This is another in Quizzify’s Six Things Employees Should Know series, that They Said What? is offering this month. Heartburn is a two-part series.

To all of us who have experienced it (which is to say, virtually all of us), heartburn — otherwise known as indigestion or acid reflux — seems to be a part of the human condition. We would cite the massive numbers of people — probably a third of the American adult population — who experience this condition at least once a month, but we don’t have to because you, or at least many of the employees in your organization, are likely among them.

Rather than suffer through an episode or repeat episodes, many of us reach for a remedy. That remedy ranges from an occasional chewable Tums or Rolaids to daily dosages of Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI) drugs, like Nexium, Prevacid or Prilosec. Most of these options reliably relieve most people’s symptoms without immediate side effects, so few people question either the need or the remedy.

And yet it turns out both the need and the remedy should be questioned. Simple lifestyle changes can reduce the need, and nobody should be taking any drug designed as a remedy every day. Most drugs intended to be taken intermittently or for short periods of time are not labeled, tested or, as we shall see in the next installment, safe for long-term use. (Our most recent Six Things post exposed another example: harmless-sounding OTC sleep aids.)

1. Some of the causes of heartburn can easily be addressed

Overeating, eating without an accompanying beverage, eating too fast, eating too late at night – all these things can cause indigestion. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/8-ways-to-quell-the-fire-of-heartburn Other less obvious physical causes include:

• Eating while slouching,
• Not loosening your belt while filling your stomach
• Too much alcohol, caffeine, or even peppermint, carbonated beverages or chocolate
• Fatty or greasy foods.
• Exercising right after eating

Simply addressing these items – particularly in combination and particularly before bed — could go a long way towards relieving symptoms.

2. Three simple remedies are overlooked

First, try chewing sugarless gum after eating. This stimulates saliva production. You’ll often feel a satisfying burp as a result. (Or at least here at Quizzify we do. Yes, we know. TMI.) https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/8-ways-to-quell-the-fire-of-heartburn

Next, probiotics found naturally in some yogurts (or kombucha) can solve many people’s indigestion if eaten regularly for two weeks or so.

There are hundreds of yogurts on the market, so how can you tell if a yogurt has probiotics? Rule of thumb: if you recognize the brand from your childhood, it doesn’t. There are also many types of probiotics. None fit everyone’s needs exactly, so varying your yogurt choices might be a good idea.

Caution: like every other nutritional supplement, probiotics should not become an obsession. Get them from natural sources rather than pills or other concentrated sources.

Finally, if you have nighttime indigestion, try elevating the head of your bed to create a slight downward plane. Not just adding pillows (see comment above about not scrunching your stomach), but rather inclining your entire bed — using books, or wedges available online or in any medical supply store. https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/gastroesophageal-reflux-disease While you’re sleeping, this small angle helps keep digestive juices out of your esophagus — which is specifically the body part that “acid reflux” irritates, as the next section describes.

To continue, click through to Quizzify.