It burns!

For the past week or so I have had the WORST heartburn of my life. No matter what I attempt to eat at any point throughout the day, swallowing feels like trying to force a large ball down a too-small tube that is on fire. It. Hurts.

I have tried my Zantac prescription, chewing sugarless gum, eating, not eating, water... but nothing has really made a dent in this. Desperate, I decided to turn to Martha to see what she had to say....

On her website, I found an interesting article entitled, "3 Ways to Treat Acid Reflux," which I thought might be of help. At this point, I'll pretty much read and try anything on the subject, so I welcomed the article with open eyes.

According to Martha's medical experts, there are three treatment categories for acid reflux, which Martha describes as a state where "semidigested food and acid rise up into the esophagus (the tube that connects the stomach and mouth), triggering regurgitation, all while you're having heartburn." The options are:

1. Medical intervention: If heartburn or indigestion comes on suddenly, it is really important to seek medical help to rule out more serious conditions. Heartburn can be a sign of more serious problems, such as a hiatal hernia. Thankfully, this is pretty standard for me and I already have a proton pump inhibitor, Zantac, prescribed. The problem is that this isn't really working to well, so on to option 2.

2. Diet: Certain foods, especially those that are spicy, fatty or acidic are particularly bad for those prone to heartburn. Foods to avoid include chocolate, tomatoes, fried things, alcohol and caffeine... also known as everything that is delicious in the entire world. Martha's nutritionist recommends some other foods that might help: aloe vera (which I am totally going to go get tomorrow), cooked vegetables (which I ate for dinner tonight), ginger (taking supplements as we speak), and chewing gum (which I have been doing all day). All these options have seemed to help a bit, providing me some much needed relief.

3. Lifestyle: Finally, things like stress and sleeping incline have been known to trigger or  worsen heartburn symptoms. Martha's expert recommends some simple things that I am going to try: raising the heat of the head of my bed so I sleep at an incline and reducing stress by taking some time for myself (a good excuse for the 3 hour nap from which I just woke up). I think both things will be helpful for preventing future heartburn "outbreaks."

I may not be 100% cured at this point, but I am hopeful that by employing some of these tips, I will start to feel better soon. After all, Martha has never let me down before!