Heartburns and indigestion are extremely common side effects of pregnancy that show up well into the second trimester and usually last till delivery. Your diet and lifestyle play an important role in causing these symptoms. Usually, you develop reflux soon after you eat or drink something but it can also occur considerably later.
Symptoms of Heartburn
Here are the most common symptoms that you experience:
- Pain or a sensation of burning in and around the chest region.
- Heaviness and bloating along with a constant feeling of fullness.
- Nausea could be accompanied by vomiting.
- Uncomfortable burping can be painful or acidic.
Dealing with Heartburn
Mild symptoms of heartburn can be dealt with without any medication and by improving your lifestyle generally. Eating more is important but not to a point where it’s unhealthy or leaves you bloated. Avoid smoking and drinking at any cost. Besides that, here are some foods that will help you deal with heartburn better:
#1 Yogurt
Healthy, yummy, and mild, digging into some plain or Greek yogurt can help reduce heartburns and deal with the ‘burn’ effectively. Yogurt has enough probiotics to improve digestion and provides you with a cooling effect from within.
#2 Milk And Honey
Heartburns are a result of increased acid levels in the stomach that get pumped upwards through your esophagus sometimes. Studies have shown that a proportionate combination of milk and honey can help in neutralizing the acid and providing considerable relief.
#3 Almonds
A healthy snack that not only boosts your protein and healthy fat levels, almonds are also a safe way to satisfy your cravings without incurring high acidity levels.
#4 Pineapple or papaya
Deliciously healthy fruits that they are, they also have powerful digestive enzymes that help ease symptoms of heartburn and indigestion. If you have eaten an unusually heavy meal or a rather spicy one, consuming these fruits afterward can help you reduce symptoms of heartburn.
#5 Ginger
Ginger is a renowned home remedy for digestion issues since time immemorial. A little bit of ginger with tea has been known to tackle an upset stomach quite well. What is less known is that this property of ginger makes it an effective cure for heartburn. It helps in reducing inflammation significantly and also prevents acid reflux from happening. Ginger is also recommended for boosting immunity which is an added benefit during pregnancy.
#6 Sugar-Free Gum
After you are done with your lunch, start chewing sugar-free gum for about 30 minutes. It has been proven that this reduces the chance of reflux and also helps with obtaining mild relief from heartburn symptoms.
Conclusion
Dealing with heartburn can be quite tricky and tedious, but these simple remedies can help you obtain effective relief rather quickly. Moreover, each of the food listed in this post has several other benefits for your health and immunity. Improving your overall diet and lifestyle by introducing simple exercises during pregnancy can help you from suffering from digestive issues as well as keeping your weight in check.