Nowadays, several factors are known to be responsible for heartburn. To a very large extent, this has been attributable to the way people live their lives. Most of these causes or factors are as a result of the type of foods that are generally consumed today. These foods usually have a relaxing effect on the muscle that guards the entrance into the stomach. When this muscle is relaxed, the acidic content of the stomach flows back into the esophagus causing this unpleasant feeling in the chest.
Caffeine has been mentioned as one of the substances that cause this disorder. It is usually consumed in the form of coffee, tea and so many caffeinated drinks and beverages that abound in today’s busy world. It affects the esophageal sphincter by causing it to relax. This opens the way for the gastric content to spill out into the esophagus causing a burning sensation in the chest.
Chocolate is another food substance that has been implicated in the cause of heartburn. It contains theobromine which is found naturally in several plants such as tea, coffee and cocoa. It also has the same effect as caffeine on the esophageal sphincter that guards the entrance to the stomach. This causes the acidic content of the stomach to flow back into the esophagus when the sphincter relaxes.
Fried and fatty foods are also known to cause this same effect. These kinds of foods usually reduce the pace of digestion of food. This causes a build-up of pressure in the stomach that affects the esophageal sphincter. When the pressure becomes too excessive, the sphincter is forced to open or relax, allowing the gastric content to flow out causing a burning sensation to the person around the chest area.
Alcohol is also confirmed to be responsible for heartburn. It makes the esophageal sphincter to be relaxed leading to reflux of gastric contents into the esophagus. This is said to be quite common in consumers of alcohol, especially people who take alcohol in addition to any of the other food substances with similar a similar effect.
The kind of clothes one wears also contributes critically to raise intra abdominal pressure especially with clothes that are tight around the waist. This raised pressure is more pronounced a few moments after a meal. The pressure normally causes the sphincter to relax making the stomach content to spill out. This content that is acidic causes a burning sensation in the chest area.
There are several other factors responsible for this condition. Such factors can be related to the body structure or body function. But knowing some of these factors will help to reduce heartburn in no small way.
There are many lifestyle habits and diet choices that are contributing factors for heartburn. Choose a heartburn diet and a heartburn cure will be just around the corner. To find out more free information, visit our website now.
