Let's start with how heartburn differs from acid reflux.
Heartburn is a burning sensation behind the breastbone in the middle of the chest.
Reflux is a functional disorder of the digestive system, a common symptom of which is heartburn, although it can be asymptomatic.
Experts very often recommend heartburn medications, so-called inhibitors, i.e. drugs that neutralize the stomach reaction. These drugs really do alleviate the disease, but often act only temporarily and do not eliminate the problem completely.
A common cause of heartburn
It turns out that the cause should not be too acidic environment in the stomach, but too little hydrochloric acid. Why? Gastric acid is necessary for normal digestion.
The role of hydrochloric acid in the stomach is to break down proteins (which enter the body with food) into amino acids.
As a result of a deficiency of hydrochloric acid, the digestion process of, for example, meat or other protein products will be very slow or even incomplete, which will lead to a feeling of a “full stomach”.
Acids stimulate the secretion of bile salts, which are necessary for the digestion of fats. Thus, a small amount of HCl can cause fatty diarrhea, nausea (a consequence of undigested fats). So without the necessary amount of hydrochloric acid, neither proteins nor fats will be properly digested.
This problem also applies to carbohydrates, which also require sufficient HCL, particularly to stimulate the pancreas to secrete digestive enzymes - the pancreas only reacts when the food contents have a low enough pH, so hydrochloric acid is needed for this.
When the pancreas secretes too few digestive enzymes (so carbohydrates are not digested), there is a high risk of reflux.
Reflux is a situation where food quickly rises from the stomach into the esophagus, thereby irritating its mucous membrane. Then there is a burning sensation in the esophagus, which is nothing more than heartburn.
The causes of the phenomenon described above may be the following factors: obesity, overeating, lying down after eating, hot spices.
On the other hand, symptoms that indicate too little acid in the stomach are: a feeling of fullness in the stomach after eating protein foods, nausea, undigested food in the stool, bad breath, flatulence.
To prevent these symptoms, which can cause heartburn, it is absolutely necessary to bite and chew food slowly and thoroughly, and not to drink while eating. Remember that digestion begins in the mouth, so it is worth using it.
In addition, supplements containing chlorine ions, which increase the secretion of acid in the stomach, can be a good remedy (consult a specialist).
Home Remedies for Heartburn
The first thing to do when dealing with heartburn is to limit your intake of coffee, alcohol, strong tea, and hot spices. Another home remedy for heartburn is to drink water with lots of lemon or natural apple cider vinegar. Cinnamon, ginger, and baking soda can also be effective.
Heartburn during pregnancy
Heartburn is a common occurrence, especially in late pregnancy. These ailments are most often caused by progesterone (increased during pregnancy), which weakens the valve at the entrance to the stomach.
To minimize the symptoms of heartburn during pregnancy, it is necessary to introduce an easily digestible diet, and in addition to the above methods, you should especially take care of relaxation, not wear tight clothes, get enough sleep, and also consult a doctor about this ailment.
Earlier we talked about whether it is possible to eat watermelons in May and June.
