Surprising Heartburn Triggers

If you’re a frequent heartburn sufferer, by now you’ll know some of the common triggers: spicy food, lying down after eating, over-eating, tomatoes, and citrus. But there are many other lesser-known heartburn triggers, from foods to lifestyle choices.

It can be hard to identify exactly what causes your heartburn each day. If you get heartburn a lot, read on to find out about some uncommon triggers for acid reflux so you can avoid that dreaded burning sensation in the future.

Smoking

Nicotine in tobacco causes the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), the valve that connects the stomach to the esophagus, to relax. This means it opens even when you’re not eating, allowing stomach acid to reflux out and up the throat, leading to heartburn.

Therefore, quitting smoking can help reduce your acid reflux and improve your health. Stopping smoking is a big lifestyle change, so you may need to take advantage of quit smoking programs and medications to help.

Peppermint

Peppermint is a well-known digestive aid, helping to ease the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome and indigestion. But does it have the same effect on heartburn?

Unfortunately not. Like nicotine, peppermint relaxes the LES valve, which can make heartburn worse rather than better. While peppermint tea might help settle your stomach after a large meal, it may increase your chances of suffering the symptoms of acid reflux.

Chocolate

Sadly for the chocolate-lovers among us, it’s one to add to your list of foods that cause heartburn. The sweet treat has been found to prevent the LES from properly doing its job.

Chocolate induces serotonin to be released in the intestines, and while that gives us a nice mood boost, it relaxes the LES – letting stomach acid creep back up your esophagus. So, if you get frequent heartburn, try switching to something else to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Onion

Onion is another food that causes acid reflux – especially when it’s raw. Onions stimulate the formation of stomach acid, spelling trouble for those who frequently experience acid reflux.

In people who get frequent heartburn, onions are unfortunately a food to avoid, unless you use green onions or shallots instead. Next time you’re making a salad or garnishing a burger, consider this before chopping up a red onion.

Carbonated Drinks

Partial to a pop? You may want to limit drinking carbonated beverages or completely avoid them to reduce your risk of suffering from heartburn.

The gas in carbonated drinks increases the pressure in your stomach, which can force the LES open. To compound the chance you’ll get heartburn after drinking soft drinks, many of them also contain caffeine which is highly acidic.

Avoid Your Triggers to Prevent Heartburn

While the above foods and habits might trigger heartburn in some people, it doesn’t mean they’re the main cause of your acid reflux problem. Still, try avoiding them for a time to see if it improves your symptoms.

Cutting out all these triggers may still not stop you from having acid reflux. If changing your diet and lifestyle doesn’t reduce your symptoms, speak to your doctor. They can recommend medicines like Nexium 24HR to help relieve heartburn in frequent sufferers, or help you get to the bottom of what is causing your reflux.

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Surprising Heartburn Triggers That Cause Acid Reflux