Heartburn is a common disorder experienced by most of us at some time during our lives. It's a painful and uncomfortable condition that in many cases can be easily remedied with a few simple lifestyle changes.

The condition is also known as acid reflux because it is caused by acid from the stomach getting back into the esophagus; it is this that causes the pain and discomfort felt by suffers of heartburn.

Understanding what causes the majority of cases of acid reflux will enable us to make the lifestyle changes that will ease the condition if not eliminate it altogether.

There are some common causes of acid reflux and heartburn relief can be achieved with a few simple lifestyle adjustments. There can, of course, be more serious reasons for acid reflux which require medical intervention, but this article is going to look at the common causes of heartburn and some of the remedies for relief which can be implemented by anyone. So let's take a look at some of the steps you can take to alleviate acid reflux.

Some of the main culprits of the causes of heartburn are fatty and spicy foods, chocolates and fried foods are also well known triggers so any heartburn relief strategy requires avoiding certain types of foods. This is basic, it's a simple thing but avoiding certain foods can have a major impact on the condition for some people.

Here's a list of other actions that can be an effective heartburn relief strategy:

€ Avoid going to bed on a full stomach. Eat your meals at least three hours before going to bed, this will give you time to digest food which will allow the acid levels in your stomach to decrease.

€ Avoid eating too much. Overheating can cause heartburn, especially before going to bed.

€ Chew your food. I know this is simple but many people don't do the simple things and it can be the difference to stopping the condition. Eat slowly, take your time when eating. In North America and northern Europe we tend to see food as just refuelling and we tend to eat fast. Contrast this with the way the populations around the Mediterranean eat the food. They make eating a social event and take their time.

€ Know what triggers your heartburn. This is crucial and requires you monitoring your eating habits for a week or two. We all know what foods or drinks are triggering our heartburn, once we know, simply cutting them out will relieve heartburn. Take a notebook and write down everything you eat and monitor the effects. You will soon target the foods that are causing you all the problems. This will be known as your food diary and will become crucial to your heartburn relief strategy.

€ Common foods known to cause problems are: citrus fruits, spicy foods as already mentioned, fatty foods are another common trigger. Onions, peppermint coffee and fizzy drinks. You'll soon find out which foods are triggering your heartburn with the help of your food diary.

€ Diet. Being overweight is also a trigger for some people so losing weight can help to relieve the symptoms of heartburn.

€ Stop Smoking. Smoking is a big factor in all health related issues but is responsible for contributing to acid reflux because nicotine is suspected of causing the esophageal sphincter to weaken which means it doesn't seal the stomach properly and allows acid to reflux.

€ Raise Your Head. Simply elevating your head when laying down can be a big help. It will make it difficult for the acid to get back into the esophagus. So just adding another pillow to elevate your head can be very effective in relieving heartburn.

€ Drink more water.

Just a few simple diet and lifestyle changes can have a massive impact on alleviating heartburn. It will require a little effort and time on your part but the results can be effective and be apparent almost immediately. Starting a food diary is essential to the strategy. Try it out you may be pleasantly surprised by the results.