Maybe I'm jealous, I don't know but what I do know is, if I practiced the same habits, I would be a candidate for heartburn/reflux heaven. Managing heartburn if it's a constant in your life requires some self discipline and patience however, these attributes are quickly adopted by sufferers who simply say enough is enough!

Managing And Preventing Heartburn/Reflux

Let me say first up, these preventable measures are only a guide for those people who suffer heartburn and reflux at least once a week. If you have incidence of heartburn in your life two or more times a week, then you need to visit your local physician as there could be more serious problems associated.

Heartburn prevention becomes second nature after a little practice and these tips will help you maintain good quality of life and hopefully, eliminate heartburn and reflux as a factor.

Heartburn Prevention Tips

1. First and foremost, eliminate those foods which have been identified by you as heartburn or reflux triggers. I am not sure what foods are causing you problems but in my case it included some dairy-based products, spicy foods and excessive coffee. Basically, avoid acid-stimulants.

2. Consume food in smaller amounts. Putting unnecessary presuure in areas on the lower esophagus should be avoided. I admit, despite being a thin person, I have "hollow legs" and could consume food in large amounts. My aim was to eat smaller amounts of food on a regular basis.

3. Always avoid eating within three hours of going to bed. My last meal is always early in the evening everyday. It's a discipline you must learn and one I became comfortable with. Why? I haven't had a heartburn incident for a long time now and what I enjoy the most is no more uncomfortable night sleeps.

4. Avoid wearing tight clothing. This was never and issue with me but if you can afford to shed a few pounds then do it. Again, putting unnecessary pressure on the stomach area should be avoided while people who are overweight are at risk of causing similar pressure. You don't need to lose a lot of weight, even as little as a 5-10% drop in body weight can create significant improvement in the frequency of heartburn symptoms.

5. Avoid alcohol and cut down or give up smoking.

6. Keeping a record of heartburn attacks will help you isolate the possible cause of the attacks. This information will be useful when visiting your doctor as he/she can can then formulate a plan of action for you.

These simple heartburn/reflux prevention tips will help you immensely if followed and if you suffer symptoms occasionally. You'll need to exercise a little discipline but it will be worth the effort in the long run. However, if you are a chronic sufferer, your condition may be more medically deep-rooted and you should seek medical advice.