Heartburn while eating very healthy, no heartburn when eat junk

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  • hopeandtheabsurd
    hopeandtheabsurd Posts: 265 Member
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    It shouldn't be too difficult to backtrack through what you have added to your diet to pinpoint what is causing the heartburn. You won't have to eliminate all fruits and vegetables, just the ones causing you difficulty.
  • Alassonde
    Alassonde Posts: 228 Member
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    Tomatoes and lettuce can cause heartburn issues. I have a friend who has terrible heartburn when she eats lettuce, but when she substitutes spinach for lettuce she is fine.
  • VeryKatie
    VeryKatie Posts: 5,931 Member
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    Not enough fat? I get weird feeling when I eat too many veggies at once, especially green ones.
  • devorahna
    devorahna Posts: 7 Member
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    Well, I cut way back on the vegetables yesterday and today and I feel much better. I guess I have to keep a food log for a while and see which vegetables are causing the heartburn. I saw people mention grapes, and I have been eating grapes recently as well as lettuce. Thanks for the advice! Its just frustrating when you think you are eating healthy and you end up causing yourself more problems!
  • briscogun
    briscogun Posts: 1,135 Member
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    My son has been going through heartburn issues, and the GI doc gave us a long list of foods to try and avoid, which include lots of fruits; apples, pears, strawberries, grapes... the list goes on. In addition, cow's milk was on it, along with large quantities of pasta and wheat-based carbs. So... almost everything!

    I'd recommend trying to sync up your food diary with your symptoms to see what is aggravating it. It's not an issue of healthy vs. junk, it's just finding your triggers. Mine was fried foods, had a horrible heartburn reaction one night (thought I was dying), which actually got me to realize I was eating like crap, which made me realize I was getting fat, which made me get back on the bandwagon with my diet and exercise, which got me to drop 35+ lbs since Thanksgiving! So I guess heartburn actually helped me...? Huh!
  • Rosyone
    Rosyone Posts: 74 Member
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    You may well have a food sensitivity to one or more of the vegetables or fruits you've been eating. The manipulations I made to my diet to lose weight accidently exposed a sensitivity to russet potatoes. Even a plain, unsalted baked potato with none of the usual fixings will trigger an episode of heartburn, which used to be a fairly chronic problem back in the days when baked potatoes were a staple of my diet. It almost never happens now that I know to avoid them.
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
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    Drastic sudden changes in diet can bring an onset of heartburn for me. Also, when I was eating 'healthier', I was actually eating a higher volume of food (more fruit and veggies to fill my calorie needs). What worked for me was a balance of the two ways ( eat all foods at moderation) and boom, heartburn gone.
  • mommazach
    mommazach Posts: 384 Member
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    I was diagnosed with GERD a couple of years ago. Just reflux beyond measure and the Dr put me on medication for it. I never had heartburn until I started taking meds.... So, my chiropractor gave me a suggestion. Runners don't get heartburn. As I wasn't running at the time, he suggested getting a mini trampoline. Jump on it for 5 minutes a day. It sends your stomach downward, which in turn reduces heartburn. It really does work. My brother, who suffered for years, just recently started jogging to help him. Great reports back from him. Make sure you are doing something to effectively move your stomach down. For at least 5 minutes a day.
  • ald783
    ald783 Posts: 690 Member
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    I would wait a bit longer and see if it continues and then consider talking to your doctor about it.

    I used to get it years ago when I was a lot heavier and routinely ate badly. I hardly ever had it for the several years I was losing and maintaining my weight, then in the past year have gotten it occasionally and almost always when I have eaten pretty healthily and not in high quantities. I think overeating or eating unhealthy foods (as well as being overweight) can be one culprit but sometimes certain foods, even healthy ones, can cause it as well. Or coffee, spicy foods, etc. Give it some time and see if it persists.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,170 Member
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    +1 to the trigger food info, etc., above.

    Question (you don't need to answer explicitly): Anytime heartburn, or mostly at night? If mostly at night, try avoiding high-volume or high-acid foods closer to bedtime, and put risers under the top of your bed so it slants slightly. (Using multiple pillows is not enough: You need to slant your digestive organs a bit, not just your head/shoulders.)
  • devorahna
    devorahna Posts: 7 Member
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    The heartburn is definitly worse at night, but its been happening all day. I had been eating a large amount of vegetables and fruit in order to meet my calorie intake. I would put an extra pillow under my head, and it helped someone. I am somewhat overweight, I need to loose 20lbs, but I'm not sure if it has an effect on the heartburn.

    I guess I need to figure out the trigger foods, and balance out with more carbs since I feel better with those.

    Interestingly my mother said she also gets heartburn if she eats to many vegetables! She didnt specify which ones though! I guess there is some genetic component to this. apparently, my mother and uncle have been taking reflux medication for years!

    I hope I can figure out which are my trigger foods!

    Interesting idea about jumping/running. I don't run, but I do have a treadmill and I walk on that, but it seemed to make the heartburn worse. I have a trampoline though!!!

    Thanks for all of the suggestions!
  • ElizabethOakes2
    ElizabethOakes2 Posts: 1,038 Member
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    You might also get an allergy test. I discovered that soy, which was supposed to be super-good for me, is something that my body doesn't digest and that's why I was getting so sick at night!
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    Yes to the food log! MFP is great for this. Listen to your body and adjust. That is the healthiest diet for you. This doesn't mean giving up on all fruits and vegetables or stop varying your diet a bit, but log what you eat, track your symptoms, and make changes as needed. It might mean only eating a grape or two with your bread, instead of replacing all your bread with a handful of grapes.

    For a while I was getting heartburn in the evening. When I stopped eating after 6:00 in the evening, no more heartburn.

    Experiment, log, figure it out.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    If you have problems (ouchies) with protein, try preparing it in different ways, changing it's texture even (ground chicken instead of a chicken breast) to see if it makes a difference.
  • devorahna
    devorahna Posts: 7 Member
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    Just want to update that I may have found the culprit: raw vegetables! Cooked seems fine, raw is the issue. I am hoping over the next week I can focus on cooked veggies and not experience heartburn!
  • kenwood1981
    kenwood1981 Posts: 12 Member
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    I suffer from acid reflux and everything gives me heartburn yes even water. Some people produce more acid than others. Omeprosal helps me with controlling this problem. I'v had my throat scoped and the next step would be surgery if pills stop working. Pills take couple days to start working. If you have insurance it will cover the pills
  • cristalball
    cristalball Posts: 14 Member
    edited March 2016
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    If I add lemon to my water I get heartburn immediately, but eating lemon juice in dishes doesn't bother me, so you could experiment with how you are using foods or the quantity rather than having to rule out certain fruits or vegetables entirely. I also get terrible heartburn taking ibuprofen.
  • Sheks41191
    Sheks41191 Posts: 90 Member
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    I have GERD...

    Go to a GI doctor and get check, I went about a month ago and a scan revealed that I had gallstones small ones but still which could be the cause. I'm on medication to attempt to dissolve them.

    H.Pylori was ruled out.

    Bottom line it could be the excess weight keeping you les open, I know that if I'm eating a lot... Before treatment it would lessen the burning feeling. I suspect this is the case with you.

    Go get it checked out.
  • amclain93
    amclain93 Posts: 64 Member
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    I noticed this too, when I first started cooking healthier meals. I just bulk bought some antacids and called it a day, though. If its bad enough that its messing with your sleep, maybe an otc pill would be a better option?
  • MsDonaB
    MsDonaB Posts: 8 Member
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    I have similar problems. Not so much with bloating and "gassiness" after eating a healthy meal, but just pain that isn't nearly as bad when I eat a not-so-healthy meal. I love salads, but it's really discouraging when you know that discomfort is on the other side of the spinach and romaine!

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