Topic Overview

You can make changes to your eating habits to help relieve your symptoms of heartburn. Here are some things to try:

• It's best to eat several small meals instead of two or three large meals.
• After you eat, wait 2 to 3 hours before you lie down. Late-night snacks aren't a good idea.
• Chocolate, mint, and alcohol can make heartburn worse. They relax the valve between the esophagus and the stomach.
• Spicy foods, foods that have a lot of acid (like tomatoes and oranges), and coffee can make heartburn symptoms worse in some people. If your symptoms are worse after you eat a certain food, you may want to stop eating that food to see if your symptoms get better.