Frequent Heartburn is more common than you think
Is frequent heartburn getting in the way of doing the things you love? Well, you’re not alone. In fact, an estimated 50 million Americans experience symptoms associated with frequent heartburn, which is heartburn that occurs two or more days a week. That’s why as a sufferer, it’s important to understand first why it occurs, then the simple steps you can take to help treat it.
The following sections will help educate you about frequent heartburn, as well as teach you ways that may prevent it.
HEARTBURN TRIGGERS
Learn what choices may trigger frequent heartburn so you can avoid them down the road.
In addition to taking Zegerid OTC® capsules, avoiding the following heartburn triggers can help you better manage your heartburn symptoms.
DIET
- Eating large meals
- Foods such as:
- Acidic fruits (oranges, lemons, grapefruits, tomatoes, etc.)
- Anything fried or oily
- Onions, peppers and spicy foods
- Fatty meats
- Chocolate
- Alcohol, coffee and mint
LIFESTYLE
- Stress
- Smoking
- Being overweight or obese
- Lying down after meals
- Exercising on a full stomach
Not only will avoiding these lifestyle triggers help with your heartburn; some may benefit your overall health as well.
Still unsure if your heartburn is classified as “frequent”?
SIGNS OF HEARTBURN
Ask yourself the following questions to get a better understanding of the signs of frequent heartburn:
- Do you feel a burning sensation in your chest (which can sometimes be accompanied by a bitter taste in your mouth), particularly after eating certain types of food?
- Do you experience heartburn symptoms two or more days a week?
If so, you may have frequent heartburn and Zegerid OTC® capsules may be right for you.
Here are some additional questions to help you check whether or not frequent heartburn has affected your lifestyle:
- Do you avoid certain foods (for example, tomatoes, citrus fruits, chocolate, fried and oily foods, spicy foods) because you’re afraid of triggering heartburn?
- Do you take heartburn medication during the day and also at night so that heartburn won’t disrupt your sleep?
- Do you avoid lying down after meals to avoid heartburn?
SCIENCE OF HEARTBURN
What is heartburn?
Heartburn occurs when acid from the stomach moves back into the esophagus, thus causing pain and discomfort in your chest and maybe even a bitter taste in your mouth.
Why is it painful?
The fluids produced by your stomach to help your body digest food contain a powerful acid called hydrochloric acid — something your stomach is naturally protected from, but your esophagus is less so. Therefore, if the hydrochloric acid moves back or “refluxes” into your esophagus, the more sensitive lining of the esophagus can become irritated, thus resulting in heartburn pain.
And if you have heartburn symptoms occurring two or more days a week, that’s classified as frequent heartburn. So it’s the same discomfort of heartburn, just more frequent.