While nobody enjoys heartburn, it is also true that nobody likes to live on a strict dietary plan either. However, there are always a few simple changes that you can make to your diet to help you not only prevent or lower your chances of heartburn, but also won’t change your diet completely so you feel restricted in what you can and cannot eat. The best thing you can do for yourself when you have heartburn problems is to discover what to eat when you have heartburn so you can continue to eat the food that you enjoy in moderation. While it is true, and said frequently, that moderation is key to many things in life, your choices of foods to eat should be taken in moderation as well. This will not only help your heartburn problems but also encourage you to eat healthier and care for yourself a little better than you currently do.
When suffering from heartburn problems, it is hard to decide what to eat when you have heartburn and what to avoid. It is simple, eating low-fat foods that are high in fiber is one of the easiest diets that you can keep. This diet plan consists of eating a lot of whole grains, fruit, as well as vegetables and lean meats. Eating this way will reduce your acid reflux and help your esophagus heal after an extended period of time where heartburn has been a problem.
This doesn’t mean that you cannot enjoy your spicy foods or things that encourage your heartburn from time to time, however, eating these heartburn encouraging foods should be done in moderation to avoid future problems later down the road. This is the problem with many diets that are forced upon people who don’t want to change their eating habits. These people will choose to eat what they want or make excuses as to why they find it hard to follow a dietary plan laid out by a physician, but what the physician doesn’t tell you is that it is okay to cheat your diet occasionally. There is nothing wrong with following your diet for a week or two, then settling down for hot wings or a bowl of chili on occasion as long as you return to your recommended diet the next day.
Foods That Fight Heartburn
There are a hand-full of foods out there that will help to fight your heartburn and provide you with some relief from your discomfort. For example, oatmeal is a perfect food for those who have problems with heartburn. Oatmeal is not only low-fat but also high in fiber and you can easily add your favorite fruits to your breakfast to make it that much more tasty. Fresh ginger is another excellent remedy for fighting heartburn problems and can be used in so many different foods and beverages that you can easily take on-the-go when you need it. For example, you can bring slices of ginger with you so you can chew on a piece when your heartburn flares up, you can steep it in hot water to make a form of tea, or you can use it generously in your cooking to get a dose of this wonderful ingredient. You can also enjoy pastas, which are high in fiber and low in fat, however, you will want to pass on the red sauce as tomatoes will only cause your heartburn to flare up again. However, if you are wondering how you are going to avoid red sauce on things like pizza and pasta, you can always ask for a broth sauce or the use of olive oil instead, to lessen your heartburn related problems. These foods for heartburn are not only healthier for you but will help you to treat heartburn and many other ailments as well.
How This Helps Heartburn?
Oatmeal in the morning will help to soothe your stomach and can help you naturally fight stomach acid first thing in the morning rather than waiting for your heartburn to get bad in the middle of the day when you cannot grab a quick bite to eat. Ginger has been a long time remedy for stomach problems such as nausea, vomiting, and heartburn. When you order pasta, it may seem like a pain to avoid the red sauce, however, olive oil is just as good on pasta as red sauce and won’t give you and troubles. Also, using whole wheat pasta will raise the fiber content of your dish to help fight your persistent heartburn and help to reduce your risks of it bothering you later too. While some of these heartburn relief foods don’t sound as appetizing as your mozzarella sticks and pizza, they can still be made tasty through the use of many spices to create the flavors that you love in your foods. 
Other Diet Changes That Prevent or Ease Heartburn
While many people prefer to have a drink with their dinner, alcohol and caffeine can cause your heartburn to worsen rather than ease or prevent it. So how do you know what to drink for heartburn? Since sodas and other caffeinated, alcoholic, and fizzy drinks are out of the question, you can still enjoy juices that are non-citrus such as apple juice. You will want to avoid things that encourage your heartburn, and while it may be frustrating, you will be glad you avoided the trigger drinks. You can also enjoy water, herbal teas, and many non-fat dairy beverages. These will all help to keep your stomach acid in control and help you to avoid problems with your heartburn. Keep in mind that this doesn’t mean you cannot cheat every now and again to go out with your friends for a couple of drinks or for a cup of coffee, just keep in mind that moderation is key. Moderating how much you will allow yourself to have will help you stay in control of your heartburn and allow you to enjoy yourself for staying on track before your fun day.
Foods to Avoid
Heartburn can make your life miserable when you don’t change your diet to reduce your reflux problems. It isn’t all about avoiding red sauce and caffeine, you will also want to avoid fried and fatty foods that are greasy and oily as well as egg yolks. These things have been proven to increase stomach acid and actually make symptoms worse rather than better. You will want to also steer clear of anything that is extremely acidic such as citrus juices like lemon, orange, and lime as they will also make your heartburn worse. Another huge trigger for heartburn in many people is spicy foods and it is highly recommended that avoiding spicy foods will help you to keep your heartburn problems under control as well.
Nobody is completely perfect and it is okay to indulge a little every once in a while as cheating your diet just a little will actually make it a little easier for you to keep your healthy heartburn controlling diet going for longer. Keep in mind that once you eat the foods that you should avoid, there is no turning back. You cannot eat a large dinner including all of these trigger foods and expect a small pasta with white sauce to help fix your heartburn. This will require the help of antacids and other medications to control your heartburn. It is recommended by those who suffer from heartburn problems that if you are going to cheat on your diet on occasion to ensure that you have an antacid that you can take before you eat, as well as, one you can take after you eat to ensure that your heartburn symptoms are more mild than they would be without them.
Conclusion
Remember that heartburn is a common issue that many people face every day, and while most people will only have issues every once in a while, there are others out there who have a chronic condition. Your heartburn problems don’t have to be something that you deal with all alone or a taboo to discuss that you cannot involve a friend for help. It is good to have someone who is there to support you and lift you up when you need it most and who will go to a doctor’s appointment with you to ensure that you are asking all the right questions about your condition. You may even be able to have a friend or family member share in your new diet, this way, you are not feeling completely alone when you go out with friends or other family members and following a strict diet all alone. Knowing that friends and family are there to help you and support you in a way that can encourage you to stick to your heartburn easing diet is one of the best things that will encourage you to do well in fighting your heartburn.