Heartburn may seem like a simple cause-and-effect problem. You overeat or eat spicy foods, your heart hurts and then you take an Alka-seltzer. Unfortunately, the causes aren’t always so obvious. As you get older, you’ll be surprised at the silly little things that can cause acid reflux disease.

As we get older, our ability to produce HCL (High Density Lipoprotein) digestive acids diminishes. After 65, we begin to produce 80% what we had just thirty years ago. While it was once widely believed that acid reflux disease stemmed from overproduction of amino acids, recent research suggests that sometimes a lack of strong acids can affect our system’s natural triggers that facilitate mineral absorption, protein storage and waste removal.

Another cause for this disease is diet choices. As previously mentioned, when you eat a lot of fatty foods or enormous meals all at once, the body has trouble breaking down the proteins, which putrefy in your stomach as a result. Other times, too many spicy foods, citrus fruits, caffeine, garlic, onions, peppers, fried food, alcohol, red wine and mint simply exacerbates our system.

It’s not always what you eat but when you eat as well. People who eat two or three hours before bedtime often suffer tremendous, heartburn and acid reflux symptoms. They may be up coughing all night from breathing in the acid, they may snore and feel congested or they may have an asthmatic reaction, unable to breathe, let alone fall asleep! Nearly three-fourths of patients with heartburn acid reflux suffer nighttime effects as well. Another common mistake people make is quite the opposite - bending, lifting and working right after dinner. All the moving around could help push food back from where it came.

Believe it or not, some medications you’re already on may be upsetting your stomach. Calcium channel blockers, Theophylline (Hydrophed, Marax, Bronchial, Quibron), Nitrates and Antihistamines can all relax the Lower Esophageal Sphincter, which is the valve that keeps food and fluids down after swallowing. If you’re taking medication for asthma, high blood pressure, seizures, angina, pain, urinary tract disorders or allergies, check with your doctor to see if acid reflux is one of the side effects.

Are you pregnant? Increased hormone levels naturally relax ligaments in your body at this time, including the LES. Since more pressure is shifted around your midsection, it’s natural for food or stomach acids to get pushed back up.

Acid reflux disease can make eating feel like a chore. In public, it can be very embarrassing at the very least — or it can result in gut-wrenching abdominal pain and a scary tightness in the chest. Don’t panic. Just remember to keep some antacids on hand for emergencies. And remember, if you try not to sleep after eating or over-indulge in fatty and spicy foods, and look into amino acids supplements, you’ll likely prevent the symptoms from coming up.

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Are you one of the 15 million people who suffers from acid reflux? Symptoms range from an acidic taste in the mouth and burping, to abdominal and chest pains. Luckily, there are many ways to treat reflux symptoms, so it doesn’t have to become a debilitating disease.

Some heartburn remedies simply involve a change in habits. One cause of this malady is over-eating, which makes it a big problem around holidays. “The holiday season is clearly one of the worst times of the year for patients with GERD,” says William Chey, M.D., a University of Michigan gastroenterologist. “The large amounts of food we eat during the holidays, and the types of food served during the holidays - especially fatty and caffeinated foods - can be a recipe for disaster for chronic heartburn sufferers.” When we eat large amounts of food, the stomach stretches and the Lower Esophageal Sphincter naturally relaxes. Instead of three big meals or one big meal, try eating smaller meals continuously throughout the day to keep acid production normalized.

If you’re a chronic sufferer, there are some basic foods you should avoid as much as possible. Fatty, greasy food can be a big problem, since the stomach needs to produce more acid to break down these substances. You know where that excess acid winds up — coming back up the esophagus! Less obvious culprits are caffeine in drinks, ice cream and chocolate, which may also exacerbate heartburn acid reflux. Red wine is a frequent cause of heartburn too, as are spicy foods, citrus fruits, tomatoes, spearmint and pepper.

The time of day and post-eating rituals have a significant impact on heartburn and acid reflux. Dr. William Chey adds, “Gravity actually serves as an important barrier for acid reflux during the day. So when you lie down at night after eating a meal, you no longer have that gravity barrier to prevent acid reflux.” It’s recommended that you try to remain relatively upright for two or three hours after eating. People who try lifting and bending immediately after eating a big meal typically have trouble with too. Avoid tight clothing that may worsen symptoms. Smoking also causes the esophagus valve to relax.

Acid reflux is a sneaky disease that comes on suddenly and requires immediate relief. Keeping some over-the-counter products like Alkaseltzer, Tums, Pepcid AC or Maalox in the cabinet can usually treat the average heartburn symptoms. However, chronic sufferers should see their doctor and look into Prilosec or Nexium for stronger treatment. There is a lot of research that can be found online at WebMD.com to help people gauge which medications are safe for them. However, often times, trial and error reveals the best treatment.

Now that you know the triggers and treatments for acid reflux, you won’t have to dread that extra drumstick this holiday season. Just remember not to lay down or lift things right after eating. Keep antacids on hand for emergencies and avoid that extra spicy treat.

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