Before you reach for the antacids to deal with troublesome heartburn, you might want to consider simply changing your eating habits. Most people are aware that eating too quickly or eating certain foods can trigger heartburn, yet few people are willing to change how and what they eat. Instead, they chow down as usual and then turn to their heartburn medication for relief. However, this is not the best way to tackle heartburn or indigestion, and, in fact, some of the very medications that claim to ease heartburn may actually make things worse.

Heartburn occurs when foods mix with acid to form a liquid that rises into the esophagus, causing chest pain or a burning sensation in the stomach. Antacids effectively "block" stomach acid, but at the same time, they block the absorption of nutrients and can hinder proper digestion, possibly making indigestion worse, according to Phyllis A. and James F. Balch in "Prescription For Nutritional Healing." In fact, the millions of Americans who take antacids to treat their heartburn are actually making a big mistake, according to Pamela Sky Jeanne, a naturopathic doctor from Oregeon. "One of the worst things you can do for your health is take an antacid," Jeanne says in Bill Gottlieb's "Alternative Cures." Jeanne explains, "That's because, in order to break down proteins into amino acids that are usable by the body, you must have sufficient hydrochloric acid in your stomach."

Besides interfering with digestion and nutrient absorption, both prescription and over-the-counter heartburn medications can have startling side effects. According to Phyllis and James Balch, many popular antacids contain aluminum compounds, which can cause constipation; magnesium compounds, which can cause diarrhea; sodium bicarbonate, which can cause gas and bloating; and calcium bicarbonate, which can actually cause the stomach to create more acid than usual once the antacid wears off.

Other heartburn medications may have more serious side effects. In "Graedons' Best Medicine," by Joe Graedon and Dr. Teresa Graedon, there is an account of a woman whose doctor prescribed her Reglan and Pepcid for her severe heartburn. Within days after she started taking the drugs, she began experiencing muscle spasms in her neck and shoulders, and a few weeks later she began experiencing uncontrollable muscle twitching, insomnia, hallucinations and even thoughts of suicide. When doctors could not reverse these symptoms with other prescription drugs, they became so severe that the patient temporarily checked herself into a psychiatric ward temporarily, not realizing at the time that she was having an adverse reaction to her heartburn medications.

Heartburn medicines are far from completely safe, and in some cases, they can even be deadly. Gottlieb writes, "A popular heartburn drug, used by more than 30 million people since 1993, has caused 70 deaths and 200 other incidents of heart problems, and, says the government; it should be used 'only as a last resort.'"

So, what is the first resort in heartburn treatment? Aim to prevent it in the first place, and for that, a change in eating habits is a good place to start. Many foods have a reputation for causing heartburn, including onions, garlic, hot and spicy foods, fatty or greasy foods, fried foods and highly acidic foods, like tomatoes and citrus. Chocolate and coffee are also common culprits. In addition, the way you eat is sometimes just as important as what you eat. People who eat especially quickly, who lay down after a big meal or who simply eat too much, are often more prone to heartburn. When you eat too much too fast, without chewing well, the stomach must produce more acid to break down food, creating problems for you down the line. Therefore, in addition to paying attention to the types of foods you eat, and avoiding those that trigger heartburn, you must also be aware of portion size and how quickly you eat.
If you do start to feel heartburn coming on, one of the first things you should do is drink water. F. Batmanghelidj in "Water for Health Healing" writes that heartburn really begins as just "thirst pains" -- a signal of a water shortage in the body. Batmanghelidj suggests treating this pain with water rather than medication.

Finally, it is important to bear in mind that it is not just food choices that can contribute to heartburn. Stress can also be a factor, as well as any prescription or over-the-counter drug you might be taking. This may surprise some people, but the drugs you take can lead to indigestion and heartburn. Aspirin, for example, has been shown to contribute to heartburn when taken in high doses, as has Ibuprofen. Anti-inflammatory drugs often cause heartburn in addition to more serious problems, such as death from sudden gastric hemorrhage. Certain calcium-channel blocking drugs, asthma drugs, beta-blocking drugs used to lower blood pressure and anticholinergics used to treat Parkinson's Disease may also cause heartburn, as can birth control pills, diazepam, nicotine, nitroglycerine, progesterone, provera and theophylline.

With the number of people eating poor diets and taking multiple prescription drugs in this country, it is no wonder, according to statistics given by Drs. Marc R. and Michael R. Rose in "Save Your Sight," that more than half of all people over 40 experience heartburn once a month., according to Drs. Marc R. and Michael R. Rose in Save Your Sight. If you frequently suffer from heartburn, it may be time to reevaluate what's in your diet or what's in your medicine cabinet. Talk to your doctor about how you can reduce your risk just by changing your lifestyle.