How to Identify Heartburn Triggers

Nearly everyone has had an episode of heartburn at one time or another, but for 20 percent of the American population heartburn is a weekly event. While certain triggers can be expected to bring on heartburn attacks, not everyone is affected by the same triggers. So, if you're looking to put out the fire of heartburn for good, then learn how to identify your triggers so you can avoid them.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Rate late-night meals and overeating as the most common triggers shared by most heartburn sufferers. Rather than consuming three main meals each day, aim for several 'micro' meals of smaller portions throughout the day, regardless of the clock.
2. Never lay down for a rest right after consuming food since this is a sure-fire invitation for heartburn to set in. In fact, wait from 1 to 3 hours after eating before letting your head hit the pillow.
3. Watch what you eat. Spicy, greasy or fatty foods are common heartburn triggers, no matter what time of day or night they're consumed. For you, garlic and onions may be included in the spicy category as well.
4. Imbibe less alcohol. While all alcohol can promote heartburn, red wine in particular is often poorly tolerated by people prone to heartburn.
5. Give up the chocolate. Unfortunately, the confection is another common culprit among heartburn candidates.
6. Cook your tomatoes. Raw tomatoes tend to encourage heartburn more frequently than cooked. However, for some people, any serving of this fruit triggers an attack, including tomato juice.
7. Know that the flesh and juice of some fruits are not your friends when it comes to avoiding heartburn. These include oranges, pineapple and grapefruit.
8. Learn to stay alert without the caffeine. Coffee is one of the biggest heartburn triggers known and even small amounts negatively impacts almost every heartburn sufferer.

Tips & Warnings

• Make a list of what you've recently eaten or drank whenever a heartburn episode occurs. This will help you to identify your personal heartburn triggers.
• Gravity is your friend. If you just couldn't abstain from the temptation of a certain heartburn producing food or beverage, you may be able to minimize your night time symptoms by elevating your head higher than usual. This will help to naturally deter the backwash of stomach acid.
• Don't ignore severe or frequent heartburn symptoms. The associated pain could be a signal that a more serious condition or complication is developing, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD.

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