Avoid Holiday Heartburn

The holidays are a minefield for heartburn.

The foods most likely to irritate the digestive system are out in full force -- fried and fatty fare, chocolate, peppermint, alcohol, tomatoes and citrus. We eat more than we should, drink more than we should and stay up late. We squeeze our tummies into dress-up clothes that are too tight or try to trim a few pounds with body-shapers.

It's all a recipe for heartburn or acid reflux.

For most people, it's an occasional annoyance that pops up a little more frequently after holiday indulgence. But chronic heartburn can cramp your style and your esophagus.

"If you're popping Rolaids like candy and you find yourself in the drug store looking at Xantac and Prilosec, it's a signal things are getting worse," said nurse practitioner Carah Edgeworth, who is part of the Digestive Health Associates in Tupelo, Miss.

The problem with chronic heart burn is that acid from your stomach could be eating at the lining of the esophagus -- the tube that connects your mouth and stomach.

Over time, if the acid reflux is ignored, it can cause more serious problems, Edgeworth said. Scarring in the esophagus can make it hard to swallow. The inflammation can become Barrett's esophagus, which is a precursor to cancer.

But most of the time, the body can heal if the reflux is brought under control with lifestyle changes and medication. Primary care providers usually help people manage the problem, but they may refer patients to gastroenterologists for testing to make sure there has been no long-term damage to the esophagus.