Reflux Disease Triggers

Chances are if you have chronic heartburn, also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), then you are well aware of what foods give you heartburn. In case you aren’t sure, here is a rundown:
Foods
Acidic foods like tomatoes, citrus foods, coffee, alcohol, spicy foods and peppermint all have a relaxing effect on the trap door that keeps stomach acid out of your esophagus. Sounds nice, doesn’t it? Well, it’s not because when the trap door (called the lower esophageal sphincter) is relaxed, it doesn’t do a very good job of trapping your stomach acid. So a little bit creeps out and you get the burning sensation known as heartburn.
Other Factors
There are other factors involved in the onset of heartburn. Large meals can cause your stomach to become larger which places more stress on the lower esophageal sphincter. Often, it will not be able to adequately compensate and you will get heartburn. Even the simple act of lying down can be too much to ask of your lower esophageal sphincter, since it often results in heartburn.