Eating to Prevent Heartburn

Heartbu does not just affect those who are high stressed or love their spicy foods. Pregnant women suffer from heartbu too. You will find as your pregnancy progresses that antacids tend to become your best friend. Heartbu has nothing to do with your heart. It is when the acid from your stomach leaks up into the esophagus. Heartbu is very common during pregnancy. In fact one in four women experience heartbu during their pregnancy usually during the third trimester. The reason is that your baby has grown a tremendous amount and your uterus has moved up and is now putting pressure on your stomach. This crowds the digestive tract and allows acids to travel back up the esophagus. There is an old wives tale that if you have bad heartbu, your baby will have a lot of hair. Of course there is no proof in this but it is a fun thing to believe in. There are ways you can help prevent heartbu during pregnancy. You can start by taking your time while you eat. Not only will you enjoy your food better but your stomach will not have to work as hard to digest your food. You also want to try eating early and eat at least two hours before you go to bed that night so your body has plenty of time to digest your food. Keep your meals small. Stick with eating six small meals through out the day. Large meals tend to stuff up your stomach which is already extra squashed thanks to your uterus. A stuffed stomach makes it that more likely that some of the food along with stomach acid will make its way back up the esophagus. Also, make sure you keep your fluids and solids separate. Too much fluid mixed with too much food can distend the stomach which can aggravate heartbu. You also want to eat sitting up. Don't eat while lying down, and if you are having a bed time snack make sure you are propped up by pillows. Your weight plays a part in how much heartbu you may experience. The heavier you are, the more pressure you are placing on your esophageal sphincter. This is another reason why you should not gain to much more than the recommended amount. Find out what foods cause your heartbu. Once you figure out what foods cause heartbu, you can cut them out of your diet. Some foods you might want to steer clear of are highly seasoned spicy foods, soda, tomatoes sauce, chocolate, and some citrus. Greasy foods are also a big contributor to heartbu. Cutting out greasy, fried food is going to help with your heartbu prevention. When all else fails, take something for your heartbu. Tums and Rolaids are perfectly safe to take during pregnancy. If you are not comfortable taking any over the counter medicines try some natural ways such as eating a handful of almonds. Almonds are a stomach settler and might help with your heartbu. Another natural remedy is a tablespoon of honey mixed with milk is a favorite for preventing heartbu. Like with some pregnancy discomforts, heartbu is one that can be avoided as long as you take the steps and eat properly. Even without suffering from a lot of heartbu, your baby still could be bo with a full head of hair.