What to eat when you have heartburn

What diseases cause heartburn?

In addition, heartburn should be considered as a symptom of one of the serious diseases, such as:

• First of all, heartburn is the main symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease (abbreviated as GERD). A person with this disease suffers from constant heartburn and also feels a feeling of bitterness in the morning.
• Gastritis, peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum.
• Duodenitis.
• Pancreatitis.
• Oncology of the stomach and pancreas.
• Cholecystitis.
• Cholelithiasis.
• Biliary dyskinesia.
• Hiatal hernia.
• Heartburn also often occurs in pregnant women.

And whatever the cause of heartburn, constant use of medications is not the best solution to the problem (but only if the examination shows that you do not have any serious diseases!). To forget forever about the unpleasant burning sensation inside, it is enough to reconsider your diet and competently create an individual menu, taking into account acceptable and undesirable foods.

Reasons for appearance

Heartburn is an unpleasant symptom that occurs due to dysfunction of the digestive system. There are nutritional and dangerous causes of a burning sensation:

1. Nutritional:

• non-compliance with nutritional rules: overeating, swallowing food in large pieces;
• frequent consumption of alcohol and drinks containing caffeine;
• inclusion of fatty, spicy foods, seasonings, and spices in the diet;
• playing sports after eating;
• long-term medication use;
• stress.

1. Dangerous:

• gastritis of the stomach;
• ulcer;
• inflammation of the duodenum, gall bladder, pancreas, liver;
• hiatal hernia;
• getting an intestinal infection;
• cancerous formations.

Heartburn is a painful burning sensation or heat in the stomach area, accompanied by abdominal pain and belching. It is observed behind the sternum, rises upward from the epigastric region and occurs after eating.

According to statistics, more than a third of the world's population suffers from heartburn. It can become one of the symptoms of the following diseases:

• Gastritis.
• Ulcer of the stomach and duodenum.
• Stomach and pancreas cancer.

The disease can also be triggered by other factors:

• intolerance to certain foods;
• pregnancy;
• stress;
• wearing tight clothing and belts.

From this we can understand that heartburn occurs not always due to diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, but also for other reasons. Discomfort usually occurs due to overeating and poor nutrition.

You should not go to rest immediately after eating, this can also cause discomfort. Overweight people produce more stomach acid, which causes heartburn and belching. That is why you need to know what you can’t eat if you have heartburn, what triggers it, and what foods you can eat.

All nutritionists recommend: “To avoid health problems, eat only healthy food: it contains a lot of vitamins, they will save you from various ailments and digestive problems.”

For people with this disease of the stomach and intestines, it is important to know how to eliminate an attack.

The first aid will be:

1. Medicines - doctors recommend using them only for a one-time solution to the problem. If attacks occur frequently, comprehensive treatment is necessary. Therefore, when signs of the disease appear within several weeks, you need to consult a gastroenterologist.
2. Folk remedies - there are folk methods for treating the disease. You can eat grated carrots, boiled peas, and drink still mineral water. If a person does not have allergies, then you can eat honey.

Some people say that if you have heartburn, you should drink a glass of milk. It is worth understanding that the burning sensation will go away for a short time, but the acid in the stomach will appear a little later, and there will be much more of it. All people need milk for health, but it is better to consume it in combination with other products. Thus, the protein enters the human body and produces its results.

Many people drink soda when discomfort occurs, but you need to understand that this is harmful. It may relieve symptoms, but it can eat away the stomach lining. Drinking soda can cause stomach ulcers.

Unfortunately, now many people live at a fast pace, so it is not always possible to eat right. Snacks only spoil the stomach, so for your health you need to choose a diet for heartburn and a menu.

1. Overeating plus poor chewing.
2. Excessive consumption of too salty, spicy, very fatty, spicy and sweet foods, as well as vegetables such as tomatoes, garlic and onions. If your diet includes carbonated drinks, or you are addicted to coffee and alcohol, then these foods can also cause heartburn.
3. Overweight.
4. Smoking in large quantities.
5. Frequent stressful situations.
6. Taking certain medications.
7. Heavy physical work immediately after eating, especially if you have to bend forward.
8. The esophageal muscles are too weak to perform their full functions.
9. Presence of a hiatal hernia.
10. A frequent occurrence of a burning sensation in the chest can be noticed during pregnancy, as well as while taking sedatives, medications for bronchial asthma, and contraceptives.
11. Wearing tight clothing that puts pressure on the stomach.
12. It should be noted that exceeding the acidity threshold more often causes heartburn than low acidity.

Basic rules of diet for heartburn

The goal of any diet is to get rid of one or another painful sensation. The purpose of a diet for heartburn is to literally extinguish the flame in the stomach and forget about this unpleasant feeling for a long time. And simple rules will help with this.

Rules and basic principles of nutrition for heartburn:

• Follow fractional meals - eat 5-6 times a day, portions should be very small.
• Don't overeat. The stomach should not be clogged. Eat just enough portion to satisfy your hunger.
• Avoid late meals.
• Remember: eating is not a speed race. There is no need to eat quickly, as if you are being rushed. This manner of dining is stressful for the stomach, and one of the reasons for frequent heartburn.
• Immediately after a meal, you should not lie down, much less play sports. Walk around the house for about 30 minutes, and only then can you go to bed. If walking is difficult (for example, you are pregnant), take a comfortable sitting position.
• Give up everything harmful - forget about smoking, alcohol, fatty foods, fast food and processed foods, chewing gum, synthetic breakfast cereals, yeast baked goods.
• It is better to replace animal fats with vegetable fats.
• Avoid eating too hot foods.
• Avoid over-salted foods. Yes, delicious. But this is another extra irritant for the stomach!

The secrets of cooking for people suffering from heartburn also include one very useful technique - the so-called sparing of food:

• Mechanical sparing includes chopping boiled or steamed food.
• Chemical sparing includes limiting the use or completely eliminating substances that can disrupt the functions of a diseased organ, in our case, causing heartburn.
• Thermal sparing involves avoiding thermal irritants - in our case, hot food (when the temperature of the dish is above 60°C) and cold snacks, drinks, desserts (temperature below 15°C) are unacceptable.

By following these rules, you literally spare your body and reduce the risk of heartburn.

Must refuse

Based on individual characteristics, a person suffering from heartburn should give up certain foods. What foods cause heartburn with high acidity: oversalted, spicy, fatty, unnatural.

It is these foods that irritate the stomach and can increase the secretion of acidic juice. It is necessary to know the foods that cause heartburn.

There is no need to panic if heartburn occurs: food for heartburn must be selected separately. You should be patient and not be afraid of anything. Time will pass and everything will return to normal.

It is worth understanding that it is best to avoid foods containing sugar and starch. The functioning of the digestive organs is greatly influenced by gastric gas, which is formed due to sugar.

The gastric mucosa is severely affected by alcohol, so if you have diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, it is prohibited to take it.

Stress can trigger the development of the disease, so you should never try to eat it. While some products may address the causes and symptoms of heartburn, they are not suitable for everyone. It is worth understanding that those products that can cure one will not even relieve the symptoms of another.

Foods that cause heartburn:

• mint;
• drinks containing caffeine, as well as tea and coffee;
• hot and cold food;
• chocolate;
• drinks containing alcohol;
• fruits with a high acid content;
• raw onions and garlic;
• soups cooked with broth;
• tomatoes;
• drinks containing gases;
• products that contain a lot of unnatural elements, such as canned food, chips;
• fatty, spicy or salty foods.

What you can eat if you have heartburn and what you should eat with caution - a list of allowed foods

Many people mistakenly believe that a diet is always tasteless food: dishes are unsalted, desserts are not sweet, and you should forget about fruits altogether. Doctors and nutritionists prove that a diet for heartburn can be not only healthy, but also tasty.

What can you eat if you have heartburn - list of foods:

• Sweet berries, fruits and melons - melon, watermelon, apricots, pears, bananas, sweet varieties of apples, ripe strawberries.
• Dried fruits in small quantities - dates, dried apricots, prunes.
• Boiled or steamed lean meat - beef, skinless chicken fillet. This also includes steamed cutlets.
• Boiled lean fish.
• Boiled eggs, steamed omelet.
• Low-fat broths, vegetable soups, puree soups.
• Fresh, stewed or boiled vegetables - potatoes, cucumbers, pumpkin, carrots, broccoli, green peas, cauliflower, zucchini.
• Dill and parsley.
• Cereals with water or milk - buckwheat, white and brown rice, oatmeal porridge.
• Some drinks are weak tea, still water, rosehip infusions, sweet juices freshly squeezed and diluted with water.
• Olive oil, low fat unsalted butter, sunflower oil.
• Dried wheat bread (yesterday's), crackers and savory buns, unsweetened dry biscuit.

You can try using small amounts with caution:

• Sauerkraut.
• Legumes and pasta, especially with sauces - these dishes sometimes provoke heartburn.
• Low-fat milk, low-fat cottage cheese, some types of cheeses (feta, goat, soy), as well as unflavored yogurt, low-fat sour cream.
• Scrambled eggs without seasoning.
• Peaches, strawberries, raspberries, grapes, blueberries.
• Stewed or canned low-fat fish.
• Yesterday's unsweetened pastries.
• Milk chocolate in small quantities.
• Natural marmalade and jelly.

What foods and dishes are not recommended to eat during heartburn?

To study the preferences of your own stomach, nutritionists recommend keeping a diary where you need to record your reaction to a particular product. This will help you create an individual list of undesirable and acceptable foods for heartburn.

Prohibited foods and dishes for heartburn include:

• Strong meat or mushroom broths, borscht and other first courses using tomatoes, as well as okroshka.
• Fatty meats and fish.
• Some raw vegetables are high in fiber, such as beets.
• Sour and unripe vegetables, fruits and berries - citrus fruits, especially lime, lemon, as well as tomatoes and various tomato sauces.
• Roast. This category includes barbecue, steaks, French fries and all fast food.
• Semi-finished products and all kinds of smoked meats.
• Spicy, salty - anything that is too salty or overly spiced is taboo for you.
• Alcohol and carbonated drinks.
• Pickled foods and any marinades.
• Sour juices – cranberry, tomato, orange.
• Vinegar, horseradish, raw onion, pepper, mustard, radish, radish, lemon balm, mint. The latter product is one of the most common causes of heartburn.
• Strong tea, cocoa, coffee, dark chocolate.
• Breakfast cereals - muesli, various cereals, as well as chips, crackers and other synthetic snacks.
• Any baked goods based on yeast - bread, sweet buns and cakes, donuts, cookies and cream, pies (especially fried ones), as well as kvass and beer. Yeast causes bloating and heartburn.
• Fatty dairy products - cottage cheese, sweet masses, milkshakes, homemade milk, ice cream, and sharp cheeses.

What can you eat if you have heartburn?

If you suffer from heartburn, your doctor will tell you what you can eat. Discomfort and burning in the stomach is a rather unpleasant illness. The functioning of the stomach is affected by improperly processed food, as well as foods that irritate the mucous membrane.

It is necessary to understand what kind of diet is needed and create a menu for heartburn under the supervision of specialists, since some foods help with heartburn, while others, on the contrary, provoke it. It's better to create a menu for the week and see what happens. In this way, you can choose a list of dishes that will not provoke attacks of burning and pain.

There is a whole list of foods that people suffering from heartburn need to avoid or significantly reduce their consumption.

Fruits, juices and berries:

• all citrus fruits,
• tomato juice - it contains a large amount of acids,
• cranberries and all products that contain berries in large quantities, for example, fruit drinks, juices and other drinks.

Forget about fatty meats, such as juicy pork cutlets or fried chicken. Don't get carried away with industrially produced semi-finished products.

Vegetables:

• fresh onions;
• fresh and sun-dried tomatoes;
• deep-fried vegetables;
• French fried or fried.

Dairy products are undesirable because they can cause fermentation in the stomach. You need to exclude:

• homemade cheese and products made from it;
• ice cream;
• milkshakes;
• full fat milk;
• fatty cheese and sour cream.

Difficult to digest foods include:

• fried;
• meat soups, borscht, cabbage soup;
• spaghetti with sauce;
• paste;
• cabbage broths.

Extremely dangerous seasonings that should be completely excluded from the diet:

• vinegar;
• pepper;
• mint;
• Melissa;
• pickles;
• carnation.

Beverages:

• alcohol;
• store-bought juices;
• sweet drinks;
• carbonated drinks;
• strong tea;
• coffee.

Vegetables:

• broccoli;
• boiled potatoes;
• carrot;
• legumes;
• cabbage.

Dairy products classified as quickly digestible:

• low-fat and processed cheese;
• all low-fat dairy products.

Dishes:

• vegetable side dishes;
• cream soup;
• boiled porridge, pasta.

Beverages:

• mineral water with a small percentage of gas.
• Apple juice.

Sweets:

• natural marmalade;
• cracker;
• sweet crackers;
• jelly;
• jelly.

Other features of eating dishes:

• egg white;
• rabbit meat, lean game;
• white meat without skin;
• river fish baked and boiled.

What foods help quickly relieve heartburn?

It is possible to eliminate heartburn with the help of products, and this method is the simplest - you do not need to run to the pharmacy for expensive drugs, because many “rescuers” are almost always at hand. And such products that help out at the right time include not only baking soda.

Recipes for quickly eliminating heartburn:

• Finely grated carrots will help calm your stomach; to achieve the effect, you should eat them slowly.
• Oatmeal cooked in water can extinguish a fire in the esophagus.
• A banana eaten after a hearty breakfast rids your body of excess gastric juice, so it will also serve as an excellent remedy for heartburn.
• Potato juice is a recognized lifesaver for people suffering from heartburn. To be effective, you need to drink this juice in a course - a quarter glass 3 times a day before meals. It is better to drink potato juice on an empty stomach, and it is recommended to eat food only after an hour.
• Fresh crushed ginger - consume only 4 g per day.
• Boiled peas - chew them thoroughly and only then swallow.
• Drink warm and most importantly low-fat milk in small sips. You can also try kefir instead of milk as a remedy for heartburn - nutritionists and doctors say that fermented milk products are more effective in fighting heartburn.
• Still water will help quickly relieve an attack of heartburn.
• Heartburn suddenly started? Eat any boiled porridge. The exception is instant porridge - they are harmful even for a healthy person.
• Steamed veal cutlets and other lean meats, boiled chicken fillet, and rabbit meat are good remedies for heartburn: the stomach spends a large amount of acid on digesting protein, which means it will be directed in the right direction and will not bother you after the meal.
• Puree soups envelop the stomach lining and have a gentle effect on it, helping to get rid of the feeling of fire inside.
• Seeds and various nuts also help quickly eliminate heartburn. The main thing is that it is a natural product without additives - various store-bought snacks with flavors will not work.
• If you have heartburn, chew barley grains or oats - the saliva released will help reduce the burning sensation.
• Boiled egg shells ground in a coffee grinder easily neutralize the effect of hydrochloric acid due to the high calcium content, which, in turn, blocks the burning sensation. To relieve an attack, take half a teaspoon of powder and drink a glass of water.
• A teaspoon of olive or sunflower oil also relieves heartburn by coating the stomach lining.

As you can see, there are many helpers in the fight against heartburn, and all of them are often found in our kitchen.

Rules

The reflux of gastric juice into the esophagus mainly occurs due to incorrect body position during and after meals (within 1-2 hours), against the background of overeating, eating food on the go, or abuse of harmful products - alcohol, pickles, marinades. For this reason, nutrition that helps relieve the current attack of heartburn and prevent a new one is based on the following rules:

• Place a small portion of food on the plate - for meat it is about 60-100 g (depending on whether you plan to add carbohydrates to it or not), for cereals and pasta approximately 50-60 g (implying the weight of the dry product), for vegetables/fruits the allowed volume is 200-300 g. The lower limit of the indicated figures is if you mix everything in one plate in 2 categories (meat with vegetables, vegetables with carbohydrates, meat with carbohydrates), the upper limit is if you eat them separately.
• Don’t starve - the juice produced by the stomach must be used to digest food, so 5-6 meals (and more if you work a long day) per day must happen. Maintain an interval of 2-3 hours between them, especially if you have gastritis or problems with the hepatobiliary system.
• Set your main meal (not a snack) at such a time that you don’t have to immediately run somewhere, go to training or go to bed: you should sit for an hour or a little longer, or walk at a measured pace.
• Avoid eating very hot foods (temperatures above 60 degrees) - they irritate the mucous membranes.
• Avoid cold drinks, desserts - ice cream, some types of cocktails, even just cold water: they not only irritate the esophagus, but also provoke longer production of hydrochloric acid.
• Eat slowly to prevent air from getting in with the food and chew each bite thoroughly.
• Give preference to boiled or steamed foods. If you plan to bake them, do it in foil or a sleeve so as not to create a rough crust. Frying is prohibited.

Despite the fact that everyone’s illness manifests itself differently, the principle of treatment is the same for everyone. What everyone should know:

1. Nutrition for heartburn should be complete. The food should contain a sufficient amount of proteins, carbohydrates and fats, and a moderate amount of salt.

1. Doctors recommend switching to six meals a day. It is best to eat more often, but in small portions. This will allow your stomach to work better and digest food.
2. It is worth saying “no” to fried and fatty foods, since they are the greatest irritant to the esophagus. At times when the disease worsens, it is necessary to use milder heat treatment of products. It is best to eat boiled, stewed and baked foods. Fatty, dairy, and meat foods must be excluded during an exacerbation.
3. Fresh vegetables and fruits are characterized by an increase in the level of acidity in the stomach, so eat them baked or boiled. Of course, you can eat raw vegetables, but it is better 30 minutes before meals.
4. It is necessary to adhere to the diet for up to six months, gradually returning to the diet all the foods that the person ate previously.

The key principles of proper nutrition for heartburn are:

• The diet for heartburn is fractional; you need to eat small portions every three to four hours.
• Don't overeat. If it’s time to eat, but you don’t feel like eating, then it’s better to drink a cup of tea, compote, or jelly. If the portion is large, then you should not finish it completely.
• Avoid late meals. If there is a long pause between dinner and going to bed and you want to eat, then the best solution is to drink a glass of kefir.
• Eat slowly, chewing every bite. Even liquid food needs to be kept in the mouth for some time so that its components receive initial treatment with saliva. It is important to remember that digestion begins in the mouth.
• After eating, you should not lie down and give yourself physical activity. It's better to take a leisurely walk.
• Animal fats (butter, lard, lard) should be replaced with vegetable fats (corn, olive, and sunflower oils are especially useful). For example, instead of a piece of butter and milk, it is better to add a little low-fat cream to mashed potatoes.
• You should avoid snacking on fast food (ready-made breakfasts, dry cereals, custard soups, instant noodles, potato flakes for brewing), fast food (french fries, nuggets, burgers, shawarma), sweet carbonated drinks, instant coffee, packaged juices and juice-containing products. In general, any coffee for heartburn is not recommended by nutritionists and gastroenterologists, but instant coffee is more harmful than natural coffee due to the fact that it has been subjected to various types of physical and chemical treatments.
• It is necessary to stop drinking alcohol of any kind and in any dosage for the period of treatment. Eat food at a comfortable temperature – neither cold nor hot. A sharp thermal effect not only causes heartburn, but also provokes an exacerbation of gastritis, gastroduodenitis, and peptic ulcers.
• Stop chewing gum. Chewing causes the production of gastric juice, which from an empty stomach can enter the esophagus and cause irritation and heartburn. This property is most pronounced in mint and menthol chewing gums, since menthol and mint for heartburn aggravate the situation and increase the burning sensation.
• It is necessary to reduce the amount of salt in dishes, since salt increases irritation of the mucous membranes and provokes additional production of gastric juice.

Features of the diet when heartburn is combined with other problems

Heartburn often appears along with other unpleasant problems, such as the removal of gases from the pharynx (in other words, belching, most often sour), bloating (flatulence), and simply pain in the upper part of the esophagus.

This is how your body screams about an impending problem, so you cannot ignore such signals! In addition to consulting a doctor for advice and a referral for examination, it is important to maintain proper nutrition.

When heartburn is combined with belching, doctors recommend:

• Eat more bananas and melon.
• Eat oatmeal, brown rice and couscous more often.
• Lean ground beef, baked chicken or turkey, and baked or steamed fish must be present in the diet.
• Eat more green foods - asparagus, celery, broccoli, cauliflower.
• Egg whites are also a very healthy product.

When heartburn is combined with flatulence, doctors recommend:

• Increase your consumption of rabbit meat, lean beef and veal, turkey, chicken fillet, homemade pates and lean fish.
• Eat carrots and pumpkin more often.
• There are prunes and apricots.
• Eat more greens.
• Add rye bread crackers to your diet.
• Drink natural juices and herbal teas.

Contraindications are all the same foods, the list of which you have already read in the paragraph on prohibited foods for heartburn without associated problems.

Features of the diet for heartburn in pregnant and lactating women

Expectant mothers and already breastfeeding women often suffer from heartburn, and are forced to very carefully plan their menu for every day. For some mothers, heartburn completely disappears after childbirth, while others continue to experience this unpleasant feeling.

To alleviate the condition, pregnant and lactating women need to review their diet, following some simple recommendations:

• Chocolate and various pastries should be excluded from the diet - yes, it is difficult for the fair sex without sweets, but you need to think not only about your momentary passion, but also about the child.
• Peppery, salty, sour, fried foods are certainly prohibited for both expectant mothers and nursing mothers.
• Canned and pickled foods should also be avoided. Yes, yes – your favorite pickled cucumbers are taboo for you!
• But jelly, fresh potato juice, oatmeal, hazelnuts and almonds will help eliminate heartburn.

How to get rid of heartburn for a long time in just 7 days of diet and proper nutrition?

When creating a menu, use the lists of permitted products, and also take into account sensitivity to certain products, allergies and other negative reactions. Each diet is highly individual, and what suits your stomach may not suit your child.

Monday:

Breakfast. Hercules porridge with milk, weak tea. As a treat, you can eat homemade jelly or marshmallows. 2nd breakfast. Kissel, unsweetened crackers. Dinner. Vegetable soup with parsley, steamed fish fillet with homemade squash caviar, some nuts for a snack. Afternoon snack. Bananas, milk chocolate, jelly. Dinner. Mashed potatoes, salad, boiled chicken breast, steamed omelet.

Tuesday:

Breakfast. Low-fat cottage cheese with dried fruits and nuts or lazy dumplings with low-fat sour cream. 2nd breakfast. Berry mousse, cottage cheese casserole. Dinner. Semolina soup, steamed beef with vegetables, weak tea. Afternoon snack. Fruit salad, honey. Dinner. Buckwheat porridge, steamed meatballs, vegetable salad, compote.

Wednesday:

Breakfast. Casserole of low-fat cottage cheese with dried apricots, jelly. 2nd breakfast. Weak tea with sandwiches. Dinner. Zucchini and potato puree soup, crackers, still water. Afternoon snack. Sweet fruits and berries. Dinner. Rice porridge, steamed cutlets, boiled egg, fresh vegetable juice (helps get rid of heartburn if you drink it before meals).

Thursday:

Breakfast. Oatmeal muffins with low-fat milk. 2nd breakfast. Toast with cheese or butter, tea. Dinner. Baked corn on the cob. Afternoon snack. Apple jelly or semolina pudding. Dinner. Steamed vegetable pancakes.

Friday:

Breakfast. Yesterday's bread with melted cheese, weak tea. 2nd breakfast. Grated carrots with sweet apple. Dinner. Cream soup with celery, soft-boiled egg, homemade unsweetened croutons. Afternoon snack. Ginger cookies with natural yoghurt (it’s better if the drink is homemade). Dinner. Baked fish with vegetables or fish casserole without spices, mashed potatoes.

Saturday:

Breakfast. Toast with homemade pate, tea. 2nd breakfast. Corn pancakes with low-fat sour cream. Dinner. Pilaf in a slow cooker with lean meat, fresh herbs, steamed broccoli. Afternoon snack. Milk cookies, homemade compote. Dinner. Vegetable stew with green peas or duck with buckwheat in pots, warm vegetable salad.

Sunday:

Breakfast. Banana pancakes or rice porridge with milk. 2nd breakfast. Egg roll with vegetables or spinach and feta cheese. Dinner. Cheese soup without spices, homemade croutons. Afternoon snack. Homemade cheesecake with jelly layer, yogurt. Dinner. Stuffed cabbage rolls stuffed with rice, vegetables and egg or chicken.

By excluding trigger foods from your diet and following simple diet rules, you can get rid of heartburn quickly and for a long time. Create a menu taking into account personal taste preferences and nutritionist recommendations - and your stomach will thank you.

Be healthy!