Heartburn is a painful and burning sensation in the esophagus, just behind the breastbone usually associated with regurgitation of gastric acid.

The pain often rises in the chest and may radiate to the neck, throat, or angle of the jaw. Heartburn is a major symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease(GERD); acid reflux is also identified as one of the causes of chronic cough, and may even mimic asthma.

Despite its name, heartburn actually has nothing to do with the heart; it is so called because of a burning sensation near to where the heart is located – although some heart problems may give rise to a similar burning sensation.

Over-the-counter antacids and prescription medications are the most common treatments for GERD) In the most severe cases, surgery may even be required. But regardless of how bad your GERD symptoms are, successfully fighting heartburn and acid reflux also requires some changes in lifestyle, ranging from the food you eat to the clothes you wear.

Here is a list to help minimize GERD symptoms.

1.Eat small but frequent meals

Meals are often a trigger for GERD symptoms. In fact, all-you-can-eat buffets are almost always a recipe for heartburn.

A very full stomach can cause the valve between your stomach and esophagus (known as the lower esophageal sphincter, or LES) to relax, pushing stomach acids back up into the esophagus.

Eat several small meals throughout the day rather than the standard breakfast, lunch, and dinner. (Don’t make that last meal too late, though: Eating close to bedtime can trigger GERD symptoms as well.)

2. Ban the cake

Be it chocolate or caffeine, certain foods and drinks are notorious for exacerbating GERD symptoms.

The list includes spicy foods, fatty red meat, french fries (as well as other fried foods), citrus fruit, raw onion, tomatoes, butter, oil, peppermint, chocolate, and caffeine.

You don’t have to resign yourself to a diet of bananas and boiled chicken, however. There are many recipes around the web to enjoy.

3.Don’t drink alcohol

Alcohol is a bad idea for most people with GERD, especially if you drink too much, or on a regular basis.

Alcohol relaxes the LES, which lets stomach acid creep into the esophagus. The LES is the valve that is responsible for keeping acid in your stomach digesting food where it belongs and out of your airway. When the LES is relaxed it allows acid to come up causing the burning sensation known as acid reflux. Avoiding foods that relax the LES will limit your chances of acid reflux.

A 1999 study in the American Journal of Medicine found that the percentage of people reporting reflux symptoms increased with the number of drinks consumed weekly. Those who had more than seven drinks per week were the most likely to have heartburn.

4.Another reason to shed pounds

Excess weight can contribute to heartburn and acid reflux. A 2003 study of more than 10,000 people in the International Journal of Epidemiology found a strong link between GERD symptoms and body mass index (BMI). Obese people are nearly three times more likely than people of normal weight to have heartburn and acid reflux.

Experts aren’t sure why. Excess abdominal fat may place pressure on the stomach, but it may also cause chemical or hormonal changes that make the body more susceptible to acid reflux.

6.Don’t wear tight clothing

Much like excess belly fat, clothing that’s a tight fit around the midsection can push against your stomach and force acid into the esophagus.

Sure, those pants look cute, but are they worth it? If you have heartburn, skip too-tight belts, waistbands, hosiery, and undergarments.

7.Head up, sleep better

What does sleep have to do with heartburn? More than you might think. Avoid eating before bedtime, and elevate your head 6 to 8 inches once in bed.

This position doesn’t necessarily reduce the frequency of acid reflux, but research shows that it helps stomach acid drain from the esophagus more quickly. One study reported a 67% increase in acid clearance time.

Don’t own a Craftmatic Adjustable Bed? Prop up your bed on specially designed blocks or use a foam wedge, both of which you can find at most home stores. (Piling up the pillows isn’t as effective.)

8. Quit smoking

Everyone knows that smoking damages your heart and lungs. But what about your digestive system? Yep, it harms that too.

Nicotine, like alcohol, may worsen GERD symptoms by relaxing the LES, which causes stomach acid to flow back into the esophagus.

Smoking also causes bile salts to migrate from the small intestine into the stomach and reduces the amount of saliva you produce. (Saliva helps flush stomach acid out of the esophagus and contains a natural acid-fighter, bicarbonate.)

Are you feeling tired and dizzy? It could be down to a lack of red cells in your blood

What is it?
Anaemia is when you don’t have enough red cells in your blood. This means less oxygen gets taken to the tissues in the body. Approximately one in 10 women in the UK are anaemic, and so are one in 25 men. There are many causes, but the most common reason for anaemia in young people is a poor diet that is low in iron, vitamin B12, or folic acid. Blood loss from heavy periods is another reason.

Body evidence
Every cell in your body needs energy to do its job, which is obtained through oxygen. Oxygen enters the body via the lungs from where it is absorbed into the bloodstream. In the blood it is combined with a molecule called haemoglobin and then carried in red blood cells. This is a large molecule, mostly made up of protein with some iron in it. The oxygen weakly combines with the iron and is released when it gets to a part of the body where it is needed.
If there is less haemoglobin than is needed in the blood then a person is said to be anaemic.
If the body is short of oxygen, one of its responses will be for the kidney to produce a chemical called erythropoietin. This chemical tells the bone marrow to produce more red blood cells.

Signs and symptoms
Anaemia can cause you to feel any of the following: Tiredness, Dizziness, Palpitations, Breathlessness
If there is a sudden drop in the levels of haemoglobin in your blood, for instance, if you lose a lot of blood, you might notice that you tire more than you normally would and that you get out of breath quicker too. This is because when a healthy person gets out of breath, it is due to the fact that they cannot get enough oxygen into their body, so they breathe faster.
When you are anaemic, because your blood cannot carry as much oxygen, your heart and lungs have to work harder to get that oxygen to the places where you need it. This means you get out of breath faster than you normally would.

Why Might I Become Anaemic?
If someone has become anaemic, it is important to find out what is the cause. There are many different reasons; some are signs of serious illness and some are not. One of the first steps in finding out the causes of the anaemia is to find out what size the red blood cells are.
Some people only find out that they are anaemic when they have a blood test for another, initially unconnected, medical reason. This is because if you’re only slightly anaemic you might not feel any symptoms at all.

Iron Deficiency
If you aren’t eating enough iron in your diet then you can become anaemic. Iron is recycled in your body and you only need to eat a little (unless, of course, you are losing iron). If you are a woman, you will lose iron when you have your period, so a woman needs more iron in her diet than a man.

Vitamin B12
This is a vitamin that is essential for the functioning of red blood cells. It is found naturally in meat and dairy foods. In theory, vegans could become deficient in vitamin B12, but since it is added to many other foods as a supplement this very rarely happens. The most common cause of someone being deficient in vitamin B12 is if the body’s immune system attacks the cells in the stomach that absorb vitamin B12. This is

How do you treat anemia
That depends on the cause. If the anaemia is due to iron deficiency then you can take iron tablets which are available from any chemist. Of course, it is important to read the label if you are taking iron tablets as they can have nasty side effects. If someone is very anaemic, they might need a blood transfusion. If the anaemia is due to kidney failure then a drug called EPO can be given. This is a replacement for erythropoietin.

Natural help for anemia
A balanced diet containing foods such as red meat, liver, eggs, dried fruit, nuts, seeds and pulses will help. Supplements containing iron, B12 or folic acid may also be needed. Be reminded that Medical treatment may still be needed.