Lifestyle changes to manage your heartburn

Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease ( GORD) occurs when muscles of the lower oesophagus do not function properly. This causes food and acids from the stomach to leak back - or reflux - into the oesophagus. GORD, and its most frequent symptom of heartburn, can be aggravated by foods, certain medicines and other factors. Here are some suggestions to improve your heartburn symptoms.

•  Do not go to bed on a full stomach. Eat meals at least three hours before lying down. This gives you time to digest your food and empty it from your stomach. Your acid levels also have time to decrease before you put your body in a position where heartburn is more likely to occur.
•  Do not overeat. Reduce the size of portions at meal times or try eating five to six small meals instead of three large ones.
•  Eat slowly. Try putting your fork down between bites.
•  Wear loose-fitting clothes.
•  Avoid heartburn triggers. Stay away from foods and drinks that trigger your heartburn symptoms such as onions, peppermint, chocolate, drinks with caffeine in them, citrus fruits or juices, tomatoes and high-fat foods. A good way to work out which foods cause your symptoms is to keep a heartburn diary.
•  Lose some weight. If you are overweight, losing weight can help relieve your symptoms.
•   Stop smoking. Nicotine, one of the main active ingredients in cigarettes, can weaken the lower oesophageal sphincter, the muscle that controls the opening between the oesophagus and stomach and prevents the acid-containing contents of the stomach from entering the oesophagus.
•  Avoid alcohol. If you want to unwind after a stressful day, try exercise, walking, meditation, stretching or deep breathing instead of drinking alcohol.
•  Keep a heartburn diary. Keep track of when you get heartburn and the specific activities that seem to trigger this.

If your heartburn is worse when lying down:

• Raise the head of your bed so that your head and chest are higher than your feet. You can do this by placing 15 cm (six inch) blocks under the bed posts at the head of the bed. Do not use piles of pillows to achieve the same goal. You will only put your head at an angle that can increase pressure on your stomach and make your heartburn worse.
• Eat earlier. Try not to eat for at least three hours before you go to sleep.
• If your heartburn gets worse after exercise:
• Time your meals. Wait at least two hours after a meal before exercising. If you exercise any sooner, you may trigger heartburn.
• Drink more water. Drink plenty of water before and during exercise to prevent dehydration.