Heartburn Verses the Family Dinner

Hearburn, just the word can conjure up thoughts of intense pain and discomfort. The sad part is that the very time we want to feel good is when we eat the things that can give us the most problem. Heartburn is caused when stomach acid comes back up through the opening between the stomach and the esophagus. Some people are more prone to heartburn than others. Some foods will even affect those that seem to have an iron stomach. Whether you have frequent heartburn or an occasional problem, here are a few tips to keep you from having heartburn during or after your next party.

First keep stress under control: Stress can cause your entire digestive system to have problems; including heartburn. If you are the one giving the party or family dinner, try not to stress over every detail. Try to do as much as you can in advance, leaving you a little time on the day of the party to relax and get ready. Delegate, delegate, delegate; get your family and friends to help you with the organizing and cooking or better yet, hire someone to help if you can. If you just can't let go and you feel you must see to every detail yourself then try to keep the last two hours before the party for yourself so you can have a little down time.

Keep your alcohol intake down: Alcoholic beverages can relax the muscle in your esophagus responsible for opening the valve to your stomach, allowing the acid to come back up. Even if you feel you must have an alcoholic beverage, keep it light on the alcohol and heavy on the soda, or mixer. Toward the end of the evening you might switch to water and give your body a rest.

Eat a healty snack before attending: Eating a light healthy snack before you attend any party is a good idea. This can help to curb your appetite, so that you won't over eat on the richer foods usually present at parties. We are even more likely to overeat when it is our grandmother's homecooking, so a light snack can help to keep us from over-indulging. An overly full stomach is more likely to cause a problem later, so eat and drink in moderation.

Typical party fare

Credit: geek philosopher

Copyright: geek philosopher