| Heartburn is a common digestive complaint
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| | stomach and causes a rise in the
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| which affects an estimated 15 million
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| | production of stomach acid. Both these
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| Americans every day, and 60 million once
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| | factors lead to an increased risk of
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| a month. Relief of mild heartburn is
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| | heartburn. So opt for 4-6 small meals or
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| typically achieved through diet and
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| | snacks, and allow a maximum of 3 hours
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| lifestyle changes, although medication
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| | between eating. In addition, choose foods
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| (eg. antacids) is usually necessary if
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| | that are "easier on the stomach" and more
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| the heartburn is caused by
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| | more easily digested.Avoid Acidic
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| gastroesophageal reflux disease
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| | FoodReduce your intake of very acidic
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| (GERD).What is Heartburn? What Are The
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| | foods by avoiding items such as:
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| Symptoms?Heartburn is a digestive
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| | tomatoes, tomato-based sauces, citrus
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| problem: it has nothing to do with your
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| | fruits, rhubarb, gooseberries, unripe
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| heart. It occurs when small amounts of
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| | fruit, vinegar and acidic pickles or
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| stomach acid accidentally rise up the
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| | relishes.Cut Down On Fatty and Spicy
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| esophagus (the food canal running from
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| | FoodFried or very fatty foods, including
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| the mouth to the stomach) causing
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| | candy, encourage indigestion and should
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| symptoms like a burning pain in the chest
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| | be avoided or eaten sparingly. So go easy
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| which rises towards the throat. Sufferers
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| | on butter, mayo, sausages, salami, pate,
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| may even taste the fluid in the back of
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| | meat pies, and full-fat cheese. The same
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| the mouth, and this is called acid
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| | applies to very spicy food such as: black
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| indigestion. In many cases the pain and
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| | pepper, chili peppers, curry, mustard and
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| burning sensation is relatively mild, but
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| | other hot spices, as well as raw onions
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| sometimes is so severe that patients
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| | and garlic.Avoid Carbonated DrinksFizzy
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| think they are experiencing a heart
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| | or carbonated soft drinks cause belching
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| attack.What Are The Causes Of
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| | and upward pressure on the lower
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| Heartburn?In general, the immediate cause
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| | esophageal sphincter (LES), increasing
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| of heartburn is the acidic digestive
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| | the likelihood of heartburn. The best
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| juices which leave the stomach and rise
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| | drinks include: water, herbal teas or
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| up the esophagus. The acid burns the
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| | diluted non-citrus fruit juices. Please
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| tissue of the esophagus causing
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| | also note that some soft drinks (eg.
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| inflammation and pain - a condition
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| | cocoa, coffee, orange juice) are not
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| called esophagitis. Heartburn may also
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| | helpful for heartburn as they can
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| occur in pregnancy when the baby is
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| | over-relax the LES, thus encouraging the
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| pressing up against the underside of the
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| | backward flow of acid from the
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| diaphragm and squeezing the stomach. An
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| | stomach.Eat More Fiber, Especially
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| occasional episode of acid-regurgitation
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| | Soluble FiberConstipation can lead to
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| or indigestion is quite normal. But
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| | extra strain on abdominal muscles and
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| persistent heartburn (eg. twice a week),
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| | increase the risk of heartburn. To
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| is usually a sign of something more
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| | prevent constipation, eat more high-fiber
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| serious. The two most common underlying
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| | foods such as: oats, apples, pears, dried
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| causes of heartburn symptoms are
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| | apricots and vegetables. When increasing
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| gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD),
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| | fiber intake it's also important to
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| and hiatal hernia.Gastroesophageal Reflux
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| | increase your water intake by at least 40
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| DiseaseGERD is characterized by a failure
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| | fl oz a day.Reduce Alcohol
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| of the muscular valve, known as the lower
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| | ConsumptionAlcohol is not helpful to
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| esophageal sphincter (LES), which is
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| | heartburn for several reasons. So take
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| located at the bottom of the esophagus.
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| | steps to reduce your intake to one unit a
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| The function of this valve is to keep
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| | day, or avoid it altogether. Alcohol is
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| acid in the stomach and prevent it
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| | also a source of non-nutritious calories
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| leaking back up the esophagus. When this
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| | and can contribute to overweight.Other
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| valve doesn't work properly, reflux
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| | Digestive TipsFor digestive disorders
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| (leak-back) and heartburn can occur.
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| | like heartburn, some dietitians and
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| Factors that contribute to
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| | alternative health experts recommend
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| gastroesophageal reflux disease include
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| | patients to eat (or cook with)
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| obesity, pregnancy, smoking and, in
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| | digestion-friendly aromatic herbs like
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| particular, hiatal hernia.Hiatal
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| | basil, camomile, caraway, dill, fennel,
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| HerniaHiatus or hiatal hernia is a
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| | rosemary and thyme. They also recommend
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| condition in which part of the stomach
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| | that you end each meal with a glass of
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| herniates (protrudes) upwards into the
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| | herbal tea (eg. camomile, fennel) to
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| chest through the hiatus (opening) in the
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| | reduce acidity and wind.Lifestyle
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| diaphragm normally only occupied by the
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| | Improvements To Reduce HeartburnThere are
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| esophagus. This puts extra pressure on
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| | several lifestyle changes that can help
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| the LES valve preventing it from closing
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| | to reduce the symptoms of heartburn. One
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| properly. As a result, stomach acid leaks
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| | obvious one is to stop smoking, as
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| into the esophagus causing heartburn. The
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| | tobacco smoke increases acidity in the
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| underlying cause of hiatal hernia is
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| | stomach. Other recommended changes
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| unknown. Contributory factors include:
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| | include:Avoid placing extra strain on
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| obesity, pregnancy, constipation,
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| | your abdomen or chest. Wear loose-fitting
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| abdominal muscle strain, and
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| | clothes, and do not overstretch or lift
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| smoking.Dietary Treatment For HeartburnIn
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| | heavy weights.Do not lie down after
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| cases of persistent heartburn, dietary
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| | eating, and try not to eat anything for
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| improvements are not sufficient. So as
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| | at least three hours before going to bed.
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| well as advocating a digestion-friendly
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| | The less there is in your stomach when
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| diet, your doctor is likely to recommend
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| | you come to lie down, the lower the risk
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| one or more of the following types of
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| | of heartburn.To minimize night-time
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| medication. Antacids to neutralize the
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| | discomfort, raise the head end of your
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| acid in your stomach; H2 blockers or
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| | bed by about 3 inches by using bed-blocks
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| proton pump inhibitors to reduce acid
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| | or by placing a solid object under the
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| production; or prokinetics to strengthen
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| | bed-legs. This helps to prevent stomach
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| the lower esophageal sphincter and
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| | acid from leaking backwards into the
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| expedite stomach-emptying. However, if
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| | esophagus. Do not use extra pillows - you
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| heartburn symptoms are mild and occur
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| | simply end up with a stiff neck as well
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| only from time to time, usually you will
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| | as heartburn!Heartburn symptoms can be
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| be advised to make the following changes
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| | caused by certain over-the-counter drugs,
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| to your diet.If Overweight, Switch To A
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| | such as aspirin, or other pain-killers or
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| Healthy Weight Loss DietObesity,
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| | anti-inflammatories. So if you take this
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| especially excess fat on the chest and
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| | type of medication regularly, check with
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| abdomen, is a common contributory factor
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| | your doctor or pharmacist that it's safe
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| to GERD and hiatal hernia, and therefore
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| | to continue.Linda Smith B.Sc., RD, aged
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| to heartburn. So if you are obese (BMI >
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| | 51, is a qualified dietitian and
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| 30), take steps to normalize your weight
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| | nutritional consultant. She is part of
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| and thus reduce your risk or symptoms of
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| | the editorial team at which provides a
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| heartburn. Choose a healthy
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| | range of information about diet,
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| calorie-controlled diet and customize it
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| | nutrition and weight management to more
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| by following the eating tips below.Stop
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| | than 5 million visitors per year.
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| Eating Large MealsA big meal distends the
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