A doctor has revealed the foods most likely to keep people up at night.
Dr Kunal Sood, a US-based anaesthesiologist, says avoiding chocolate, tomatoes, spicy food, and coffee can prevent heartburn—a burning sensation in the chest caused by stomach acid flowing back into the oesophagus.
It’s a painful condition which troubles one in four UK adults, and can also be a symptom of a far more serious condition.
Dr Sood warned that recurrent instances of heartburn may be a sign that you have gastro oesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
‘Typical symptoms include heartburn, sour taste, persistent cough or hiccups, hoarse voice and bad breath,’ he said in a video posted on TikTok to his 2.7million followers.
Previously a study found chocolate increases acid exposure which makes reflux more likely.
Similarly, another found many GERD patients self-reported that eating tomatoes worsened reflux.
Other researchers have found capsaicin, the component in chillies which gives the vibrant salad fruits their heat, can trigger heartburn in some people.
However, the symptoms, which can be worse after eating or lying down, can also be triggered by smoking, stress and even pregnancy, he warned.
Dr Sood revealed which foods to avoid to prevent heartburn if it is stopping you from getting a good night’s sleep
Doctors have previously warned that drinking coffee, particularly first thing in the morning, can lead to the condition.
As well as avoiding these foods, he recommended trying to eat ‘smaller and more frequent meals’.
This is backed up by a study which found larger meals increased risk of reflux when compared with smaller, more frequent meals.
He also advised keeping a food diary to help those suffering identify which foods are triggering their heartburn.
Other things you can do to prevent heartburn are sleeping on your left side, drinking less alcohol, and avoiding eating right before bed, he shared.
It follows a study in 2023 found that sleeping on your left side at night can reduce your risk of acid reflux.
Meanwhile a systemic review found there is some evidence drinking alcohol increases your risk of GERD.
Similarly, another study found eating dinner a couple of hours before sleeping increased risk of the condition.
He also shared other tips to avoid heartburn like sleeping on your left side and not drinking
In the comment sections, several social media users wrote about their struggles with heartburn.
One user wrote: ‘I let mine go too long and ended up with stomach ulcers that became worse and had to go on medication.’
Meanwhile another commented: ‘I have GERD, it’s so annoying.’
Dr Sood was reacting to a video posted two years ago by @paleaverse that amassed 2.1 million views.
In that video, Palesa Phooko, a 23-year-old medical student, shared she had an acid reflux/heartburn problem.
Earlier this month, heartburn sufferers were offered a test in a bid to catch the earliest possible signs of a deadly cancer.
The ‘sponge on a string’ test available on the high street sees individuals swallow a special pill containing a sponge the size of a 1p coin.
It aims to spot a condition called Barrett’s oesophagus, which occurs when stomach acid rises up the food pipe causing heartburn and damaging tissue.
In some cases, the damaged tissue may have abnormal changes, which may one day become cancer.
While the sponge on a string test has been offered in hospitals and other clinical settings for years, this is the first time it will be offered in a high-street setting.
The NHS says if the two-year pilot is successful the initiative could be rolled out to more parts of the country.
Professor Peter Johnson, NHS national cancer director, said: ‘For the majority of people with persistent reflux, these quick and easy heartburn health checks will provide peace of mind that you aren’t at increased risk of cancer.
‘For those who do find out they have Barrett’s oesophagus, regular follow-up checks will be put in place so any further cell changes can be spotted early.’
If worrying sings are detected patients can have treatments to have the cells removed.
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