This is usually caused by heavy eating, oily foods, or eating too late past the meal time. There are several remedies to try and alleviate the discomfort, and one way some people try and lessen their heartburn is by drinking milk. Heartburn and milk, however, do not really go together. Food is the main entertainment at most parties or celebrations, the reason for some gatherings and the only enjoyment of others. Well, here are some tips for identifying the food that causes heartburn so you can prevent the discomfort next time.

Heartburn is a terrible affliction which causes a lot of pain and inconvenience even when it occurs occasionally. Every human being, child and adult, will experience some time or other this terrible symptom. They learn from experience which foods to avoid for heartburn as some food groups do not agree with them.  Some causes can be generalized, but many times, the irritants are as different as the people whom they affect.

Main Culprits - Some Foods to Avoid for Heartburn

There are many foods that are commonly known to cause acid in the stomach and heartburn. These are citrus fruits, tomatoes, fatty foods such as pork chops, deep fried meat, or potatoes, aerated cold drinks, coffee, hot milk and so on.  These are just some of the foods one should avoid for heartburn as consuming any of these in excess can cause acute discomfort.

It all starts with a few episodes of heartburn and if left untreated, in no time it escalates to chronic heartburn. Quick meals, spicy food and lots of caffeine translate into occasional bouts of a burning sensation in the chest. Usually, an antacid tablet or just a little time takes care of the problem and life goes on. You know deep down that this is a medical problem, but it’s so common and usually not more than an annoyance. The problem is that the esophagus is so inconveniently close to the sphincter that opens and closes to allow food into the stomach. If that sphincter does not function properly, the acids will indeed back up into the esophagus. How strong a treatment is needed is determined by the severity of the heartburn. Enjoying a special dish or meal is something we all look forward to once in a while. There are several remedies to try and alleviate the discomfort, and one way some people try and lessen their heartburn is by drinking milk. Heartburn and milk, however, do not really go together. Food is the main entertainment at most parties or celebrations, the reason for some gatherings and the only enjoyment of others.

Similarly, with fatty foods - either totally stop having them or have a Tums right before or after the meal which will neutralize the excess acid formed in the stomach.

Many complain that a popular food that should be avoided for heartburn is everyone’s favorite - chocolate. It has been found that heartburn can occur following the consumption of chocolate or chocolate drinks at night. It has been observed that if the same drink is enjoyed during the day time, it does not react. However, at night it provokes high acidity.  It is good then to avoid chocolate and its derivates at night.

Many people observe that smoking and alcohol consumption - with special emphasis on smoking - cause acute heartburn. It is very true that smoking affects the acid production in the stomach. If you observe that heartburn is a common occurrence post smoking, do away with the habit. As it is, smoking is one of the most harmful habits of a human being.

Alcohol, when consumed on an empty stomach also can cause an acidic stomach. In order to avoid this, you should always consume some nuts or something similar while drinking. This would ensure that your stomach does not overdo the production of acid, when you drown it in alcohol.

The symptoms and reaction vary from person to person. The good news is that, most of the time, if you avoid the foods that cause heartburn, you are in effect removing the irritant - and the heartburn disappears too.

It can be confused with acid indigestion, a more serious condition in which the stomach or intestine is injured by excess acid. Normally these acids are held at bay by a muscle at the base of the esophagus called the lower esophageal sphincter or LES. There is a muscle located at the base of the esophagus, called the sphincter, which normally will prohibit acids from coming back up. However, if the occasional heartburn becomes a constant feature, then it can become a very serious problem.

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