to stretch, which put pressure on the LES, the ring of muscle that keeps stomach acids from moving in the wrong direction. Fatty foods and high fat foods tend to stick around in your belly longer, so this helps your stomach produce more acid, which irritates your digestive system.
Foods That Trigger Heartburn
When you think about heartburn, you have to think about foods that can irritate your stomach, such as:
- Spicy food
- Alcohol, especially wine
- Chocolate
- Citrus
- Coffee
- Peppermint
- Tomatoes
- Fried Food
What Can You Do?
The first thing you could do is adapt a healthier lifestyle and avoid these foods as much as you can. As impossible as it may seem, it’s important to try because uncontrolled heartburn can turn into more serious problems in the future, such as esophagitis, which is a painful inflammation where the acid wears away the esophagus, causing it to bleed. Others can develop Barrett’s esophagus, which can eventually turn to cancer or you can narrow the esophagus, which feels like a mini heart attack. Constant heartburn could be very dangerous, which is why staying away from these foods might be the best strategy.
Home Remedies for Heartburn
Many people simply pop an antacid to get rid of heartburn, but there are other things you could do that can help relieve the symptoms of heartburn:
- Gum: Chewing gum stimulates the salivary flow, which helps acid accumulated in the belly to wash away more quickly.
- Baking Soda with water: 1 teaspoon of baking soda with a glass of water helps neutralize stomach acid.
- Licorice: Chewable licorice tablets before meals or the actual candy have natural stomach healing properties
- Aloe Vera: This plant has various healing properties and it reduces inflammation in the esophagus, as well as the stomach.
- Almonds: Snacking on almonds is not only a healthy way to get your Omega 3s, but these nuts help neutralize the acids in your stomach, helping relieve and prevent heartburn.