In the United States alone, almost 40 per cent of the population suffers from heartburn in varying degrees of severity.

A heartburn cure which will automatically make it disappear has not yet been discovered however, a cure may simply mean adjusting some of your lifestyle habits to avoid attacks in the future.

Five Ways To Ease Heartburn

None of the following suggestions are a heartburn cure. They are intended to be a guide in helping you manage your heartburn with major input from your doctor.

1. Avoiding fatty meals in large quantities is a given. Meals high in fat content may be okay in small portions but gorging yourself on a daily basis on fat-filled meals in large doses is a no-no. Eat smaller healthier meals during the day instead of relying on one or two large helpings. Smaller intakes will relieve the pressure on your LES(Lower Esophageal Sphincter) and reduce the incidence of acid back wash.

2. If you smoke then consider cutting down or preferably quitting altogether. Smoking inflames heartburn episodes and has the capacity to weaken the LES. Your stomach will produce more acid as a smoker and the inhaling process means by inhaling and swallowing air you will be prone to more belching.

3. Reduce the incidence of stress in your life. No matter how difficult a task this may appear to be, stress means your emotions are at a critically high level and this can impact the incidence of heartburn in your life.

4. If you are overweight then give serious consideration to trimming some of those extra pounds. Research indicates even a modest loss of extra weight can be beneficial. Weight around the mid drift can put extra pressure on the stomach resulting in uncomfortable acid rising back into the esophagus. If you're overweight, shedding those extra pounds is an almost mandatory part of any heartburn cure.

5. Avoid eating meals close to bed time. By eating close to this time you are inviting almost certain heartburn when you lay down to sleep. This is not a heartburn cure as such but more of a preventative measure.