You Don’t Have to Live With Heartburn

Forty percent of Americans experience heartburn at least once a month; 6% have it every day. Here’s how to eliminate or reduce heartburn:

* Control your weight.

* Eat smaller, more frequent meals.

* Don’t lie down after eating.

* Raise the head of your bed six to nine inches.

* Eliminate common triggers such as fatty or fried foods, alcohol, chocolate, peppermint, garlic, onion, caffeine and nicotine.

* Avoid unnecessary stooping or bending.

* Avoid wearing clothes that fit tightly around the waist.

If heartburn is an almost daily problem, visit a doctor. Frequent heartburn can be a symptom of something more dangerous. Here are some warning signs of a more serious condition:

* Heartburn several times a week.

* Heartburn returns once an antacid wears off.

* Symptoms persist even with prescribed medicine.

* Difficulty swallowing.

* Vomiting blood.

* Black stools.

Source: Mayo Clinic Women’s HealthSource