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1994-01-17
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$Unique_ID{BRK01552}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{Could Chocolate be Causing Frequent Heartburn?}
$Subject{heartburn diet chocolate Digestive System eat esophagus stomach lower
sphincter muscle acid antacids diets dieting dietary eating chocolates acids
antacid throat chest}
$Volume{I-26,I-10}
$Log{}
Copyright (c) 1991-92,1993 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
Could Chocolate be Causing Frequent Heartburn?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
QUESTION: I suffer quite frequently with heartburn. It used to come just
once in a while but now it is back every week or so. I wonder what is
happening and if there is anything I can do, perhaps change my diet some?
Could chocolate be causing my misery? I eat lots of that.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ANSWER: You may have your finger right on the cause of your problem, for in
many people, chocolate may be the culprit. Heartburn, of course, has nothing
to do with the heart or its functions, and received its name because of the
location of the pain and discomfort. Actually the pain comes from the
esophagus. At the lower end of this long tube, that runs from the mouth to
the stomach, is a muscle called the "lower esophagus sphincter". Normally it
seals off the esophagus from the stomach. However, in some people this muscle
relaxes when it shouldn't or is very weak. This allows the contents of the
stomach which are high in acid content to flow back up into the esophagus and
cause the irritation and burning which is called "heartburn". Avoiding
certain foods can be helpful. Such items include tomato products, citrus
fruits and juices, coffee, and fried or fatty foods. While antacids may
provide you with some temporary relief, prevention is the better course of
action. However, should the attacks continue despite your best efforts, a
visit to your doctor is a must.
----------------
The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician. Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.