5 Tips to Relieve Heartburn and Support Digestion
Do you experience unpleasant symptoms like heartburn, burping, or reflux after you eat? The culprit could be too little (not too much) stomach acid!
Stomach acid (or hydrochloric acid, HCl) plays a vital role in digestion; it breaks down food and stimulates the stomach to release a digestive enzyme called pepsin, which helps to break down protein into amino acids. When stomach acid is low, food cannot be fully digested which can lead to protein molecules permeating the walls of the intestines contributing to inflammation and food allergies.
Contrary to what many of us have been told, having too much stomach acid is actually pretty rare and is not typically the root cause of digestive issues. When you experience indigestion, heartburn, reflux and GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), the cause of the problem is oftentimes too little stomach acid (known as hypochlorhydria). This can be due to a number of factors: a diet lacking in protein and zinc-rich foods can affect your HCl levels, stress can cause your body to go into flight-or-flight mode and reduce your ability to digest, and as you get older, your body’s ability to produce HCl diminishes.
So how can you naturally find relief from heartburn and reflux by stimulating your production of stomach acid?
Eat meals in a calm, relaxed state. Digestion actually starts in your brain, before you take your first bite, and your body is designed to digest your food best when you are relaxed; it’s called being in a parasympathetic state. You can achieve this by taking a moment to express gratitude for your meal, saying a prayer or taking 3 deep breaths before you eat. Create space for yourself to feel grounded and calm. This also means… don’t eat while you’re driving, watching TV, scrolling on your phone, or at your desk while you’re working. You have to rest to digest.
Eat nutrient-rich whole foods. Eat quality protein at each meal and include foods rich in vitamins and minerals, especially zinc since it is necessary for HCl production. Some zinc-rich foods include oysters, red meat, fish, legumes, pumpkin seeds, and cashews.
Chew your food...a lot. How many times do you actually chew each bite? For most of us it's 3-5 bites and then we gulp it down. Chewing is the first step in breaking down fat, protein, and carbohydrates through mechanical actions (chewing) and chemical actions (from the enzymes in your saliva). Practice eating slowly, enjoying your food, and chewing each bite at least 20 times.
Limit the amount of liquid you drink with your meal. When you drink more than 8-12 oz of liquid with your meal your stomach acid can become diluted. We all know hydration is important so drink most of your water in between meals, and try to limit water and liquids consumed with meals.
Eat your last meal of the day about 2-3 hours before bedtime. If you give your body some time to start digesting your food before you lie down to go to sleep, it will help reduce indigestion, reflux, and heartburn symptoms.
Try one or all of these tips for better digestion over the next week and keep track of how you feel. Have your symptoms changed in frequency or intensity or are you feeling better? If so, keep it up!