An estimated 70 million Americans suffer the pain and discomfort of Heartburn.

If you are one of the unfortunate ones, you have doubtless tried various forms of medication which have brought you only temporary relief. Fortunately there are numerous things that you can do to get natural relief from heartburn. By making thirteen basic adjustments to your diet and lifestyle you could dramatically help to relieve or prevent heartburn permanently, so that you don’t have to go on simply living with your problem.

The following suggestions have proven highly effective in significantly reducing the occurrence of heartburn symptoms for many people.

a) Eat smaller meals, more frequently throughout the day.

b) Eat more slowly and chew thoroughly – putting your knife and fork down while eating will help achieve this

c) Watch your diet – Limit your intake of acid-stimulating foods and beverages. Avoid caffeine containing products.

d) Instead of drinking whole fat milk use fat free milk

e)  Drink plenty of water throughout the day

f) After eating your evening meal wait for at least three to four hours before considering going to bed, so that   you properly digest the last meal of the day.

g) Raise your head slightly while you sleep. This can be achieved by using extra pillows or by elevating the bed.

h) Maintain a reasonable weight. If you are overweight, then reducing your weight by as little as a 10% can significantly reduce your heartburn symptoms.

i) Learn to relax. Stress is known to induce behaviour which can trigger a heartburn attack.

j) Avoid wearing clothes that fit tightly around your waist – including belts

k) Don’t smoke!

l) Don’t drink alcohol or at least reduce your alcohol intake.

m) Keep a record of (i) what actually triggers your heartburn attacks, (ii) how severe the attack is (iii) how your body reacted and (iv) how you obtained relief. This record could be very useful should you need to discuss your condition with your doctor.

These steps, although they may appear simple, have provided considerable natural relief from heartburn for many people, so why shouldn’t they work to your benefit also? Surely they are worth trying?

It goes without saying however, that if your heartburn symptoms persist you should seek medical advice, as they could be indicative of a more serious problem.