How To: Prevent heartburn

Take these simple measures to stop heartburn before it starts.
You Will Need
* Small meals
* A healthy weight
* A raised bed

Step 1
Know what you're dealing with. Heartburn occurs when food or stomach acid moves into the esophagus, causing discomfort and a bad taste in the mouth.

Step 2
Eat several small meals throughout the day, rather than fewer, but larger, meals. Overeating can cause heartburn.

Step 3
If you're carrying extra pounds, try to lose them. Overweight people are at higher risk of heartburn due to increased abdominal pressure.

Step 4
Avoid lying down right after eating. Doing so increases the chance of reflux.

Food or stomach acid leaking past the lower esophageal sphincter, or LES, is called reflux.

Step 5
Quit smoking. As the chemicals in cigarettes pass from the lungs and into the bloodstream, they weaken the LES, increasing the risk of heartburn.

Step 6
Avoid excessive antacid use. They neutralize stomach acid, alleviating the symptoms of heartburn, but don't solve the problem of a weak LES. Antacids can also cause diarrhea or constipation.

Step 7
Raise the head of your bed 5 or 6 inches. This makes it more difficult for the food and stomach acid to travel into the esophagus.

Step 8
If you suffer from heartburn frequently, keep track of when you get it and potential causes, and take this information to your doctor to work out a plan.

Fact: Nighttime heartburn sufferers cost the U.S. economy $1.9 billion per week in lost productivity.