The Main Causes of Heartburn

Heartburn is caused by several factors. In fact, the main cause is intake of spicy and oily food. Though this is the main cause, a lot of other causes of heartburn are known. Understanding them is very important to prevent or find the right cure in form of natural or herbal remedies.


Caffeine
Caffeine contained in coffee, tea and other drinks relaxes the LES thus prompting the stomach to push acids into the esophagus.

Chocolate
The theobromine concentration contained in chocolate also relaxes the esophageal sphincter muscle causing the stomach to pump up acid into the esophagus.

Food
Deep fried and spicy foods are slower to digest and hence stay in the stomach for a longer time. This produces a pressure inside the stomach which pressurizes the LSE to reflux the stomach contents into the esophagus. In addition to this tomatoes and tomato based foods are known to relax the LES.

Alcohol
Alcohol also has the same effect on the LES and relaxes it thus easing pressure and allowing the stomach to pump up acids. In addition to this, alcohol also produces more acid in the stomach, especially when taken on an empty stomach.

Smoking
Cigarette smoking and tobacco also cause the LES to weaken when the by-products are assimilated with the blood stream.

Overeating
Eating to the stomach?s full puts an extra pressure on the LES and some food might be pumped into the esophagus from the stomach.

Citrus fruits
Citrus fruits and juices also relax the LES and can cause a reflux.

Bedtime
Lying and preparing to go to bed right after eating puts an extra pressure on the LES thus causing a reflux. A little between eating and going to bed, say 2-3 hours can do wonders for digestion.

The above are some of the main causes of heartburn and if these can be handled and prevented with a little discipline, you can say goodbye to heartburn. Heartburn is one of those simple but annoying things that can dramatically impact your quality of life. That is why having a great heartburn remedy is a must if you frequently suffer from this condition.

5 Foods To Avoid In Order To Stay Away From Heart Diseases

One of the major reasons of obesity is the increase in consumption of unhealthy and fatty foods such as fast foods etc. which are loaded with saturated fats and trans fats. If it’s really not possible for us to cut out all the fatty acids completely, then becomes mandatory to minimize the intake of such foods as far as possible in order to have a healthy cardiovascular and heart system.

Below listed are the five food items which should be avoided as far as possible:
Full fat milk
Instead of consuming the milk with full fat or the whole milk which contains 4.5 grams of saturated fats, people should consume skimmed milk containing 1% fat or low fat milk with 2% fat. It has been scientifically proved that one glass of whole milk can if consumed can act as a block of wood in our body.

Restaurant fried foods
It is a known fact that the oils that are used for frying the foods both in the fast food joints and restaurants are not at all healthy for the heart. As a matter of fact, most of the fried foods contain a special type of fatty acid called as the trans fat which is quite unhealthy and bad for the cardiovascular system of the body.

Although quite a few of the restraints have now started using the oils free from the trans fats. But you should not consider the option of consuming the food from restraints, until you are really sure about the quality and the type of the oil that is being used. Even if you are going to a restaurant, avoid consuming any kind of fatty acids. It is better to go in for boiled foods or fresh beans or side dishes or vegetable and non fatty deserts.

Processed foods which are high in sodium content
With the large variety of foods available in the supermarkets or stores, it has become quite easy to rely or depend on the flavors or convenience of the processed foods. If you are one of those who are involved in eating a lot of processed food, then probably it is virtually impossible to maintain a low sodium diet. To give an example, packaged foods, frozen meals and canned soups are just a few of those which are very high on sodium. Therefore, it is very important that you go through the ingredients before buying the product.

Soft Drinks
Who does not want to have a soft drink today? But it should be noted that soft drinks are quite unhealthy for the heart. As a natter of fact, the cold drinks are very high in sugar which means, they will just contribute in adding to the calories but no nutrients. Even if you consider the option of diet or low calorie sodas, they are considered to be associated to be at a greater risk for heart diseases. The healthiest option to consider would be to drink water as they will save you from adding the calories.

Processed food especially full of Trans Fat
Many of the processed are full of trans fats which are known to be quite harmful for heart. As a matter of fact, even the small quantities of trans fats consumed can prove to be quite harmful for the heart. Even if any processed food show zero value of the trans fat, still the foods with the hydrogenated oils should be avoided.

It is virtually impossible to cut down on the entire intake of the fatty foods from the regular diet, but by being extra cautious and cutting down on the intake of these kind of foods will help in improving the health of your heart. Following an exercise routine and making some dietary changes will make you increase your life by years and not just months.