To begin to understand what heartburn is caused by, you must first understand what the lower esophageal sphincter is. The LES is a muscle in between your stomach and your esophagus. This muscle is what keeps liquid and solid mass in your stomach and holds your food “down” in effect. There are certain things that cause this muscle to either relax or simply not be able to function correctly. This LES working improperly is usually what causes heartburn to occur for most people.

Top Causes of Heartburn

1. Caffeine and Chocolate – Any drink that has caffeine in it like soda, coffee, tea and others all can lead to heartburn because, caffeine can lead to the relaxation of the LES.

2. Fatty and Greasy Foods – Foods that are fatty and greasy are also a huge contributor to heartburn for many. Foods like this actually slow down digestion and cause food to stay in the stomach for longer periods of time. In many cases this will lead to excess pressure on the LES and this can cause long-term damage as well as short-term discomfort.

3. Alcohol and Tobacco – Yes, we all know these are not good for us in the first place, but both of these substances contain chemicals that lead to the relaxation of the LES. This is among some of the least damaging factors of these drugs, but they are contributing factors to many heartburn sufferer.

4. Citrus Fruits, Juices and Tomatoes – Any fruit or vegetable that is high in acid can cause heartburn problems, but in most cases it is not the acid that actually makes the burning sensation, it the effect they have on the LES. Again, relaxing the lower esophageal sphincter, these types of foods and drinks allow for your own stomach acids to move upward into your esophagus, thus causing discomfort.

5. Tight Clothes – It does sound a little silly, but true all the same. If you wear really tight fitting clothing around your waistline and stomach area, this may lead to heartburn. In effect, by squeezing your bodies mid-section, you may be putting pressure on the LES and actually forcing this muscle open and stomach acid upward.

Now that you know a little bit more about what actually can lead to heartburn, you may be well on your way to finding a permanent fix to your problem. However, if you do not find the relief you are looking for by making some of the above suggested changes, finding out how to stop heartburn naturally may be the next best solution for you. You can’t always change the way you eat, sleep and dress, but if you had a natural remedy that would cure heartburn, this may be what you are really looking for!

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If you cannot identify specific foods that cause heartburn in your case, it could be the size of the meal that you tend to eat. Overeating is one of the causes of heartburn. When the stomach is overly full, the stomach acid has more of a tendency to leak up into the lower esophagus or throat and cause the burning sensation. Many people experience heartburn after a big holiday dinner.

If you typically eat small meals and avoiding the foods that cause heartburn does not help, look at the beverages that you choose to drink. Coffee and carbonated beverages are causes of heartburn in some people. Alcoholic beverages and citrus drink are causes of heartburn in some people. Chocolate is one of the foods that cause heartburn in some people and drinking a chocolate flavored drink can also lead to heartburn.

If it is not what or how much you eat or drink, it could be the clothes that you wear. Believe it or not, wearing tight clothing is one of the causes of heartburn. Anything that puts pressure on the stomach can cause heartburn, whether it is the excess weight of an obese person, the enlarging abdomen of a pregnant woman or pants that fit too tightly.

If you have looked at the foods that cause heartburn, the beverages that cause heartburn, you eat small meals and wear loose clothing, but still experience heartburn, there are a couple of other things that may be causes of heartburn. Stress or eating quickly in a high-paced environment can lead to heartburn. Smoking can lead to heartburn. And, there are other more serious medical conditions that are causes of heartburn, particularly heartburn that is experienced frequently. Hiatal hernia is one example of a medical condition that often presents with frequent heartburn. If you experience heartburn once or more per week, you should have your symptoms evaluated by your physician to rule out the presence of another health problem.

It may not be necessary to remove all of the foods that cause heartburn from your diet. It may simply be a matter of eating less of them or eating them less often. If you like spicy foods, you may be willing to deal with the symptoms of heartburn in order to keep eating the foods that you like. There are many over the counter and herbal remedies that provide relief for those who occasionally suffer from heartburn. Occasional heartburn is not serious, but frequent heartburn can eventually erode the lining of the esophagus. The frequency and causes of heartburn vary from individual to individual and can only truly be evaluated by you and your doctor.

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