Wee are “o { Holiday HiintSs; So 2. Oot~_ Ost 2Oot. OO ce — ee 2... Take Heartburn Off Your Mind This Holiday (NAPSA)—During the holidays, rich and fatty foods, alcoholic beverages and overeating can cause heartburn to be as commonas turkey and mistletoe. According to Dr. Timothy Covington, a leading pharmacist and Board Member of the National Heartburn Alliance (NHBA), holiday food can be problematic because it often has a high fatty or acidic content that can irritate the gastric lining and relax the lower esophageal sphincter. “This irritation and/or relaxation allows acid to enter the esophagus, thereby causing the discomfort commonly associated with heartburn.” A recent NHBA study found that more than half of Americans (66 percent) suffer from heartburn during the holidays, with 94 percent of heartburn suffers saying they would enjoy the holidays more if they didn’t have to worry about heartburn. How can people have a heartburn-free holiday season? The National Heartburn Alliance has developed some tips to help: * It’s fun to dress up for the holiday festivities, but if you have heartburn, tight clothes or belts can put pressure on the stomach and could worsen heartburn symptoms. *To help control heartburn, avoid or limit beverages that contain alcohol. *Love to sneak leftovers at night? Then you may want to stay upright for two to three hours after your snack. Lying down makes it harder on your body to If you have frequent heartburn, you may wantto ask your doctor about medication before the holidays start. digest food properly and can exacerbate heartburn. *Holiday home cooking can really get everyone in thespirit, but keeping everyone healthy means using less fat in your recipes. Fat is hard for the stomach to digest. Spices and broths can add loadsof flavor without the fat. Dr. Covington also says it’s important for consumers to identify what type of heartburn they have so that they can treat it appropriately. “If you get heartburn occasionally, you may suffer from episodic heartburn, and in that case, you may want to take an antacid. “If you are a frequent heartburn sufferer—meaning you get heartburn two or more days a week—then you suffer from frequent heartburn, which could be treated with a proton pump inhibitor, such as Prilosec OTC.” For more information about heartburn, you can log on to PrilosecOTC.com. wee eee ne eee eee eeeOEee ee eee Note to Editors: National Heartburn Alliance Survey 2007
